8 Best Payment Gateways to Boost Subscription Businesses

Do you want to discover the best payment gateway to boost your subscription business?

Subscription businesses thrive on convenience, trust, and seamless customer experiences. But even with the best product or service, growth can stall if payments are unreliable or difficult for customers to complete. That’s where choosing the right payment gateway makes all the difference.

The right solution not only ensures secure recurring transactions but also helps reduce churn, supports global payments, and keeps your revenue flowing smoothly.

In this article, we’ll explain what a payment gateway is, the factors to consider when choosing one, and highlight 8 of the best payment gateways to help you grow your subscription business.

What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is a secure technology that connects your website or application to the bank or payment processor, enabling you to accept online payments from your customers.

Think of it as the digital “cash register” for your subscription business. It takes your customer’s payment details, encrypts the sensitive data, verifies that the funds are available, and then approves or declines the transaction.

For subscription-based businesses, a payment gateway does more than process one-time payments. It must handle recurring billing, protect customer data, support multiple payment methods, and provide seamless checkout experiences to build customer trust and keep revenue flowing.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Payment Gateway

Now that you understand what a payment gateway is, the next step is knowing how to choose the right one for your subscription business.

To make the right choice, here are the factors you should carefully consider:

Support for Recurring Billing: The foundation of any subscription business is recurring revenue. Your payment gateway must offer automatic recurring billing, allowing customers to be charged on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis without requiring manual intervention. Look for features like:

• Automated payment retries when a transaction fails.
• Card updater services that refresh expired card details.
• Flexible billing cycles to suit different subscription plans.

Transaction Fees and Pricing Structure: Every gateway charges fees, usually a percentage of each transaction plus a fixed amount. While these may look small at first, they add up over time. Compare pricing models, and consider:

• Transaction fees (percentage + fixed fee).
• Set up or monthly fees.
• Additional charges for cross-border payments, currency conversion, or chargebacks.

Global Reach and Multi-Currency Support: If you plan to serve international customers, your gateway must support multiple currencies and local payment methods. This reduces friction for customers and makes it easier to expand globally without creating additional barriers.

Integration with Your Platform: Your gateway should integrate smoothly with your subscription management system, membership plugin, or eCommerce platform. For WordPress users, this often means ensuring compatibility with WooCommerce or membership plugins, such as ProfilePress. Easy integration saves time, reduces technical issues, and provides a smoother checkout process.

Security and Fraud Protection: Handling customer payment data is a sensitive task. A trustworthy gateway should provide:

• PCI DSS compliance
• Data encryption
• Advanced fraud detection and prevention features
• Two-factor authentication (where applicable)

Security builds trust and protects your business from chargebacks or fraud-related losses.

Customer Experience and Ease of Use: A complicated checkout process can cause cart abandonment. Look for gateways that:

• Offer a seamless, mobile-friendly checkout.
• Allow one-click payments for returning subscribers.
• Provide branded checkout pages so customers feel secure.

Payouts and Settlement Times: How quickly do you want access to your funds? Some gateways settle within 1–2 business days, while others may take longer. Faster payouts help with cash flow management, especially for growing businesses.

Customer Support: Even the most reliable systems can experience issues. When they do, you’ll want a gateway with responsive and knowledgeable customer support. A delay in resolving payment issues can directly affect your revenue.

Now that you understand what a payment gateway is and the factors to consider when choosing one, let’s dive into the best payment gateways to boost subscription businesses.

8 Best Payment Gateways

In this section, we’ll break down the best payment gateways for subscription businesses. For each option, you’ll find details on setup fees, transaction charges, supported payment methods, and the types of businesses they work best for, helping you choose the right solution with confidence.

1. Stripe

Stripe is one of the most popular and widely trusted payment gateways in the world. Known for its developer-friendly APIs and powerful subscription management features, it has become the go-to solution for startups, small businesses, and global enterprises.

What makes Stripe a strong contender for subscription businesses is its focus on recurring billing automation, flexible checkout options, and support for multiple currencies and payment methods. It also integrates seamlessly with WordPress membership plugins like ProfilePress, allowing you to set up and manage recurring subscriptions directly from your website without writing a single line of code.

Stripe places a strong emphasis on customer experience, offering features like saved payment details, automatic retries for failed payments, and fraud detection to help businesses reduce churn and maximize revenue.

Setup Fee

Stripe does not charge any setup fees or monthly maintenance costs. You only pay when you process a transaction, which makes it a cost-effective option for both new and established businesses.

Transaction Charges

Stripe’s standard fee is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge for businesses in the United States. Fees may vary depending on your country. For international cards, currency conversions, or specific payment methods, Stripe applies additional small fees.

