Top 5 PayPal Business Alternatives & Who They're Best For

PayPal has become a household name among digital payment service providers since its launch in 1998, holding a significant market share of 45% on worldwide online transactions. The platform offers a convenient and secure way to send and accept online payments, making it a versatile payment solution for businesses, especially those in ecommerce. 

Despite its popularity, the question remains: Is PayPal the best fit for your business? Are there other options out there that you could benefit from in addition to PayPal?

This article will guide you through the top 5 PayPal alternatives in 2024. We will explore each option's features, fees, and pros and cons to help you compare and pick the right one for your business operations. 

Let’s get started with our curated list of 5 best PayPal alternatives!

Statrys is a Hong Kong-based financial service provider offering global payment solutions to businesses registered in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the BVI. As a licensed Money Service Operator, Statrys offers a range of products and services to streamline cross-border payments, financial management, and global business growth, including:

• Multi-Currency Business Account: Hold, receive, and send international payments in 11 major currencies, including USD, HKD, CNY, AUD, EUR, GBP, SGD, JPY, CHF, NZD, and CAD, with the ability to make local transfers in 12 currencies.
• Payment Cards: Physical and virtual prepaid Mastercard® for making in-store and online purchases, as well as withdrawing cash from ATMs in Hong Kong and abroad. 
• Free Invoicing Software: Easy-to-use tool to create, manage, and send invoices efficiently. 
• Xero Integration: Integrate between Statrys and Xero to streamline your bookkeeping and cash flow management processes. 
• Marketplace and Payment Processor Integration: Link your business account to Shopify, Stripe, and PayPal to collect payments in one place. 
• FX Services: Make spot trades and order forward contracts at the rates you prefer

Statrys Pricing

Statrys offers a transparent fee structure, which you can view in full on the pricing page. Below are the important fees you should know about: 

Statrys’ Pros and Cons

We Recommend Statrys For

✅ Companies incorporated in Hong Kong, Singapore, or the BVI that seek a primary or secondary business account.

✅ Businesses that often deal with multiple major currencies can save more on conversion and transaction fees.

✅ Business owners who prefer personalised and responsive customer support.

Payoneer is a leading payment service provider that has been serving businesses of all sizes since 2005. Their services are specifically designed to support B2B international payments, making it easier for businesses to receive and send payments globally. 

With over 25 global offices, Payoneer facilitates international transactions in more than 70 currencies across over 190 countries and territories through the following key services:

• Local Receiving Account: Receive payments like a local in USD, JPY, AUD, EUR, HKD, SGD, CAD, GBP, and AED. 
• Prepaid Business Card: Top-up your card balance to make purchases and withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide in USD, EUR, GBP, or CAD.
• Marketplace Integrations: Connect with top ecommerce marketplaces, platforms, and networks, including Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Airbnb, and Fiverr. 
• Payment Gateway Services: Accept payments via credit cards and other payment methods, simplifying the checkout process for ecommerce businesses. 
• Fund Withdrawals: Withdraw funds via bank transfers in over 190 countries and 70 currencies or at ATMs worldwide.
• Batch Payments: Schedule and send batch payments of up to 1000 transactions at a time. 

Payoneer Pricing

Payoneer’s Pros and Cons

We Recommend Payoneer For

✅ Businesses that seek an efficient payment solution to handle transactions in the US, Japan, Australia, EU, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, the UK, UAE, or New Zealand.

✅ Businesses with an online presence can improve their checkout process and increase sales.

✅ Freelancers and digital nomads can manage their earnings at a reasonable fee.

