Provider Explainers
Provider Comparison
A structured comparison of major payment providers and the questions to investigate before selecting one.
| Provider | Core focus | Useful for investigating | Key questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Online payments, billing, platforms | Ecommerce, SaaS, marketplaces | Markets, payment methods, pricing, payouts |
| PayPal | Wallet and merchant payments | Online checkout, consumer wallet acceptance | Country pricing, payout and checkout options |
| Square | POS and commerce | Retail, services, omnichannel businesses | Country coverage, hardware and online features |
| Worldpay | Enterprise acquiring and processing | Large or complex merchants | Contract structure, acquiring, channels |
| Adyen | Global acquiring and payments | International and enterprise commerce | Local methods, settlement, risk and scale |
| GoCardless | Bank payments and Direct Debit | Recurring and invoice-led businesses | Coverage, mandates and recurring flows |
| Shopify Payments | Integrated Shopify payments | Shopify merchants | Eligibility, country features and payouts |
This is a research comparison, not a ranking or endorsement. Provider capabilities, pricing and availability vary by market and can change.