Since the fast-growing ecommerce enterprise continues to be in fashion, selecting the most suitable payment gateway is of prime importance for smooth transactions, customer confidence, and overall customer satisfaction. Although PayPal Alternative for ecommerce is a brand name and extremely popular globally, most online retailers are constantly on the lookout for the best alternatives to PayPal owing to limitations such as high charges, account suspension, or platform non-compatibility.
Whether in search of a PayPal replacement, a PayPal substitute, or an evaluation of substitutes for PayPal more suitable to your business model, this article covers the best options to use. It also goes into platform-specific solutions like Shopify replacements, helping you get the most suitable PayPal replacement for online store payments.
Why do you need a PayPal replacement?
PayPal is one of the major online payments industry players for many years and offers convenience, brand reputation, and consumer protection. However, there are numerous restrictions that prompt businesses to seek PayPal alternatives such as:
- High transaction fees (especially on cross-border transactions)
- Unexpected account freezes and holds
- Restricted control of the checkout process
- Incompatibility with certain business models (e.g., digital goods or adult content)
- Compliance restrictions in certain countries
These issues have made many merchants seek out PayPal alternatives for online business, particularly those in scale or in international business.
What to Consider in a PayPal Alternative
Prior to discussing options, the following are some key things to look for when selecting an ecommerce payment gateway alternative:
- Global accessibility and support for currencies
- Security and anti-fraud
- Clearly disclosed fee structure
- How easy they are to integrate with ecommerce platforms such as Shopify
- Developer plugins or tools
- Customer support responsiveness
Top 8 Greatest PayPal Alternatives for Ecommerce
Stripe – Feature-Rich and Developer-Friendly
While looking for the best paypal alternative ecommerce, Stripe remains your priority choice. It offers robust APIs, customizable checkout, and global support.
Why Stripe?
- Processes payments in 135+ currencies
- Supports recurring billing, one-click checkout, fraud protection
- Ideal for tech-savvy vendors
- Simple integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and more
Use Case: Ideal for subscription websites, SaaS businesses, and high-volume ecommerces.
Stripe is generally one of the best paypal alternatives for ecommerce.
Square – Ideal for Multichannel Selling
For companies that maintain a physical storefront as well as a web storefront, Square is an ideal paypal alternative for ecommerce. It integrates offline and online payments, making it easier to manage inventory and sales.
Why Square?
- Easy for non-technical users to use
- Flat-rate pricing model
- Includes free POS hardware and software solutions
- Includes ecommerce functionality and available integrated with Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, etc.
Use Case: Offline as well as online small and medium-sized enterprises.
One of the most reliable PayPal alternatives for the majority of merchants because of its ease of use.
Skrill – Global and Secure
Skrill is an online payment system and digital wallet. It’s often utilized as an alternative to PayPal for international marketplace online store purchases.
Why Skrill?
- Accepts international payments and accepts multiple currencies
- Quick account setup and low transaction fees
- Grants a prepaid Mastercard for simple access to funds
- Magento, WooCommerce, and many more supported
Use Case: Great for international sellers and sellers of digital products.
If you need cross-border sales, Skrill is one of the more trustworthy PayPal alternatives.
Payoneer – Best for Global B2B Payments
Seeking a great PayPal replacement for Shopify with global reach? Payoneer is a great option that provides cross-border payment and bulk payouts.
Why Payoneer?
- Enables you to send payments from over 200 countries
- Virtual multi-currency bank accounts
- allows you to facilitate freelancer platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Amazon
- Complements ecommerce sites like Shopify
Use Case: Suitable for international freelancers, market vendors, and online services experts.
Payoneer is rapidly emerging as one of the best PayPal alternatives for online business with international scope.
Wise (TransferWise) – Low Fee Currency Transfer
If low-cost cross-border payments are a priority for your online business, Wise is a new PayPal alternative that’s well-loved for low fees and mid-market exchange rates.
Why Wise?
- Send and receive money in 70+ countries
- Live currencies to exchange
- Multi-currency account with routing and IBAN numbers
- International payment-accepting freelancers and businesses
Use Case: Ideal for international ecommerce businesses paying foreign suppliers. Wise is not an end-to-end ecommerce processor, but it may be an acceptable alternative to PayPal for online store payments with cross-border transfers.
2Checkout (now Verifone) – Global Checkout customizable
2Checkout is probably the most comprehensive ecommerce payment gateway solution with global payment support and a lot of integration possibilities.
