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PayPal vs Stripe
Short answer: Pick PayPal if you want all-in-one digital wallet and checkout; pick Stripe if you want comprehensive payments and billing infrastructure. PayPal is free; Stripe is paid.
Which to pick
Pick PayPal if you want…
- All-in-one digital wallet and checkout
- A free tool
- Integrations with PayPal Debit Card, PayPal Checkout or PayPal Cashback Mastercard (on PayPal's list, not Stripe's)
Pick Stripe if you want…
- Comprehensive payments and billing infrastructure
- Payments infrastructure for the internet
- Integrations with iOS, Android or Stripe Checkout (on Stripe's list, not PayPal's)
Side by side
- What it is
- PayPal:PayPal is a digital wallet app for payments, money transfers, rewards, savings, crypto and financing.
- Stripe:Stripe provides a payments platform for businesses to accept payments, manage billing, and move money globally.
- Best for
- PayPal:All-in-one digital wallet and checkout
- Stripe:Comprehensive payments and billing infrastructure
- Who it’s for
- PayPal:Consumers and merchants who need online, in-store and peer-to-peer payments.
- Stripe:Businesses of any size needing online, in-person or subscription payments
- Pricing
- PayPal:Free
- Stripe:Paid
- Starting price
- PayPal:Free
- Stripe:—
- Free plan or trial
- PayPal:Free to use
- Stripe:—
- Plans
- PayPal:—
- Stripe:Standard 2.9% + 30¢ per successful tran
- Works with
- PayPal:PayPal Debit Card, PayPal Checkout, PayPal Cashback Mastercard, PayPal Credit Card, PayPal Savings
- Stripe:iOS, Android, Stripe Checkout
PayPal features
- Tap-to-pay Debit Card. Use the PayPal Debit Card for contactless purchases in stores and earn rewards.
- PayPal Checkout. Pay online with PayPal, earn points and redeem rewards from partner brands.
- Pay in 4 & Pay Monthly. Interest-free or low-interest installment plans with no late fees.
- Cashback Mastercard. Earn 3% cash back on PayPal purchases and 1.5% on other Mastercard spend.
- PayPal Savings Account. Earn 3.75% APY on balances, FDIC-insured through Synchrony Bank.
- Crypto Buying & Selling. Buy, sell and transfer cryptocurrencies within the app with disclosed fees.
- Money-pooling. Create pools to collect money for group gifts or shared expenses.
- Send & Receive Money. Transfer funds instantly to anyone with a PayPal account or link.
Stripe features
- Global payment acceptance. Supports 135+ currencies and payment methods for online and in-person transactions.
- Subscription billing. Handles recurring billing, usage-based pricing and automated invoicing.
- Embedded finance. Offers card issuing, stablecoin payments and embedded financial services for platforms.
- Fraud and risk tools. AI-powered Radar fraud protection and dispute management.
- Developer-friendly APIs. Pre-built UI components and APIs to integrate payments quickly.
- Instant payouts. Provides instant payouts via debit card or bank account for a fee.
PayPal vs Stripe FAQ
What is the difference between PayPal and Stripe?+
Stripe provides developer-focused payment APIs, while PayPal is a consumer-oriented digital wallet.
Should I use PayPal or Stripe?+
Pick PayPal if you want all-in-one digital wallet and checkout, a free tool or integrations with PayPal Debit Card, PayPal Checkout or PayPal Cashback Mastercard (on PayPal's list, not Stripe's). Pick Stripe if you want comprehensive payments and billing infrastructure, payments infrastructure for the internet or integrations with iOS, Android or Stripe Checkout (on Stripe's list, not PayPal's).
Is PayPal or Stripe free?+
PayPal is free. Stripe is paid.
Do PayPal and Stripe integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: PayPal lists PayPal Debit Card, PayPal Checkout, PayPal Cashback Mastercard, PayPal Credit Card and 1 more; Stripe lists iOS, Android and Stripe Checkout.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.