Top 10 WooCommerce Payment Gateways: Complete Guide & Best Options

One of the most important pillars of any transaction is the payment gateway. It is the final step for converting a client on your eCommerce store. Now imagine that a buyer bounces back just before that. All the marketing, content, and other operations are redundant if your product isn’t selling. That is exactly what we are here to fix.

Your WooCommerce payment gateway is literally the gate responsible for sales. It is important to choose one that not only builds trust with your target audience but also simplifies the checkout process. When it comes to payment gateways, WooPayments is the obvious choice.

However, there are several options available, including Stripe, Square, and Authorize.net. Each has its own USPs, benefits, and pricing structure. In this article, we will decode them in detail. This provides a complete manual for selecting the best payment gateway for your store.

What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is the service that securely moves money from your customer’s card, wallet, or bank to your merchant account. So, as the customer enters their payment details, the gateway encrypts the information. It then checks with the bank for funds and approves or declines the transaction within seconds.

Purpose of a Payment Gateway

• Secure Payments: It encrypts sensitive card details to prevent fraud.
• Speed: These platforms enable real-time transaction processing.
• Convenience: It supports multiple payment methods (credit/debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers).
• Global Reach: It processes cross-border payments together with on-the-fly currency conversion.

How a Payment Gateway Works?

1. Customer Checkout: A buyer enters payment details on your WooCommerce store.
2. Data Encryption: The gateway securely transmits this information to the payment processor.
3. Bank Authorization: The processor verifies fund availability with the issuing bank.
4. Approval/Decline: The bank responds, and the gateway relays the result to your store.
5. Fund Transfer: If approved, money moves from the customer’s account to your merchant account (usually within 1–3 business days).

In short, payment gateways ensure smooth and secure transactions. They are critical for customer trust and business growth. A proprietary payment gateway is one of the advantages of creating an eCommerce store with WooCommerce. That is, WooPayments.

Overview of WooPayments

WooPayments is the official, integrated payment solution for WooCommerce. It streamlines payment processing for online transactions in your eCommerce store. You can accept credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) directly on your website. Everything is managed from the WordPress dashboard.

Key Features of WooPayments

• Deep Integration: Built specifically for WooCommerce by the creators of WooCommerce and WordPress.
• Unified Dashboard: Manage payments, transactions, revenue, and chargebacks directly within the WordPress admin panel.
• Multiple Payment Options: Accept credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other local payment methods.
• Pay-As-You-Go Pricing: Free to install with no monthly fees. Costs are per-transaction, now 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards (rates may vary by region/country).
• Global Reach: Supports over 135 currencies and popular payment methods of more than 100 countries.
• Best Fraud Protection: In-built advanced tools with dispute management, risk monitoring, and much more.
• Automatic Deposits: Money gets deposited in your linked bank accounts within 2-3 working days.

One of the biggest highlights of WooPayments is that customers pay for their purchase without leaving your website. The result of this is lower cart abandonment.

Other Top WooCommerce Payment Gateways

As mentioned earlier, there is a range of payment gateways available for WooCommerce websites. But not all will be suitable. The right one can completely change the conversion rates and build customer trust.

So let’s compare the options one by one.

1. Stripe

Stripe is a product of a leading Irish-American financial technology company. It provides API-based payment processing with WooCommerce support. It supports 135+ currencies and payment methods, including credit/debit cards and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Its API is made for custom payments and subscription management. Additionally, it is a strong fraud prevention tool with built-in machine learning. Stripe is ideal for businesses expanding globally.

Best Features

• Payment Processing: Get secure, customizable checkouts via APIs, SDKs, or no-code payment links.
• Stripe Billing: It handles recurring billing, subscriptions, invoicing, and automatic card updates.
• Stripe Connect: Designed for marketplaces to handle complex, multi-party payments and seller onboarding.
• Global Reach: Supports 135+ currencies and 100+ payment methods, including buy now, pay later options.
• Security and Compliance: Uses advanced encryption to prevent fraud and is Level 1 PCI-compliant.

The only drawback is that developer features can be overkill if you need something very simple.

2. Square

Square is a user-friendly and versatile payment processing platform. It helps businesses to accept in-person, online, and remote payments with no long-term contracts or monthly fees. Square is truly a boon for omnichannel sellers. There is also Square for WooCommerce, which supports card payments, invoicing, and hardware POS integration.

This gateway is known for its mobile card readers. It has now evolved into a full-service POS system for various industries. Pricing features 2.6% + $0.10 fee for in-person sales and fast, secure, next-day deposits.

Best Features

• Unified POS & Online Payments: Syncs with Square’s POS system.
• No Monthly Fees: Pay-as-you-go pricing.
• Instant Deposits: Funds available in minutes (for a fee).
• In-Person Payments: Works with Square hardware.

Square is widely used by restaurants and retailers. because it is an all-in-one payment and business management solution.

3. PayPal

PayPal is, perhaps, the most recognized name in online payments. It offers trust and convenience with one-click checkout in 200+ markets. Its WooCommerce integration supports PayPal, Venmo (U.S.), and credit/debit cards, plus features such as Pay Later financing.

