PayPal vs Stripe
Two global payment giants in direct comparison
PayPal and Stripe are probably the best-known payment providers worldwide. PayPal focuses on ease of use and global recognition, Stripe on developer-friendliness and API flexibility. Both are widely used in Switzerland – but for Swiss online shops, there are significant restrictions with both providers. This comparison shows the differences.
Total monthly costs of PayPal and Stripe given a turnover of CHF 20.000
Total monthly costs of PayPal and Stripe given a turnover of EUR 100,000
What are the advantages and disadvantages of PayPal and Stripe?
PayPal benefits from global recognition with over 400 million users, no fixed costs and easy setup. Disadvantages are the highest transaction fees of all compared providers, no TWINT, no PostFinance Pay, only email and chat support and the lowest Google rating (1.6 stars).
Stripe scores with high API flexibility, TWINT support, no fixed costs and extensive customisation options. Disadvantages are the high transaction fees, no PostFinance Pay, no personal support and a complex setup for non-developers.
Comparison table advantages and disadvantages PayPal vs Stripe
PayPal
Advantages
monthly fixed costs
Free plugins
High recognition and acceptance
Ideal for international payments
Disadvantages
No support for TWINT and PostFinance Pay
No e-commerce tools
High transaction fees
Headquarters in the USA
Email or chat support only
Low Google rating
Stripe
Advantages
Numerous payment methods (including TWINT)
Free plugins
No monthly fixed costs
Ideal for international payments
Many customisation options
Support for omnichannel payments (POS)
Disadvantages
No support for
PostFinance PayComplex setup
No e-commerce tools
High transaction fees
Only email and chat support
Average Google rating
Which payment methods do PayPal and Stripe offer?
Stripe offers TWINT, but PayPal does not – an important difference for Swiss online shops. Both support credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Neither PayPal nor Stripe offer PostFinance Pay, WIR Pay, Reka, Centi or Pay by Bank. Both have 10 supported payment methods each. For Swiss Comerciantess, Stripe offers a clear advantage over PayPal thanks to TWINT.
Comparison table payment methods PayPal vs Stripe
PayPal
Stripe
Mastercard
Yes
Yes
Visa
Yes
Yes
PostFinance Pay
No
No
Twint
No
Yes
American Express
Yes
Yes
Entdecken
Yes
Yes
PayPal
Yes
Yes
ApplePay
Yes
Yes
GooglePay
Yes
Yes
SamsungPay
Yes
No
WIRpay
No
No
REKA
No
No
CENTI
No
No
CRYPTO
Yes
Yes
Purchase on account
Yes
Yes
Zahlen mit Bank
No
No
How do the integrations of PayPal and Stripe differ?
Both providers offer free plug-ins for Shopify, WooCommerce and Shopware. Stripe additionally supports JTL, Ecwid, Drupal, Magento and Prestashop as well as automation tools such as Make and Zapier. PayPal also offers Magento but has fewer shop system integrations. Neither offers integrated e-commerce tools. Stripe has a significantly broader range of features in terms of integrations.
Comparison table of plugins and integrations PayPal vs Stripe
PayPal
Stripe
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
What is the support like for PayPal and Stripe?
Both providers do not offer personal support in Switzerland. PayPal and Stripe rely on email and chat support. Google reviews: Stripe 3.1 stars (8 reviews), PayPal 1.6 stars (56 reviews). Stripe has the significantly better rating, albeit on a very small database. For SMEs without an IT department, both providers lack a personal touch.
Who is PayPal suitable for, and who is Stripe suitable for?
Stripe is the better choice for tech-savvy businesses that require TWINT, appreciate lower fees, and want custom API integrations. PayPal is suitable as an addition for online shops with a high share of international customers who want to offer PayPal as a familiar payment option. Neither is ideal on its own for Swiss online shops.
How easy is the setup with PayPal and Stripe?
PayPal offers the easiest setup of all compared providers: create a business account and get started immediately. Stripe requires developer knowledge and technical expertise for integration. For Comerciantes without technical experience, PayPal is the faster start; for developer teams, Stripe offers more flexibility and control.
How much does PayPal cost compared to Stripe?
With a monthly turnover of 20,000 EUR, Stripe costs 640 EUR, and PayPal costs 790 EUR. Stripe is therefore 150 EUR cheaper per month, or 19% cheaper. With a turnover of 100,000 EUR, the difference grows: Stripe 3,200 EUR, PayPal 3,950 EUR – a difference of 750 EUR monthly. Both waive monthly fixed costs, although PayPal charges significantly higher transaction fees at 3.4% + 0.55 EUR than Stripe (2.9% + 0.30 EUR).
Comparison table of PayPal vs Stripe costs
Provider
Subscription
Set-up costs
Monthly costs
Transaction fees
PayPal
PayPal
CHF 0.00
CHF 0.00
3.40%
+
CHF 0.55
Stripe
Stripe
CHF 0.00
CHF 0.00
2.90%
+
CHF 0.30
Additional remarks
PayPal
No separate setup is required with PayPal – a PayPal business account is sufficient. For verification, company information and a commercial register number are required. Please note that PayPal charges the highest transaction fees of all compared providers (3.4% + 0.55 EUR) and supports neither TWINT nor PostFinance Pay.
Stripe
For the implementation of Stripe, merchants should have development knowledge. For verification, a valid photo ID and a commercial register number are required. For large companies, Stripe offers special terms that can be requested from sales.
Conclusion: PayPal or Stripe – which global provider is better?
Both providers do not offer personal support in Switzerland. PayPal and Stripe rely on email and chat support. Google reviews: Stripe 3.1 stars (8 reviews), PayPal 1.6 stars (56 reviews). Stripe has the significantly better rating, albeit on a very small database. For SMEs without an IT department, both providers lack a personal touch.
