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Software · head to head

Adyen vs Stripe

Adyen logo

Adyen

Software

The payments platform built for growth

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Stripe

Software

Financial infrastructure for the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Stripe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adyen there is a minimum monthly invoice, set by industry and business model and only disclosed through the sales team, so small volumes are not economic; Stripe requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
  • They diverge on capability: Adyen covers Risk management, Stripe covers Subscription billing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adyen and Stripe actually diverge.

Attributes where Adyen and Stripe differ
AttributeAdyenStripe
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, PosWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20062010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adyen

  • Risk management
  • Unified commerce
  • Issuing
  • Platform payments
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • PCI DSS Level 1
  • SOC 2

Only in Stripe

  • Subscription billing
  • Invoicing
  • Terminal (in-person payments)
  • Fraud prevention
  • 3D Secure
  • Global payouts
  • Financial reporting
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Payment processing
  • Salesforce

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adyen

  • Card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchantsnot Stripe
  • Accepting local payment methods across multiple countriesnot Stripe
  • Settling in several currencies through linked bank accountsnot Stripe
  • Unified online and in-person paymentsnot Stripe

Stripe

  • Online paymentsnot Adyen
  • Subscription managementnot Adyen
  • Marketplace paymentsnot Adyen
  • Global expansionnot Adyen
  • Platform monetizationnot Adyen

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adyen

  • There is a minimum monthly invoice, set by industry and business model and only disclosed through the sales team, so small volumes are not economic
  • Published fees are indicative rather than a rate card, with real pricing negotiated
  • Interchange++ means the card cost varies per transaction rather than being a single predictable percentage
  • Alternative payment methods carry their own rates on top, such as 3.3 percent plus $0.10 for American Express in North America

Stripe

  • Requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
  • Dispute fee of $15 per chargeback is standard industry cost
  • Limited offline payment capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Adyen

$29/month
  • CustomFree
    • Payment processing
    • Risk management
    • Unified commerce

Stripe

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stripe review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Adyen if

  • You need risk management.
  • You work on Web, Api, Pos.
  • You also want unified commerce.
Adyen review

Choose Stripe if

  • You need subscription billing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want invoicing.
Stripe review

Questions people ask

Is Adyen or Stripe better?
Neither clearly leads. Adyen starts at $29/month and Stripe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adyen or Stripe?
Stripe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Adyen and Free for Stripe.
Does Adyen or Stripe run on more platforms?
Adyen runs on Web, Api, Pos. Stripe runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Stripe for free?
Yes. Stripe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adyen starts at $29/month.
What is Adyen best used for?
Adyen is most often used for card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchants, accepting local payment methods across multiple countries, settling in several currencies through linked bank accounts, unified online and in-person payments. Of those, card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchants and accepting local payment methods across multiple countries are not what Stripe is typically brought in for.
What can Adyen do that Stripe cannot?
Adyen covers Risk management, Unified commerce, Issuing, Platform payments. Stripe covers Subscription billing, Invoicing, Terminal (in-person payments), Fraud prevention. Both handle Payment processing, Salesforce.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stripe: What are Stripe's transaction fees?

Standard US rates are 2.9% plus 30 cents for online card payments, 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person, 3.4% plus 30 cents for keyed/phone transactions, and 0.8% capped at $5 for ACH payments.

Source
Stripe: How many currencies and countries does it support?

Stripe accepts 135+ currencies and supports payment acceptance in 40+ countries through Stripe Connect, enabling sellers to onboard and receive payouts in minutes.

Source
Stripe: What payment methods are supported?

Stripe supports dozens of payment methods including credit/debit cards, ACH transfers, and local payment options, with additional support through partnerships with Meta and Google.

Source
Stripe: Are there monthly fees or contracts?

No. Stripe charges no monthly fees or contracts, only per-transaction fees and dispute fees, making costs fully transparent and variable.

Source
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