WooCommerce Payments is the native payment gateway built by Automattic (the company behind WooCommerce). It’s powered by Stripe under the hood, offers seamless setup, and keeps payment management inside the WordPress dashboard. But it also inherits Stripe’s limitations — including flat-rate pricing and restricted industry support. This comparison helps WooCommerce merchants decide between WooCommerce Payments, standalone Stripe, and ConvesioPay.
WooCommerce merchants processing $20K+/month should compare ConvesioPay’s interchange++ pricing against what WooCommerce Payments or Stripe costs them today. Get a comparison →
1. What Is WooCommerce Payments?
WooCommerce Payments is an official payment solution developed by Automattic and powered by Stripe’s payment infrastructure (via WooPayments LLC, a subsidiary). It’s the default recommended gateway when you set up a new WooCommerce store and offers the tightest integration with the WooCommerce admin — transactions, payouts, and disputes appear directly in your WordPress dashboard without needing to switch to an external portal.
2. WooCommerce Payments vs. Stripe: Are They the Same?
Not quite — but close. Key similarities and differences:
| WooCommerce Payments | Stripe (via WooCommerce plugin) | |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying infrastructure | Stripe | Stripe |
| Pricing | 2.9% + $0.30 (US); same as Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 (US) |
| WooCommerce dashboard integration | Native — transactions inside WP admin | Separate Stripe dashboard required |
| Available countries | 38 countries (more limited than Stripe) | 46+ countries |
| Payment methods | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, Affirm (growing) | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, broader BNPL options |
| Subscriptions | Native WooCommerce Subscriptions support | Requires WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin + Stripe gateway |
| Account type | Stripe aggregator (via WooPayments) | Stripe aggregator |
| Fraud tools | Basic (Stripe Radar) | Stripe Radar (customizable with Radar for Teams at extra cost) |
The main practical advantage of WooCommerce Payments over standalone Stripe: you manage everything — transactions, refunds, disputes — without leaving WordPress. For merchants who prefer a single-dashboard operation, this simplicity has real value.
3. Who WooCommerce Payments Is Best For
- New WooCommerce merchants who want the fastest possible setup with no external accounts
- Small stores ($0–$20K/month) where the fee difference vs. interchange++ pricing is minimal in absolute terms
- Merchants who strongly prefer managing everything in the WordPress admin
- Stores in countries where ConvesioPay or other alternatives aren’t yet available
4. Where WooCommerce Payments Falls Short
- Pricing — same flat-rate as Stripe; not cost-competitive with interchange++ options at volume
- Country availability — available in only 38 countries vs. Stripe’s 46+; merchants in some markets can’t use it
- Account stability — same Stripe aggregator model; same account freeze and hold risks
- Industry restrictions — inherits Stripe’s prohibited categories list
- Advanced fraud tools — basic Radar only; Radar for Teams costs extra; no built-in 3DS2 configuration, RDR, or equivalent ConvesioPay fraud stack
- Limited payment method customization — fewer levers to configure which payment methods appear to which customers
5. ConvesioPay vs. WooCommerce Payments
For merchants who have grown beyond the starter phase, the comparison shifts:
| WooCommerce Payments | ConvesioPay | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | 2.9% + $0.30 flat-rate | Interchange++ (typically 0.4–0.8% cheaper at volume) |
| Fraud tools | Basic Stripe Radar | 3DS2, fraud rules, RevenueProtect, RDR — all included |
| Account stability | Stripe aggregator | Adyen MID-based (traditional acquirer) |
| WooCommerce focus | Native but Stripe-powered | WooCommerce-native by design |
| Support | Automattic support (generalist) | WooCommerce specialist team |
| Regulated industries | Stripe restrictions apply | Broader category acceptance |
6. Migration: Moving from WooCommerce Payments to ConvesioPay
Switching from WooCommerce Payments to ConvesioPay on an active store is straightforward:
- Install and configure ConvesioPay plugin in parallel — don’t deactivate WooCommerce Payments until ConvesioPay is tested
- Run a test transaction through ConvesioPay in sandbox mode
- Go live with ConvesioPay and set it as the default gateway
- Deactivate WooCommerce Payments (existing subscriptions may need to be migrated — contact ConvesioPay support for guidance)
ConvesioPay’s WooCommerce specialist support team can advise on subscription migration and any store-specific considerations.
For more on gateway options, see Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway: A 2025 Comparison Guide.
Outgrowing WooCommerce Payments? ConvesioPay offers lower fees, better fraud protection, and the same WooCommerce-native experience. Get started →