Transaction fees may be higher than those of some competitors. But its buyer protection policies reduce disputes and increase conversion rates.

Best Features

• High Conversion Rates: A trusted brand presence increases buyer confidence and reduces cart abandonment.
• Global Reach: Supports over 25 currencies, facilitating international sales.
• Flexible Payment Options: Includes PayPal Credit and Pay in 4 to support higher average order values.
• Security: Offers 24/7 fraud monitoring and seller protection against unauthorized transactions or claims.
• Easy Integration: Compatible with major platforms (Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, Shopify, etc.) and has easy API integration.
• Business Tools: Get invoicing, recurring billing for subscriptions, and merchant dashboards to track sales.

For new WooCommerce stores that want to add a low‑friction backup option, PayPal is the best.

4. Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay is a secure checkout payment solution. Millions of customers can purchase on third-party eCommerce websites using the payment and shipping information saved in their existing Amazon accounts.

It offers a trusted checkout experience backed by Amazon’s robust infrastructure. Amazon Pay also supports recurring billing and multi-currency transactions. Its fraud detection system and A-to-Z Guarantee provide excellent security.

Best Features

• Faster Checkout: Customers bypass form-filling by using stored addresses and payment methods (credit cards, bank accounts, and more).
• Increased Trust: Uses the familiar, secure Amazon brand with reducing cart abandonment rates.
• Security and Fraud Protection: Comes with advanced fraud detection, chargeback controls, and risk management at no extra cost.
• Mobile and Voice-Optimized: Easily works on mobile, desktop, and Alexa-enabled devices.
• Platform Compatibility: Integrates with major commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento.

It is designed for a loyal customer base that prefers not to enter credit card details on new websites.

5. Apple Pay

Apple Pay is a payment gateway exclusive to Apple users. It is frictionless, with one-tap purchases on Safari and iOS devices. With no card details entered, transactions are faster and more secure (using Face ID or Touch ID).

WooCommerce stores benefit from higher mobile conversion rates and reduced fraud risk, as Apple never shares actual card numbers.

Best Features

• Mobile-Optimized: One-tap payments on iPhones/iPads.
• Security: Tokenization replaces card numbers.
• Fast Checkout: No manual entry for Apple users.
• Increased Conversion: Trusted payment option to millions of active Apple users.

💡 Note: Apple does not charge additional transaction fees beyond standard card processing fees.

6. Razorpay

Razorpay is a leader in emerging markets and specializes in India-centric payments. That includes UPI, NetBanking, and popular wallets such as Paytm, PhonePe, and others. The Razorpay for WooCommerce plugin supports recurring billing, instant refunds, and minimal redirects during checkout.

With better-to-the-pocket pricing and automated compliance, it is a go-to for businesses targeting Indian consumers.

Best Features

• India-Focused: Supports UPI, NetBanking, and local wallets.
• Razorpay Webstore: A mobile-first, no-code, customizable storefront designed for D2C brands, social sellers, and small businesses to list products and sell directly.
• RazorpayX: Manage cash flow, vendor payments, and automatic bank transfers.
• Subscription Billing: Recurring payments for SaaS.
• Instant Settlements: Next-day payouts.

Razorpay is well-suited for Indian startups, MSMEs, and enterprises seeking a quick setup.

7. Authorize.net

Authorize.net is a veteran in payment processing. It prioritizes security through advanced fraud detection (AVS and CVV checks) and supports card-present transactions via virtual terminals.

The Authorize.net WooCommerce plugin is well-suited for subscription-based businesses and high-risk industries. But the setup requires a merchant account. It is reliable but better for established enterprises.

Best Features

• Secure Payments: Processes transactions via credit cards, debit cards, and e-checks, providing PCI-compliant, secure checkout.
• Advanced Fraud Detection: Utilizes 13+ customizable filters to identify, manage, and prevent fraudulent transactions.
• Recurring Billing: Features the Customer Information Manager (CIM) to securely store payment details for repeat customers and subscriptions.
• Virtual Terminal: Manual processing of payments for phone or mail-order (MOTO) sales.

It is suitable for businesses of all sizes, supporting both online and mobile/retail (in-person) payments.

8. Ali Pay

Alipay is the world’s largest third-party mobile and online payment platform, with over 1.3 billion users, primarily in China. For eCommerce stores, it functions as a digital wallet, enabling Chinese consumers to pay in their local currency (RMB) while allowing merchants to receive settlements in their own currency, supporting 12 to 18 currencies.

Best Features

• Mobile-First Payment: Primarily uses QR codes for transactions, allowing quick, secure payments through the Alipay app.
• Escrow Service: Offers a “buy now, pay later” or, more accurately, an escrow system where funds are held until the buyer confirms receipt, increasing trust.
• Alipay+ Integration: A newer, cross-border payment platform that connects various Asian e-wallets, enabling merchants to accept not just Chinese users, but users from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea.
• High Security: Utilizes AI-driven, real-time risk management and advanced encryption (AES-256).