Supported Payment Methods

Stripe supports a wide variety of global and local payment methods, making it one of the most versatile gateways. Some of these include:

• Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc.)
• Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay, Stripe Link
• Bank Debits & Transfers: ACH Direct Debit, SEPA Direct Debit, Bacs Direct Debit
• Buy Now, Pay Later: Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, Clearpay
• Other Local Payment Options: Alipay, Bancontact, Giropay, iDEAL, Sofort, P24, WeChat Pay, CashApp Pay, GrabPay, FPX, EPS, and more.

This wide coverage ensures businesses can serve both local and international customers with ease.

Best For

Stripe is best suited for:

• Subscription Businesses & Membership Sites that need recurring billing automation.
• E-commerce stores.
• SaaS Companies that want advanced APIs and customization.

If you’re running your subscription business on WordPress, Stripe integrates effortlessly with ProfilePress, enabling you to accept recurring payments, sell memberships, and manage subscriptions—all from your site.

Check out the video below to see how effortlessly ProfilePress adds Stripe to your website.

2. PayPal

PayPal is an excellent payment gateway with over 400 million active users worldwide. It has become a household name for digital transactions. For subscription businesses, PayPal offers flexibility, security, and global reach, making it one of the most reliable payment gateways for recurring billing.

One of PayPal’s most substantial advantages is consumer trust. Many customers already have PayPal accounts, so they feel more confident making payments through it. This reduces cart abandonment rates and increases subscription conversions.

Additionally, PayPal offers features such as automatic recurring billing, seller protection, and built-in fraud prevention, which provide businesses and customers with peace of mind.

Setup Fee

PayPal does not charge setup fees. You can sign up and start accepting payments immediately without any upfront cost.

Transaction Charges

PayPal charges a standard fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for domestic payments in the United States. Fees vary by country and may include additional charges for cross-border payments or currency conversions. For micropayments or high-volume businesses, PayPal offers custom pricing plans.

Supported Payment Methods

PayPal supports a wide range of payment methods, making it convenient for businesses serving global audiences. These include:

• PayPal Balance (direct PayPal-to-PayPal transfers)
• Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
• PayPal Credit (buy now, pay later option for customers)
• Local Payment Methods in supported countries
• Bank Transfers (depending on the region)

In addition, PayPal Checkout allows businesses to accept payments directly on their website while giving customers the option to log in with their PayPal account for faster checkout.

Best For

PayPal is ideal for:

• Businesses targeting a global audience, since PayPal is widely accepted and trusted worldwide.
• Subscription sites & membership platforms looking for seamless recurring billing.
• Small to medium-sized businesses that want an easy-to-implement solution without technical setup.

For WordPress users, ProfilePress integrates seamlessly with PayPal, enabling recurring subscription management, membership sales, and access control for paid content.

With ProfilePress’s PayPal addon, you can provide your customers with a familiar, trusted, and secure way to pay for your products and services.

Watch the video below to see how ProfilePress connects PayPal to your website.

3. Paystack

Paystack is a fast-growing payment gateway that has revolutionized online payments in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa. Acquired by Stripe in 2020, Paystack brings Stripe’s reliability and innovation to the African market while remaining deeply localized to meet the needs of businesses across the continent.

For subscription-based businesses, Paystack offers features such as recurring billing, one-click payments, secure checkout, fraud detection, and detailed transaction reporting. It’s built for both startups and large enterprises, giving them the ability to accept payments online with ease.

One of Paystack’s strengths is its ability to accept payments through multiple channels commonly used in Africa, such as bank transfers, mobile money, and USSD. This flexibility makes it an invaluable solution for subscription businesses serving African audiences.

Setup Fee

Paystack does not charge any setup or monthly fees. You only pay transaction fees when you receive payments, which makes it highly accessible for small businesses and startups.

Transaction Charges

Paystack’s fees are straightforward and transparent:

Local transactions (Nigeria): 1.5% + ₦100 per transaction (with the ₦100 waived for transactions under ₦2,500). Fees are capped at ₦2,000.

International transactions: 3.9% + ₦100 per transaction.

Fees vary slightly depending on the country (Ghana, South Africa, etc.).

This pay-as-you-go model is attractive for businesses that want predictable costs without hidden charges.

Supported Payment Methods

Paystack supports a wide range of payment options, making it convenient for African businesses and their customers:

• Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, Verve)
• Bank Transfers (direct from customer bank accounts)
• Mobile Money (MTN, Airtel, Vodafone, and others in supported regions)
• USSD Codes (widely used in Nigeria and Ghana)
• Apple Pay (for international customers)

This variety of methods ensures that customers can pay using the channels they’re most comfortable with.

