Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

Mollie vs Stripe

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
Stripe logo

Stripe

E-Commerce

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: 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.; Stripe requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
  • They diverge on capability: Mollie covers Local payment methods, Stripe covers Payment processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mollie and Stripe actually diverge.

Attributes where Mollie and Stripe differ
AttributeMollieStripe
Starting price£0.3/transactionFree
Pricing modelPer transaction by payment methodUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: 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 Mollie

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

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.

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 Stripe
  • A small merchant that wants published pricing rather than a sales call before it can model card costsnot Stripe
  • A subscription business in the EEA collecting by SEPA Direct Debit mandate instead of cardnot Stripe
  • A marketplace or platform that needs one integration covering the main European local methodsnot Stripe

Stripe

  • Online paymentsnot Mollie
  • Subscription managementnot Mollie
  • Marketplace paymentsnot Mollie
  • Global expansionnot Mollie
  • Platform monetizationnot 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.

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

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

Stripe

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stripe review.

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 Stripe if

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

Questions people ask

Is Mollie or Stripe better?
Neither clearly leads. Mollie starts at £0.3/transaction and Stripe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mollie or Stripe?
Stripe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £0.3/transaction for Mollie and Free for Stripe.
Does Mollie or Stripe run on more platforms?
Mollie runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. 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. Mollie starts at £0.3/transaction.
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 Stripe is typically brought in for.
What can Mollie do that Stripe cannot?
Mollie covers Local payment methods, Published rate card, Hosted checkout and payment links, Subscriptions API. Stripe covers Payment processing, Subscription billing, Invoicing, Terminal (in-person payments).

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.

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
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.

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
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.

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
Mollie: Does Mollie do interchange plus?

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

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
Share

Related pages

More on Mollie

More on Stripe

Keep looking

Other head to heads