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E-Commerce · head to head

Mollie vs PayPal

Mollie logo

Mollie

E-Commerce

European payment service provider with published per-transaction rates and no monthly fee on the online plan

From
£0.3/transaction
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PayPal logo

PayPal

Personal Finance

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mollie non-European cards cost 3.25% plus 20p against 1.20% plus 20p for UK domestic consumer cards, so a merchant with significant traffic from the US or Asia pays close to triple the domestic rate on that revenue.; PayPal currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios
  • They diverge on capability: Mollie covers Local payment methods, PayPal covers Payment processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mollie and PayPal actually diverge.

Attributes where Mollie and PayPal differ
AttributeMolliePayPal
Starting price£0.3/transaction$29/month
Pricing modelPer transaction by payment methodusage-based
CategoryE-CommercePersonal Finance
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android, API), 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 Mollie

  • Local payment methods
  • Published rate card
  • Hosted checkout and payment links
  • Subscriptions API
  • Point of sale terminals
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Multicurrency settlement

Only in PayPal

  • Payment processing
  • PayPal Checkout
  • Invoicing
  • Business debit card
  • Working capital loans
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce

What people use each for

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

Mollie

  • A Dutch or Belgian shop where most customers pay by iDEAL or Bancontact and the flat 30p beats a percentage rate on high-value basketsnot PayPal
  • A small merchant that wants published pricing rather than a sales call before it can model card costsnot PayPal
  • A subscription business in the EEA collecting by SEPA Direct Debit mandate instead of cardnot PayPal
  • A marketplace or platform that needs one integration covering the main European local methodsnot PayPal

PayPal

  • Paying online merchants without sharing card detailsnot Mollie
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Mollie
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Mollie

Where each one falls short

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

Mollie

  • Non-European cards cost 3.25% plus 20p against 1.20% plus 20p for UK domestic consumer cards, so a merchant with significant traffic from the US or Asia pays close to triple the domestic rate on that revenue.
  • Coverage is built around European methods, so if you expand into Latin America or Southeast Asia you will need a second processor and a second reconciliation process rather than extending Mollie.
  • The in-person Pro plan requires a one-year contract and charges 20 pounds a month per additional terminal, so a shop with four tills pays 80 pounds a month in terminal fees before any transaction cost.
  • Mollie offers no interchange-plus option publicly, so large merchants cannot see or benefit from falling interchange the way they could on a cost-plus contract with an acquirer.
  • The developer tooling and reporting are lighter than the largest processors, so finance teams that want detailed fee breakdowns or granular reconciliation exports often end up building that layer themselves.

PayPal

  • Currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios
  • Instant transfer to a bank or debit card costs 1.75 percent of the amount, with a minimum of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25.00 USD
  • International personal transactions carry a 5.00 percent fee regardless of payment method, with a minimum of 0.99 USD and a maximum of 4.99 USD
  • Sending domestic personal payments funded by a credit card costs 2.90 percent plus a fixed fee of 0.49 USD
  • Instant transfers are capped at 25,000.00 USD per transaction

Pricing, plan by plan

Mollie

£0.3/transaction
  • Online paymentsFree
    • No monthly fee
    • UK domestic consumer cards 1.20% + 20p
    • European and commercial cards 2.90% + 20p
  • In person, pay as you goFree
    • No monthly commitment
    • Per-transaction terminal rates
    • One terminal
  • In person, Pro$20/month
    • Lower per-transaction terminal rates
    • One-year contract required
    • Each additional terminal 20 pounds per month

PayPal

$29/month
  • Standard$2.99/transaction
    • Card payments
    • PayPal checkout
    • Invoice payments

Which should you pick?

Choose Mollie if

  • You need local payment methods.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want published rate card.
Mollie review

Choose PayPal if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want paypal checkout.
PayPal review

Questions people ask

Is Mollie or PayPal better?
Neither clearly leads. Mollie starts at £0.3/transaction and PayPal at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mollie or PayPal?
Mollie starts at £0.3/transaction and PayPal at $29/month.
Does Mollie or PayPal run on more platforms?
Mollie runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is Mollie best used for?
Mollie is most often used for a dutch or belgian shop where most customers pay by ideal or bancontact and the flat 30p beats a percentage rate on high-value baskets, a small merchant that wants published pricing rather than a sales call before it can model card costs, a subscription business in the eea collecting by sepa direct debit mandate instead of card, a marketplace or platform that needs one integration covering the main european local methods. Of those, a dutch or belgian shop where most customers pay by ideal or bancontact and the flat 30p beats a percentage rate on high-value baskets and a small merchant that wants published pricing rather than a sales call before it can model card costs are not what PayPal is typically brought in for.
What can Mollie do that PayPal cannot?
Mollie covers Local payment methods, Published rate card, Hosted checkout and payment links, Subscriptions API. PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mollie: Does Mollie charge a monthly fee?

Not on the online payments plan. You pay only per successful transaction. In-person Pro is 20 pounds a month.

PayPal: Does PayPal charge fees and when do they apply?

PayPal states that fees apply when converting currency and sending money to accounts in another country. Specific fee amounts are not disclosed on the homepage but are referenced in their published fee schedule.

Source
Mollie: Is iDEAL really a flat fee?

Yes, 30p per transaction regardless of the amount, which is why it is cheaper than cards on high-value baskets.

PayPal: Is there a subscription cost to use PayPal's basic services?

No subscription fees are mentioned on the homepage. PayPal operates on a transaction-based fee structure for money transfers and payments rather than recurring charges.

Source
Mollie: Can I use Mollie outside Europe?

You can accept non-European cards but at 3.25% plus 20p, and merchant accounts are aimed at European businesses. It is not a global processor.

PayPal: Are there restrictions on when I can use buyer protection?

PayPal offers buyer protection for eligible purchases, but coverage limitations exist. A user agreement sets the specific conditions for protection eligibility.

Source
Mollie: Does Mollie do interchange plus?

Not publicly. The published rates are blended, so falling interchange does not flow through to you automatically.

PayPal: What payment methods can I link to PayPal?

PayPal's digital wallet allows storage of multiple payment methods and can be used for secure money transfers, payment requests, and checkout at major retailers.

Source
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