What makes 2Checkout?
- Recurring payments, local checkout, and supported fraud protection
- Handles credit cards, PayPal, and local payments
- Supports 200+ countries
- Integrates with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce
Use Case: Most suitable for SaaS, subscription plans, and global digital goods sellers.
Flexible pricing is offered by 2Checkout and is often noted as being one of the leading PayPal substitutes.
Authorize.Net – Top Legacy Businesses’ Pick
Authorize.Net, owned by Visa, is one of the safest and most reliable PayPal substitutes used by many legacy businesses.
Why Authorize.Net?
- Strong fraud protection capabilities
- Processes e-checks, credit cards, and recurring payments
- 24/7 support and highest uptime availability
- Shops with Shopify, Magento, and other ecommerce websites
Use Case: Suitable for big, established ecommerce stores that desire stability. It is one of the most veteran PayPal alternatives and is greatly trusted in the US marketplace.
Shopify Payments – Shopify Stores Native
If your store is hosted on Shopify, then the natural choice for PayPal for Shopify would be Shopify Payments itself.
Why Shopify Payments?
- No transaction fees (if used alone)
- Integration with your dashboard as a whole
- Fraud analysis, chargeback feature
- Supports major cards and rapid checkouts
Use Case: Best suited for sellers who are deeply committed to the Shopify platform. For Shopify sellers, this is the best PayPal substitute for ecommerce store operations that makes billing and reporting efficient.
Comparison Table – PayPal Alternatives for Ecommerce
Platform | Best For | Shopify Compatible | Global Payments | Recurring Billing | Custom Checkout |
Stripe | Developers, SaaS | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Square | Brick-and-mortar & online stores | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Skrill | Digital goods, global payments | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Payoneer | Cross-border transactions | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Wise | Currency exchange, global transfers | ✅ (via plugin) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
2Checkout | Subscriptions, international sales | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Authorize.Net | Large established ecommerce stores | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Shopify Payments | Shopify-exclusive merchants | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Pros and Cons of Paying via PayPal for Ecommerce
In researching alternative options to PayPal, it’s worth considering the pros and cons of sticking with PayPal for ecommerce:
Pros:
- Widely accepted and customer trust
- Easy setup and use
- Customer protection policies
- Flexible payment terms (credit cards, PayPal Credit, etc.)
Cons:
- Extremely high per-transaction fees
- Poor support for high-risk businesses
- Warning-free account suspension
- Customer favor bias in resolving disputes
- Less control over the checkout process
Key Tips for Ditching PayPal
- Notify Customers: Alert users to the new payment method on your website.
- Test the Integration: Always test your gateway in sandbox or stage mode.
- Review Compliance: Ensure your new provider is PCI-DSS compliant.
- Compare Fees: Especially with high volumes or cross-border transactions.
- Provide Multiple Options: To have PayPal and another gateway as an option may be a good consideration.
Conclusion
Selecting the best PayPal replacement for ecommerce is based on your business size, nature, and customers. Searching for a PayPal replacement, trying PayPal alternatives ecommerce, or for a successful PayPal alternative for Shopify, alternatives abound and are varied. For technologically savvy sellers, Stripe is highly adaptable. For selling across several channels, Square is a safe bet. If international access is your top priority, Payoneer, Wise, and 2Checkout are great choices. Also, for sellers exclusively using Shopify, Shopify Payments is the best-integrated PayPal option for shop management. As ecommerce grows, keeping an eye on your payment gateway alternatives will protect your company from disruption, reduced fees, and improve your customer experience.
FAQs
What is the best PayPal alternative for Shopify?
A: Shopify Payments, followed by Stripe and 2Checkout, have great capabilities and integrations.
What are the best alternatives to PayPal for international sales?
Payoneer, Wise, Skrill, and 2Checkout are good to process international transactions.
Is it possible for me to use more than one payment gateway in my online business?
Yes. Most ecommerce sites have the capability of using more than one gateway like PayPal, Stripe, etc. simultaneously.
Are PayPal alternatives safe?
A: Absolutely. Trustworthy providers like Stripe, Authorize.Net, and Payoneer maintain high standards of PCI compliance and security.
Which PayPal alternative has the least fees?
A: Square and Wise both charge some of the lowest fees, especially for domestic payments and currency exchange.