A reliable payment gateway is essential for any business that accepts online payments. It securely connects your store to payment processors, handles authorizations, and ensures funds reach your account. Selecting the right gateway affects checkout conversion, fraud protection, supported countries/currencies, fees, and developer flexibility.
Here are seven widely used gateways to consider, with what each does best.
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Worldpay (FIS Worldpay)
- Authorize.Net
- 2Checkout
- Adyen
- Razorpay
1. Stripe
Stripe is a developer-friendly payments platform with global reach, extensive APIs, and native integrations for platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. It supports cards, wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), local payment methods, subscriptions, marketplaces, and advanced features such as embedded finance and programmable payouts.
Best for: tech-forward businesses, SaaS, marketplaces, and companies that need custom payment flows.
2. PayPal
PayPal is a ubiquitous digital wallet and payments ecosystem recognized by consumers worldwide. It offers simple checkout options (PayPal Checkout, Pay Later), buyer protection, and merchant tools. Customers can pay via linked bank accounts, cards, or PayPal balance without sharing card details with merchants.
Best for: consumer-facing stores that want high buyer trust and easy checkout with broad global recognition.
3. Worldpay (FIS Worldpay)
Worldpay is a global payment service provider offering unified online and in-person payments, multi-currency acquiring, and support for subscriptions and marketplaces. It’s widely used by large retailers and enterprises and supports a broad geographic footprint. Availability and features can vary by country and contract, so confirm regional support and pricing during onboarding.
Best for: large retailers and multichannel businesses needing broad acquiring coverage.
4. Authorize.Net
Authorize.Net is a mature, reliable payment gateway popular with small to mid-sized merchants and developers who want a stable gateway layer. It supports card payments, e-checks, recurring billing, and virtual terminals, and offers fraud tools and easy integrations with merchant accounts.
Best for: SMBs and legacy systems seeking a straightforward, trusted gateway with robust virtual terminal features.
5. 2Checkout (now Verifone/Verifone’s 2Checkout)
2Checkout provides a global payments platform with multi-currency and multi-language checkout, digital goods and subscription support, and strong e-commerce localization. It holds PCI Level 1 compliance and includes fraud detection tools. Terms and availability can vary by country; check supported payment methods and settlement options for your region.
Best for: digital-product sellers and subscription businesses targeting international customers.
6. Adyen
Adyen is an enterprise-focused payment platform that combines gateway, risk management, and global acquiring into a single solution. It supports cards, local payment methods, e-wallets, and in-store POS integration. Adyen is known for transparent pricing, strong performance at scale, and a single platform for omnichannel merchants.
Best for: large enterprises and global brands needing unified online and in-person payments.
7. Razorpay
Razorpay is an India-based payments platform that has expanded international capabilities. It supports cards, UPI, net banking, wallets, subscriptions, invoices, and payouts (vendor and payroll). Razorpay offers developer tools, plugins for popular platforms, and banking/payment products tailored to Indian and cross-border commerce.
Best for: businesses operating in India or servicing Indian customers, and startups wanting an all-in-one payments + payouts platform.
Pick a gateway based on: where your customers are (countries and currencies), expected payment methods (cards, wallets, local options), technical resources (ready-made plugins or custom APIs), pricing structure (transaction fees, monthly/settlement charges), and fraud/security features.
Many businesses use more than one gateway e.g., a global provider for international sales and a local provider for regional payment methods to optimize costs and conversion.