Best For

Paystack is best suited for:

Businesses in Africa that want a reliable, locally focused gateway with global support.

• Subscription services and membership sites that need recurring billing.
• E-commerce stores selling digital or physical products within Nigeria, Ghana, or South Africa.
• Startups and SMEs that need low entry costs with no setup or monthly fees.

With ProfilePress’s Paystack integration, WordPress business owners can easily collect recurring payments for memberships, courses, or subscriptions.

4. Razorpay

Razorpay is one of the most popular payment gateways in India, designed to help businesses accept, process, and disburse payments online with ease. It supports multiple payment modes, including credit/debit cards, UPI, net banking, and wallets, ensuring that customers have flexibility when checking out.

One of Razorpay’s strong points is its developer-friendly APIs, enabling smooth integration with custom workflows, as well as advanced features like recurring payments, instant refunds, and analytics.

Setup Fee

Razorpay has no setup fee or annual maintenance charges, making it a cost-effective choice for startups and growing businesses. You only pay when you start receiving payments.

Transaction Charges

Razorpay charges a standard 2% per transaction for domestic payments and 3% for international transactions, plus applicable GST. Fees may vary slightly depending on the type of payment method used (e.g., UPI, cards, wallets).

Supported Payment Methods

• Credit and Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, RuPay, Amex, Diners Club)
• Net Banking (over 50+ banks)
• UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, BHIM, Paytm UPI, etc.)
• Popular Wallets (Mobikwik, Freecharge, PayZapp, etc.)
• International Cards (on request)

Best For

Razorpay is best for businesses operating in India that want to accept a wide variety of payment methods, including UPI and net banking.

It’s particularly well-suited for WooCommerce stores targeting Indian customers, startups looking for zero setup fees, and merchants needing advanced features like subscription billing and instant refunds.

With ProfilePress integration, it’s also ideal for membership and subscription-based WordPress sites.

Check out the video below to see how effortlessly ProfilePress adds Razorpay to your website.

5. Mollie

Mollie is a European-based payment gateway that has gained popularity for its effectiveness, transparency, and wide support of local payment methods. It’s trusted by thousands of businesses across Europe to handle recurring payments, subscriptions, and one-time purchases.

Mollie supports recurring billing, making it an excellent choice for businesses running subscription models. Whether you’re offering digital memberships, online courses, SaaS products, or subscription boxes, Mollie ensures smooth and secure payment processing.

Setup Fee

Mollie does not charge a setup fee or monthly subscription costs. You only pay per successful transaction, making it budget-friendly for both startups and growing businesses.

Transaction Charges

Mollie charges per transaction based on the chosen payment method. For example:

• iDEAL: €0.29 per transaction
• Bancontact: €0.39 per transaction
• Credit cards: 1.8% + €0.25 per transaction
• SEPA Direct Debit: €0.25 per transaction
• PayPal: 2.9% + €0.30 per transaction

This pay-per-transaction model gives you flexibility and transparency, as you only pay for the methods your customers actually use.

Supported Payment Methods

• iDEAL (Netherlands)
• SEPA Direct Debit & Credit Transfer (Europe-wide)
• Bancontact (Belgium)
• SOFORT Banking (Germany, Austria, and more)
• Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• Klarna (Pay Later options)
• EPS, Giropay, and more localized EU methods

Best For

Mollie is best for businesses targeting European customers who need access to local payment methods like iDEAL, SEPA, and Bancontact.

It’s also an excellent choice for subscription businesses, SaaS providers, and WooCommerce store owners in Europe who want transparent, pay-per-transaction pricing without hidden fees.

Suppose you’re running your subscription business on WordPress. In that case, Mollie integrates smoothly with ProfilePress, making it easy to accept recurring payments via Mollie, manage memberships, and offer local EU payment methods like iDEAL, SEPA, and Bancontact directly from your site.

6. Square

Square is one of the most recognizable payment solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Known for its point-of-sale (POS) systems and card readers, Square has successfully expanded into online payments, making it a versatile choice for subscription businesses. Whether you operate a physical store and want to add a subscription option, or you’re entirely online, Square provides a unified ecosystem to manage payments, invoices, and recurring billing.

One of Square’s unique features is its recurring payment system, which allows you to create subscription plans, send invoices, and automatically charge customers at set intervals. Square also integrates with popular eCommerce platforms, including WooCommerce, enabling you to accept payments directly from your WordPress site.

Setup Fee

Square does not charge a setup fee or a monthly fee for its standard payment gateway services. You only pay transaction charges, making it accessible for startups and small businesses.

