Best International Payment Gateways 2021

Thanks to online payment gateways, selling internationally has never been easier. Whether you are a small crafts producer or a large service provider, the world has become your oyster. But that doesn’t mean that all payment gateways will work for you or are built the same. Take a look at the best international payment gateways out there and see which one is the best for your business.

Stripe payment gateway

The San Francisco based Stripe is a technology first online payment gateway that has one low fee and can take payments in 135+ currencies.

Stripe was born with technology and the developer in mind but is simple enough to use for non-tech people. It has an easy onboarding process and the customer interface is intuitive. For pricing, you will be charged a flat fee per transaction. In the US, the fee is 2.9% + 30c¹. Stripe also provides hundreds of features like financial reconciliation, a unified dashboard, different settlement options and 24/7 support free with an account². And with new technology coming out consistently to improve the experience of businesses and the customer, with Stripe you are able to stay on top of new additions.

PayPal payment gateway

One of the largest and original payment gateways to work globally, PayPal is a leader in providing easy ways for customers to pay, but they may no longer be the best deal in town.

PayPal payment gateway is well known, accessible globally and allows for different ways for customers to pay. So whether through express checkout, payment links or the standard version, you can meet customers with flexible options. You can even use PayPal if you don’t have a website. But when it comes to pricing, the different fees can take a toll on international payments. PayPal has a transaction charge, plus a fixed fee and a currency charge on top of that⁴. Adding them all up, they can take a good bite out of the transaction. PayPal is available for Indian business accounts.

CCAvenue payment gateway

CCAvenue is an Indian payment gateway that lets domestic businesses take payments online through 200+ options in the country as well as credit and debit payments globally.

CCAvenue is a widely used payment gateway in India that is free to start and with an easy onboarding system. It allows for payments through a business’ website, phone, in-app, email or SMS and social media. It is easy to integrate and gives an option for easy checkout for returning customers. When it comes to pricing, most transactions are at a 2% fee domestically and 3% for international. But if you want to offer the multi-currency option, that fee jumps to 4.99%⁶. With its wide range of payment options in India, CCAvenue may be a better bet for primarily domestic customers.

EBS payment gateway

EBS, or Ingenico ePayments, is an Indian payment gateway with 100+ payment options for domestic customers, but the user experience and international payments hit some snags.

EBS was bought by Ingenico ePayments, the global company providing payment solutions. EBS offers two plans- a Starter plan that has fixed charges per transaction and annual maintenance costs, and a Premium plan that is customizable and priced accordingly. Most businesses will fall within their Starter plan where most domestic transactions are at 2%⁷. But international transactions have an undisclosed charge with an additional ₹7 charge on each one for fraud protection.

The international transactions are done with dynamic currency conversions⁸, which means that the rate your customers get is set by the company- not the actual mid-market exchange rate. Settlements are also not automatic, so you will have to manually go into your dashboard to authorize payments into your bank account every time.

PayUMoney payment gateway

PayU is a popular Indian payment gateway for domestic customers but getting international payment options isn’t straightforward and is subject to approval by PayU and their banking partners.

If you have used Bookmyshow or Myntra in India, it is quite likely you have run into PayU. This payment gateway has quite a few well-known clients across the country, and offers diversified payment options for customers. You can get settlements in your preferred bank account and PayU has a quick onboarding system. But if you are looking for an easy way to do international transactions, this may not be the platform for you. You require additional documentation, which may include an import/ export license for goods, to get approval to accept International transactions with PayU⁹. So if you are looking for a smooth process for getting international payments, you may need to look elsewhere.

Meet Wise: alternative to receiving payments from abroad

For an easy to use and low-cost way to receive payments globally- look no further than Wise.

Wise offers Indian businesses and freelancers with account details in 8 different currencies to receive payments from abroad. Your clients pay you with a local transfer in their currency, and you receive rupees in your INR bank account — with eFIRC for every transfer.

Sources used for this article