Ali Pay is most beneficial if your store already has traffic or is actively targeting customers in China or East/Southeast Asia.

9. Skrill

Skrill is a versatile, global digital wallet and payment gateway designed for eCommerce, supporting 100+ local payment methods and 40+ currencies in nearly 200 countries.

It enables merchants to accept credit/debit cards and bank transfers via a secure, hosted Quick Checkout page. This integrates easily with platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix.

Best Features

• Local Payment Options: Access to 100+ local payment methods and 40+ currencies in one account.
• Security and Compliance: Fully PCI-compliant, featuring advanced anti-fraud technology and two-factor authentication.
• Quick Checkout: Offers a secure, mobile-optimized checkout, including “Skrill 1-Tap” for one-click repeat purchases.
• Multi-Currency Support: Merchants can receive and manage funds in 40+ currencies.

Customers select Skrill at checkout, are redirected to a secure, branded Skrill-hosted page to pay with their wallet, card, or local method, and are then returned to the store.

10. Braintree

Braintree, a PayPal service, is a global payment gateway and processor suitable for eCommerce stores, supporting credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo.

It includes developer-friendly SDKs, strong security (PCI compliance), and support for over 130 currencies, making it well-suited for international sales. It also has a flat-rate pricing structure.

Best Features

• Payment Methods: Accepts major credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and is deeply integrated with PayPal.
• Works Globally: Operates in over 45 countries, allowing for international transactions and multiple currencies.
• Customization and Integration: Provides drop-in UI and SDKs for quick integration with platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
• Recurring Billing: Comes with tools for managing subscription-based businesses.

Braintree is ideal for medium to large-sized eCommerce businesses or those that rely heavily on the PayPal ecosystem.

Each gateway balances fees, features, and regional strengths. Pick based on your audience and business model. Our WooCommerce development services have tested these and more payment gateways and can recommend the best option for your project.

How to Choose the Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway?

The right payment gateway is crucial for your store’s conversion rate, customer trust, and operational costs. Here is a structured approach to choosing the best option for your WooCommerce store:

Consider Your Business Location & Target Market

There is no single payment gateway that works for all stores. Regional preferences may vary. Stripe and PayPal dominate globally, but some local providers, such as Razorpay in India, serve specific markets.

For those selling internationally, your chosen gateway should support multi-currency processing and comply with local regulations (e.g., PSD2 in Europe).

Evaluate Payment Methods

Customers expect flexibility. Credit cards are standard, but digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) and alternative options (Buy Now, Pay Later, bank transfers) can boost conversions. Make sure to analyse your audience properly. eCommerce customer segmentation will help with that.

Younger shoppers may prefer mobile payments. But B2B buyers would much rather have invoice-based gateways like Authorize.net.

Compare Fees and Pricing

Transaction fees eat into profits. Look beyond the surface, as some gateways charge monthly fees, setup costs, or penalties for high-risk industries. For example:

• Stripe/PayPal: ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Square: No monthly fees but higher in-person rates.
• Razorpay: Lower fees for Indian payment methods (e.g., UPI).

Having an idea of such competitors is necessary for better business decisions.

Prioritize Security and Fraud Prevention

A single chargeback can hurt your reputation. Opt for gateways with built-in fraud tools:

• Stripe Radar: AI-driven fraud detection.
• PayPal Seller Protection: Covers eligible disputes.
• 3D Secure 2.0: Adds authentication for card payments.

PCI compliance is non-negotiable, so avoid gateways that shift liability to you.

Check Integration and Ease of Use

Payout Spear’s clunky checkout process can hurt sales. WooCommerce-native options (WooPayments, Square) integrate seamlessly. But third-party gateways may require plugins.
Test:

• Hosted vs. Embedded: Hosted gateways (e.g., PayPal) redirect users off-site, while embedded options (e.g., Stripe) keep users on your site.
• Mobile Optimization: Apple Pay requires HTTPS and proper API setup.ed & reliability.

This is essential for better selection of a payment gateway.

Review Payout Speed and Reliability

Cash flow matters. Most gateways take 1–3 business days, but:

• Square Instant Deposits: Funds in minutes (for 1.5% fee).
• PayPal: Instant withdrawals to debit cards.
• High-Risk Industries: May face longer holds (e.g., CBD, travel).

You can even try offering multiple gateways. Most shoppers abandon their carts when their preferred option is missing. Hire WooCommerce experts with us to find and integrate the best payment gateway for your store.

Final Words on WooCommerce Payment Gateways

A payment gateway should be like a silent sales partner. It is there to assist you with the payments. Beyond just processing transactions, it creates a seamless, secure, and trustworthy buying experience. The best choice depends on your business model, target audience, and operational needs.

If you prioritise global reach, Stripe or PayPal offer versatility and widespread acceptance. For local markets, Razorpay can be convenient for the customers. Then there is WooPayments, which offers a simple setup while keeping everything within your WordPress dashboard.So, want help with integrating the best payment gateway in your WooCommerce store? Then connect with us today!

FAQs on WooCommerce Payment Gateway