Why your payment gateway matters
Every transaction you process online costs you money. The payment gateway you choose affects your fees, your customer experience, your integration options, and ultimately your bottom line.
The three biggest players in Australia are Stripe, Square, and PayPal. Here's how they compare.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Stripe | Square | PayPal | |---------|--------|--------|--------| | Online fees | 1.75% + $0.30 | 1.6% per tx | 3.49% + $0.09 | | In-person fees | 1.75% + $0.30 | 1.6% per tx | N/A | | Subscriptions | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Good | ⚠️ Limited | | Custom checkout | ✅ Full control | ⚠️ Limited | ❌ No | | International | ✅ 135+ currencies | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ 200+ markets | | Setup complexity | Medium | Easy | Easy | | Brand trust | High | High | Very High |
Stripe — Our Pick for Online Businesses
Best for: Online businesses, subscription services, custom integrations, SaaS
Stripe is the developer's choice. It offers the most flexible API, the cleanest checkout experience, and the best subscription billing tools. Fees are competitive at 1.75% + $0.30 per domestic transaction.
Why we recommend it:
- Transparent, competitive pricing
- Beautiful, customisable checkout flows
- Excellent subscription and recurring billing
- Works with almost every platform and framework
- Strong fraud protection built in
Square — Best for In-Person + Online
Best for: Cafés, retail shops, service businesses with both online and in-person sales
Square shines when you need both a physical payment terminal and an online presence. The hardware (Square Reader, Square Terminal) is excellent, and the online fees are the lowest at 1.6% per transaction with no fixed fee.
PayPal — Best for International Trust
Best for: Businesses with international customers, or those who want maximum consumer trust
PayPal is the most recognised payment brand globally. Customers trust the PayPal checkout — some will only buy if PayPal is available. But that trust comes at a cost: 3.49% + $0.09 per transaction, which is significantly higher than Stripe or Square.
Our verdict
For most Australian small businesses building a website with us, Stripe is our recommended payment gateway. It has the best balance of fees, flexibility, and developer experience. If you also sell in person (like a café or retail shop), Square is worth considering for its unified in-person + online approach.
Want a deeper dive? Check out our full Business Tools Guide for comparisons across payment gateways, accounting software, email providers, and more.
Getting set up
When you build your site with us, we can integrate Stripe, Square, or PayPal directly into your website. Mention your preferred gateway in your website brief and we'll make it happen.
