APIs · head to head
Basis Theory vs Stripe
Basis Theory
APIs
Developer tokenisation platform that holds card and sensitive data inside a PCI Level 1 environment you do not operate
- From
- $995/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Stripe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Basis Theory the Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.; Stripe requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
- They diverge on capability: Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Stripe covers Payment processing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Basis Theory and Stripe actually diverge.
| Attribute | Basis Theory | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $995/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Per month by token volume | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Linux | Web, iOS, Android |
| Category | APIs | E-Commerce |
| Founded | Unknown | 2010 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Basis Theory
- Tokenisation API
- Hosted elements
- Outbound proxy
- PCI attestation of compliance
- Processor portability
- Reactors
- Access controls and audit
- PII and PHI options
Only in Stripe
- Payment processing
- Subscription billing
- Invoicing
- Terminal (in-person payments)
- Fraud prevention
- 3D Secure
- Global payouts
- Financial reporting
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Basis Theory
- A payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into PCI scope and paying for the assessment that followsnot Stripe
- A merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirernot Stripe
- A fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security reviewnot Stripe
- A team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own serversnot Stripe
Stripe
- Online paymentsnot Basis Theory
- Subscription managementnot Basis Theory
- Marketplace paymentsnot Basis Theory
- Global expansionnot Basis Theory
- Platform monetizationnot Basis Theory
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Basis Theory
- The Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.
- Starter is limited to the US region, so a company with European data residency requirements is pushed into a quoted Scale or Enterprise agreement immediately.
- Log retention on Starter is 24 hours, which is well below what most security teams expect for a system holding cardholder data and forces an upgrade for reasons unrelated to volume.
- Migrating away means moving card data out of the vault, which requires processor and assessor involvement and is slow, so the portability argument that attracts buyers cuts against them at exit.
- An attestation of compliance covers the vendor environment, not your assessment; your assessor still decides what is in scope, and buyers occasionally discover their integration pattern pulled systems back into scope anyway.
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
Basis Theory
$995/month- Starter$995/month
- 20,000 tokens included
- Production PCI Level 1 environment
- US region only
- Scale$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Higher token volumes
- Additional regions
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Additional compliance options for PII and PHI
- Responses for 95 percent of PCI SAQ D
Stripe
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Stripe review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Basis Theory if
- You need tokenisation api.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
- You also want hosted elements.
Choose Stripe if
- You need payment processing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want subscription billing.
Questions people ask
- Is Basis Theory or Stripe better?
- Neither clearly leads. Basis Theory starts at $995/month and Stripe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Basis Theory or Stripe?
- Stripe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $995/month for Basis Theory and Free for Stripe.
- Does Basis Theory or Stripe run on more platforms?
- Basis Theory runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux. 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. Basis Theory starts at $995/month.
- What is Basis Theory best used for?
- Basis Theory is most often used for a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows, a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer, a fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security review, a team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own servers. Of those, a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows and a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer are not what Stripe is typically brought in for.
- What can Basis Theory do that Stripe cannot?
- Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Hosted elements, Outbound proxy, PCI attestation of compliance. Stripe covers Payment processing, Subscription billing, Invoicing, Terminal (in-person payments).
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Basis Theory: Does this make us PCI compliant?
It removes cardholder data from your systems and gives you an AOC plus documented responses for most of a SAQ D. Your assessor still determines your scope, and a careless integration can pull systems back in.
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.
SourceBasis Theory: What does it cost to start?
995 US dollars a month on Starter, including 20,000 tokens, a production PCI Level 1 environment and US hosting. Higher tiers are quoted.
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.
SourceBasis Theory: Can we switch payment processors without re-collecting cards?
Yes, that is the main non-compliance reason to buy it. You hold the tokens and detokenise into whichever processor you route to.
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.
SourceBasis Theory: Is data stored outside the United States?
Not on Starter, which is US only. Other regions require a Scale or Enterprise agreement.
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.
SourceRelated pages
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