E-Commerce · head to head
Authorize.net vs Spree Commerce
The short version
- Only Spree Commerce has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, higher than Gateway-only rate of 10¢ + batch fee; Spree Commerce multi-vendor marketplace, B2B commerce and multi-tenant white label modules are Enterprise Edition only and licensed separately from the open source core
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and Spree Commerce actually diverge.
| Attribute | Authorize.net | Spree Commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $25/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | Unknown | 2007 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).
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 Authorize.net
Nothing recorded that Spree Commerce does not also cover.
Only in Spree Commerce
- Multi-store support
- Multi-currency
- Multi-language
- REST API
- GraphQL support
- Mobile-ready
- SEO optimization
- Flexible taxonomy
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Authorize.net
- E-commerce payment processingnot Spree Commerce
- Recurring billing and subscription managementnot Spree Commerce
- Multi-channel payment acceptancenot Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce
- E-commerce platforms with zero platform fees and no vendor lock-innot Authorize.net
- Self-hosted shopping experiences on AWS, GCP, Azure, or on-premise infrastructurenot Authorize.net
- Deployments requiring predictable costs that don't scale with revenuenot Authorize.net
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Authorize.net
- All-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, higher than Gateway-only rate of 10¢ + batch fee
- Gateway + eCheck plan limited to U.S.-based businesses only
- eCheck processing includes $10 minimum monthly fee on Gateway + eCheck plan
- Chargeback fees apply: $0 for standard processing but $25 for eCheck chargebacks
Spree Commerce
- Multi-vendor marketplace, B2B commerce and multi-tenant white label modules are Enterprise Edition only and licensed separately from the open source core
- Enterprise Edition pricing is quoted per customer depending on modules and scale, with no published rate
- Support with guaranteed response times and a success manager comes only with Enterprise Edition
- The free Community Edition is self hosted, so hosting, upgrades and Ruby on Rails maintenance are the operator's responsibility
Pricing, plan by plan
Authorize.net
$25/month- All-in-One$25/month
- Merchant account and payment gateway
- Transaction rate 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
- Multiple payment types (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Gateway Only$25/month
- Payment gateway only
- For existing merchant account holders
- Transaction rate 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee
- Gateway + eCheck$25/month
- Payment gateway with eCheck support
- eCheck rate 0.75% per transaction
- Credit card rate 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee
Spree Commerce
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full platform access
- Community support
- All core features
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Premium support
- Custom development
- SLA guarantees
Which should you pick?
Choose Authorize.net if
Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Spree Commerce on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Spree Commerce if
- You need multi-store support.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want multi-currency.
Questions people ask
- Is Authorize.net or Spree Commerce better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net starts at $25/month and Spree Commerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authorize.net or Spree Commerce?
- Spree Commerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for Authorize.net and Free for Spree Commerce.
- Does Authorize.net or Spree Commerce run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Spree Commerce for free?
- Yes. Spree Commerce has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Authorize.net starts at $25/month.
- What is Authorize.net best used for?
- Authorize.net is most often used for e-commerce payment processing, recurring billing and subscription management, multi-channel payment acceptance. Of those, e-commerce payment processing and recurring billing and subscription management are not what Spree Commerce is typically brought in for.
- What can Authorize.net do that Spree Commerce cannot?
- Spree Commerce covers Multi-store support, Multi-currency, Multi-language, REST API.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Authorize.net: How much does Authorize.net cost?
Authorize.net charges a $25/month gateway fee across all plans. Transaction rates vary: All-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, Gateway-only plan charges 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee, and Gateway + eCheck charges 0.75% for eCheck or 10¢ + 10¢ batch for credit cards.
SourceSpree Commerce: Is Spree Commerce free?
Yes, Spree Commerce is free and open source under a BSD 3-Clause license. The core platform has zero platform fees and no GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) cuts or transaction fees, and sandbox access is free without requiring a credit card.
SourceAuthorize.net: Are there any setup or termination fees?
No setup fee or early termination fee applies to any Authorize.net plan. You can cancel your account without penalty once service usage stops.
SourceSpree Commerce: What is Spree Commerce's pricing model?
Spree Commerce operates as free open-source software. Users self-host on their choice of infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure, or on-premise), so costs are based on the hosting infrastructure selected rather than platform subscription fees. An Enterprise Edition is available with optional dedicated support, but specific pricing is not published.
SourceAuthorize.net: What are the additional fees beyond the monthly gateway charge?
Beyond the $25/month fee, additional charges include Account Updater service at $0.25 per update, standard chargeback fees at $0 (but $25 for eCheck chargebacks), and returned item fee of $3 for eCheck payments. eCheck processing includes a $10 minimum monthly fee.
SourceSpree Commerce: Are there transaction fees with Spree Commerce?
No, Spree Commerce charges zero transaction fees. Unlike SaaS e-commerce platforms that take a percentage of sales, Spree offers predictable costs that don't scale with revenue, giving merchants full control over their margins.
SourceAuthorize.net: What payment types does Authorize.net accept?
Authorize.net accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and eCheck payments (Gateway + eCheck plan and higher). All plans include automated recurring billing, customer information manager, digital invoicing, and advanced fraud detection.
SourceRelated pages
More on Authorize.net
More on Spree Commerce
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