Wise is an online payment platform based in the UK, providing solutions for individuals and business owners to send money abroad to over 70 countries across the world. For businesses, it offers the following products and services to streamline international money transfers:

• Business Account: Hold, convert, and send payments in over 40 currencies to over 70 countries, including GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, CNY, and HKD. Top up your balance through various methods, including transfers from bank accounts, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
• Local Accounts: Get local account details in 9 currencies and let customers pay you in their own currencies. Supported currencies may vary by location.
• Debit Card: Spend your multi-currency account balance with the Wise debit card and earn 0.5% cashback on all eligible transactions.
• Invoice and Batch Payments: Make invoice payments and set up transfers for recurring billings and mass payouts to up to 1,000 recipients in one go.
• Integrations: Connect your business account to accounting tools like Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent, and automate payments through Wise Open API.

Wise Pricing

Wise's Pros and Cons

We Recommend Wise For

✅ Businesses frequently engaged in international wire transfers benefit from Wise’s extensive payment networks

✅ Businesses that seek local currency accounts to receive payments of overseas clients or contractors. This solution helps businesses save more on currency exchange rates and transaction fees.

✅ Business owners that need APIs to automate their operations.

Stripe is one of the most well-known payment systems. It provides businesses with merchant accounts and the functionality to process payments, manage billing and handle transactions across multiple payment options. This allows businesses, particularly online stores and SaaS companies, to integrate Stripe into their operations for a seamless, end-to-end financial transaction experience.

Its key services include:

• Global Payment Collection: Collect payments in over 135 currencies and more than 40 payment types, including digital wallets, Amazon Pay, Shopify Payments, card payments, bank transfers, and buy-now-pay-later options. 
• Stripe Checkout: A pre-built payment page that allows businesses to easily accept payments online.
• Mass Payouts: Send mass payouts to employees and merchants around the world. Set up automated payouts to simplify workflow.
• Accounting Software Integration: Connect to popular accounting software such as QuickBooks and NetSuite for real-time reporting and reconciliation.
• APIs: Connect with leading ecommerce platforms and marketplace and streamline business operations with prebuilt integrations and user-friendly APIs.
• Fraud Protection (Stripe Radar): Built-in fraud detection tools that use machine learning to analyse transaction data and protect businesses from fraudulent online payment and credit card fraud.

Stripe Pricing

Stripe does not charge an account set up, monthly, or annual fee for its services. Instead, it operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, meaning you only pay for the specific services and transactions you use. 

For other additional fees, we recommend visiting their pricing page.

Stripe's Pros and Cons

We Recommend Stripe For

✅ Businesses with online stores can improve the shopping experience for their customers by connecting Stripe to your website.

✅ Businesses that seek payment solutions to expand and reach global markets.

✅ Business owners looking for API integrations to streamline their financial operations.

Square is an American financial technology company based in San Francisco. It offers a payment system with competitive rates for processing fees, providing an affordable solution for businesses handling in-person and online transactions.

Users can set up an account in minutes and immediately start accepting all types of payments. Square’s services and products include:

• Point of Sale (POS): A comprehensive POS system with inventive payment processing designed to meet the specific needs of various businesses, including those in the restaurant and retail sectors.
• Payment Processing Solution: Accept payments in-person via your phone, including contactless and mobile payments, ACH bank transfers, online from your website, and remotely with invoices.
• Business Banking Services: Checking and savings accounts, loans, and credit cards to help businesses grow. 
• Software Integration: Integrates with popular third-party business solutions, including Xero, Wix, WooCommerce, and Mailchimp.
• Staff Management Tools: Tools to streamline people management, including payroll, scheduling for shifts, and team communications.

Square Pricing

Square provides services in multiple markets, with pricing varying by country. Here’s the pricing for Square services in the UK:

Square's Pros and Cons

We Recommend Square For

✅ A good choice for merchants and small businesses who want to accept card payments in person or over the phone.

✅ For retail stores or restaurant owners, Square offers a specific POS system to enhance customer experience and optimise operations.

✅ Ideal for businesses and shops with storefronts. 

After exploring various alternatives to PayPal accounts, you should now better understand which provider is best suited to your business. It is also possible that you may require more than one solution to meet all your needs. 

Before making any decisions, make sure to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of each option with respect to your business priorities.