Stripe vs Mollie vs PayPal.
A side-by-side comparison of the three biggest payment providers — fees, methods, regions, payout speed. Or skip the choice and connect all three.
Stripe
Global SaaS & marketplaces
Mollie
European businesses, NL/BE/DE
PayPal
E-commerce, digital, global trust
Key takeaways
- Stripe wins on global reach, developer tooling, and EU card fees (1.5%).
- Mollie wins on European local methods (iDEAL flat €0.29) and EU compliance.
- PayPal wins on consumer trust and "Pay Later" — even when fees are higher.
- You don't have to choose — PayRequest connects all three to one account.
- 0% platform fee on PayRequest. You only pay your provider's processing rate.
- 3-minute setup via OAuth. No API keys, no webhooks, no developer.
Pick a provider to learn more.
Adaptive Pricing in 135+ currencies, lowest EU card rate, Stripe Radar fraud screening.
- Apple/Google Pay · Link
- Klarna · Afterpay · Affirm
- iDEAL · SEPA · Bancontact
Built for the EU market: iDEAL, Bancontact, Sofort, SEPA at flat fees, daily payouts.
- iDEAL flat €0.29
- SEPA Direct Debit €0.25
- Native PSD2 / SCA
Widest country coverage, PayPal Buyer Protection, Pay Later / wallet trust signal.
- Native PayPal wallet
- Pay Later in many regions
- Cards via PayPal checkout
The full comparison.
Switch between Fees, Methods, and Coverage to see where each provider leads. Best in green is set per row.
You don't have to choose.
Connect Stripe, Mollie, and PayPal to one PayRequest account. Each customer sees the cheapest or most familiar method — automatically — based on country and cart total. Your dashboard is one screen, regardless.
Today · checkout routing
liveUtrecht, NL
Berlin, DE
São Paulo, BR
Antwerp, BE
London, UK
Short answers, no fluff.
If you can't connect all three, here's how to choose just one based on what your business actually does.
Is Stripe better than Mollie?
Stripe is better for global SaaS, marketplaces, and businesses outside Europe — it operates in 46+ countries with deep developer tooling. Mollie is better for European businesses needing iDEAL, Bancontact, or local EU methods, and is typically cheaper for European card transactions.
Which has the lowest fees?
For European cards, Stripe is cheapest at 1.5% + €0.25, narrowly beating Mollie at 1.8% + €0.25. For iDEAL, Mollie's flat €0.29 wins by a mile. PayPal at 2.9% + €0.35 is the most expensive — its premium pays for consumer trust.
Best for European businesses?
Mollie. It was built for the European market — iDEAL, Bancontact, Sofort, SEPA Direct Debit at flat fees, and native PSD2 / SCA compliance. Daily payouts by default, and pricing in EUR with no FX surprises.
Best for e-commerce & digital?
PayPal — for the trust signal alone. The PayPal button on a checkout converts buyers who'd hesitate to type a card number. Add Stripe alongside for cheaper card processing, and you get the trust without paying for it on every sale.
Best for B2B & high-value?
SEPA Direct Debit through Mollie — €0.25 flat regardless of amount means a €5,000 invoice clears for the same fee as €50. Stripe's SEPA at 0.8% is fine until you scale, then Mollie pulls ahead. PayPal isn't built for B2B.
Can I really use all three?
Yes — and you should. PayRequest connects all three to one account in under 10 minutes total. Each checkout offers the customer the right options for their country and cart. You see one unified dashboard, one consolidated payout view.
Whatever your customer already has open.
Visa & Mastercard
The default everywhere. Cards, debits, prepaid.
American Express
For premium B2B and travel transactions.
iDEAL
The Netherlands. 70% of all online checkouts.
Bancontact
Belgium's bank-issued debit standard.
SEPA Direct Debit
EU recurring billing. Flat fee, no percentage.
Apple Pay
One-tap on iPhone, iPad, Mac. 3DS automatic.
Google Pay
Android & Chrome. Saved cards, instant.
PayPal wallet
Customer balance, linked cards, Pay Later.
Klarna · Pay Later
Buy now, pay in 30 days or in 3 instalments.
Sofort & bank transfer
Direct bank push. Germany, Austria, EU-wide.
Three providers. Fifty-four countries.
Different providers cover different regions. Connect any combination and PayRequest routes each customer to the one that works in theirs.
Honest answers to common questions.
Connect a provider in three minutes.
Pick one, pick all three — your first transaction can be live before lunch. 0% platform fee, no card to start.