Transaction Charges

Square uses a transparent flat-rate pricing model:

• Online transactions: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
• In-person payments (POS/card reader): 2.6% + $0.10 per swipe, dip, or tap
• Invoices/recurring payments: 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction

This simplicity makes it easy to predict costs without worrying about hidden fees.

Supported Payment Methods

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
• Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
• ACH bank transfers (in certain regions)
• Gift cards (Square’s own system)
• Buy Now, Pay Later options (via Afterpay/Clearpay in supported countries)

Best For

Square is best suited for subscription businesses that also sell in-person or through a physical location (e.g., gyms, fitness studios, subscription boxes, cafes, and local retailers). It’s also a solid choice for online-only businesses that want a simple, flat-rate pricing structure without complicated fees.

With its combination of POS hardware and online payment solutions, Square is ideal for businesses that straddle both the physical and digital spaces.

7. Authorize.Net

Authorize.Net is one of the oldest and most trusted payment gateways in the industry, backed by Visa. With over 25 years of experience, it has become a reliable choice for businesses of all sizes, especially those that need advanced fraud prevention features and a highly secure platform.

It offers a wide range of features for subscription businesses, including recurring billing, invoicing, virtual terminals, and advanced fraud detection. Authorize.Net also provides customer information management, which allows businesses to store customer payment data for future transactions securely.

One advantage of Authorize.Net is its flexibility. Businesses can choose to use it as a standalone gateway or pair it with a merchant account. This makes it suitable for both small businesses just starting and larger enterprises with more complex payment needs.

Setup Fee

Authorize.Net has no setup fee.

Transaction Charges

• Monthly gateway fee: $25 per month
• Per-transaction fee: 2.9% + $0.30 (similar to Stripe and PayPal)
• Additional charges: May apply for cross-border transactions or special merchant services.

While the monthly fee may seem like a downside, Authorize.Net offers enterprise-level reliability, making it worthwhile for businesses with steady revenue.

Supported Payment Methods

• Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diner’s Club)
• Debit cards
• eChecks (ACH payments)
• Digital wallets (Apple Pay, PayPal via integration)
• Customer Information Manager (CIM) for securely stored cards

Best For

Authorize.Net is best for established subscription businesses that prioritize security, fraud prevention, and reliability over low fees. It’s beneficial for companies with high-volume transactions, recurring billing needs, or those operating in industries where fraud risk is higher. If your business requires enterprise-grade solutions and you don’t mind paying a monthly fee, Authorize.Net is an excellent choice.

8. 2Checkout (Verifone)

2Checkout, rebranded as Verifone, is a globally recognized payment gateway that makes it easy for businesses to accept payments from customers in over 200 countries. It’s especially popular among subscription businesses and SaaS providers that need to handle international transactions without worrying about currency conversion, tax compliance, or local regulations.

One of the advantages of 2Checkout is its global reach. It supports multiple payment methods, over 100 currencies, and various localized payment options, making it a great solution if your subscription business serves an international audience. The platform also provides built-in features for recurring billing, tax management (including VAT and GST compliance), and fraud prevention.

Setup Fee

2Checkout does not charge a setup fee, making it accessible for businesses at all stages.

Transaction Charges

2Checkout’s pricing varies based on the plan:

• 2Sell Plan: 3.5% + $0.35 per successful transaction
• 2Subscribe Plan (for recurring billing): 4.5% + $0.45 per successful transaction
• 2Monetize Plan (for SaaS & global sales): Custom pricing, includes advanced features like global tax management and revenue optimization.

Supported Payment Methods

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
• PayPal
• Local payment methods (varies by country)
• Apple Pay & Google Pay (via integrations)
• Bank transfers in supported regions
• Over 100 currencies supported

Best For

2Checkout is best for subscription businesses with international customers that need a gateway capable of handling multiple currencies, local payment preferences, and global tax compliance.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right payment gateway is one of the most important decisions for any subscription business. The gateway you select determines how smoothly your customers can pay, how secure transactions are, and how well you can expand into new markets. While some gateways excel in affordability and ease of setup, others shine in global reach, advanced fraud protection, or flexibility in supported payment methods.

Ultimately, the best payment gateway is the one that aligns with your business model, customer base, and growth objectives. By considering factors like setup fees, transaction charges, payment options, and regional support, you’ll be able to select a gateway that not only powers your subscription payments but also strengthens the long-term sustainability of your business.

We hope this article helped you learn about the best payment gateways to boost your subscription business. You may also want to check out our guide on how to create a subscription website to start building and growing your recurring revenue.