Choosing the best payment processor for your WooCommerce store is one of the highest-leverage decisions you’ll make. The processor you choose affects how often transactions succeed, how quickly disputes get resolved, what checkout experience your customers see, and how much of your revenue you keep after fees. This comparison evaluates the top processors on the criteria that actually matter for WooCommerce merchants.
Evaluation Criteria
We evaluated each processor on eight factors: pricing transparency, WooCommerce integration quality, authorization rate performance, fraud tools, chargeback management support, digital wallet support, subscription billing, and customer support quality.
The Processors Compared
Stripe
Stripe is the default choice for most new WooCommerce stores. Excellent developer documentation, solid WooCommerce plugin, strong API, and widespread trust. At 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, pricing is comparable to most providers at this tier. Weaknesses: support is email-only at most tiers, disputed transactions require self-service management, and account holds can be unpredictable for growing or high-risk merchants.
PayPal (Braintree)
PayPal brand recognition drives conversion among certain customer segments, particularly older demographics. Braintree (PayPal’s gateway) offers solid developer tools but has declined in strategic investment since the PayPal acquisition. Account stability issues and fund holds have driven many merchants away. Pricing is 2.59%–3.49% + $0.49 depending on payment method and plan.
Authorize.net
A legacy gateway widely used for traditional retail and professional services. Stable, reliable, broad processor compatibility, but the WooCommerce integration is dated compared to modern alternatives, and the pricing model (gateway fee + per-transaction fee) adds up. Best suited for merchants with existing Authorize.net relationships rather than new implementations.
Square
Square excels at omnichannel (in-person + online) for small businesses. WooCommerce integration exists but is limited compared to native Square users. Processing volume caps and account stability concerns have frustrated merchants scaling past $250K/year. Best for merchants who need integrated in-person POS with basic online payments.
ConvesioPay
ConvesioPay is built for WooCommerce merchants who need professional-grade payment infrastructure without enterprise complexity. Built on Adyen’s global acquiring network, ConvesioPay delivers: higher authorization rates through Adyen’s direct acquiring, RevenueProtect fraud detection, network tokenization, and dedicated human support for disputes and account questions. Pricing: flat 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, no monthly fees.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Factor | Stripe | PayPal | Square | ConvesioPay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transaction rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.59%–3.49% + $0.49 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Monthly fees | None | None base | None base | None |
| WooCommerce integration | Excellent | Good | Limited | Excellent (native) |
| Auth rate infrastructure | Good | Average | Average | Excellent (Adyen) |
| Human dispute support | Limited | Limited | Limited | Dedicated |
| Apple/Google Pay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Subscriptions | With plugin | Limited | Limited | Native WC Subscriptions |
The Verdict by Merchant Type
- New store under $50K/year: Stripe is the easiest starting point
- Growing store $50K–$500K/year: ConvesioPay delivers meaningfully better infrastructure at the same price point
- Enterprise WooCommerce $500K+: ConvesioPay’s Adyen infrastructure scales to any volume without enterprise minimums
- Omnichannel (online + in-person): Stripe or Square depending on POS requirements
Ready to get started? Learn more about ConvesioPay or view pricing.