Best Stripe Alternatives in Europe: 7 Payment Providers for 2026
Best Stripe Alternatives in Europe: 7 Payment Providers for 2026
Stripe is excellent, but if you're a European business looking for payment processing that keeps data in the EU, supports local payment methods natively, and comes without US data transfer headaches — you have options.
Whether you're driven by GDPR compliance, Schrems II concerns, or simply want to support European fintech, these alternatives deliver.
Why Consider a Stripe Alternative?
Before we dive in, let's address the elephant in the room: Stripe works. It's developer-friendly, reliable, and global. But here's why European businesses are looking elsewhere:
- Data sovereignty — Stripe processes data through US infrastructure, requiring SCCs and transfer impact assessments
- Local payment methods — European alternatives often have better rates on iDEAL, Bancontact, SOFORT, and other local methods
- Pricing transparency — Some EU providers have simpler, more transparent fee structures
- Support in your timezone — European HQ means European support hours
- Regulatory alignment — Built for PSD2, SCA, and European financial regulations from day one
1. Mollie 🇳🇱 — The Developer's Choice
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Best for: SMBs and startups wanting Stripe-like DX
Mollie is the most commonly cited Stripe alternative in Europe, and for good reason. It offers a clean API, transparent pricing, and native support for European payment methods.
Pricing
- Cards: 1.8% + €0.25
- iDEAL: €0.29 per transaction
- No monthly fees — pay only for what you use
Standout Features
- 35+ payment methods including all major European options
- Excellent developer documentation
- Dashboard available in 10+ languages
- Connect platform for marketplaces
- Mobile-ready checkout
Best For
Startups, SMBs, and developers who want a clean, no-nonsense payment solution. Especially strong in Benelux and DACH regions.
2. Adyen 🇳🇱 — Enterprise-Grade Power
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Best for: Large businesses and global merchants
Adyen powers payments for Spotify, Uber, eBay, and Microsoft. If you're processing at scale, this is your European powerhouse.
Pricing
- Processing fees: €0.11 per transaction + scheme fees
- Payment method fees vary (1.2% for EU cards, 2.5% for AmEx)
- Higher minimums — typically €120/month minimum
Standout Features
- Unified commerce (online + in-store + mobile)
- AI-powered fraud prevention (RevenueProtect)
- Real-time data and analytics
- 250+ payment methods globally
- Multi-currency and multi-entity support
Best For
Enterprises and high-volume merchants who need a single platform for global commerce. Overkill for small businesses.
3. Payplug 🇫🇷 — The French Champion
Headquarters: Paris, France
Best for: French e-commerce and retail
Payplug is optimized for the French market but expanding across Europe. It's part of the Groupe BPCE banking group, adding financial stability.
Pricing
- Custom pricing based on volume
- Generally competitive with Stripe on French domestic cards
- No setup or monthly fees on basic plans
Standout Features
- Native Oney (BNPL) integration
- Strong Magento, PrestaShop, WooCommerce plugins
- One-click payment for returning customers
- POS solutions for omnichannel retail
- French-language support
Best For
French businesses, especially retail and e-commerce merchants wanting a local partner with strong integration options.
4. Checkout.com 🇬🇧 — Global Reach, UK HQ
Headquarters: London, UK
Best for: High-growth companies going global
Checkout.com has raised over $1.8B and is one of Europe's most valuable fintech unicorns. It combines European HQ with true global reach.
Pricing
- Starts at 0.95% + £0.20 for UK/EU cards
- Custom pricing for higher volumes
- IC+ pricing available for enterprises
Standout Features
- Covers 150+ currencies and 50+ countries
- Intelligent payment routing
- Unified API for cards, digital wallets, and APMs
- Real-time reconciliation
- SOC 2 Type II certified
Best For
Scale-ups and high-growth companies that need European data residency but global payment acceptance. Strong in gaming, travel, and digital goods.
5. Klarna 🇸🇪 — Beyond Buy Now, Pay Later
Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
Best for: E-commerce wanting BNPL + payments
You know Klarna for "Pay Later," but they're a full payment provider for merchants too.
Pricing
- BNPL: ~3-5% + fixed fee (you pay, customers pay nothing)
- Klarna Payments (direct): Competitive card rates
- Custom pricing for larger merchants
Standout Features
- Iconic BNPL product that increases conversion
- Klarna's buyer protection builds trust
- Pay Now, Pay Later, and Slice It options
- Strong mobile experience
- 150M+ active users as a channel
Best For
E-commerce merchants where BNPL makes sense — fashion, electronics, home goods. The customer acquisition value of Klarna's user base is significant.
6. SumUp 🇬🇧/🇩🇪 — Mobile & SMB First
Headquarters: London + Berlin
Best for: Small merchants, mobile/in-person sales
SumUp started with card readers but now offers full payment solutions including online checkout.
Pricing
- Card reader: 1.69% per transaction (EU)
- Online payments: 2.5% + €0.25
- No monthly fees, no contracts
Standout Features
- Iconic mobile card reader
- SumUp Invoices for B2B
- Online store builder included
- Business account with Mastercard
- One of the simplest setups available
Best For
Micro-businesses, market vendors, freelancers, and anyone needing dead-simple in-person payments. The online offerings are simpler than Stripe but growing.
7. Tiller 🇫🇷 — API-First Fintech Infrastructure
Headquarters: Paris, France
Best for: Developers building fintech products
Tiller (formerly Bankin' API) offers banking and payment APIs for building financial products.
Pricing
- Custom/usage-based pricing
- Designed for B2B/fintech builders
Standout Features
- Account aggregation (PSD2 compliant)
- Payment initiation services
- Identity verification
- Bank connection APIs
- White-label options
Best For
Fintech builders and platforms that need banking infrastructure rather than just checkout. More of a building block than an end-user solution.
Comparison Table
| Provider | HQ | Best For | EU Data | Pricing Model | |----------|-----|----------|---------|---------------| | Mollie | 🇳🇱 NL | SMB/Startups | ✅ | Pay-per-use | | Adyen | 🇳🇱 NL | Enterprise | ✅ | IC+ / Custom | | Payplug | 🇫🇷 FR | French Market | ✅ | Custom | | Checkout.com | 🇬🇧 UK | Scale-ups | ✅ | IC+ / Blended | | Klarna | 🇸🇪 SE | BNPL E-comm | ✅ | % per order | | SumUp | 🇬🇧🇩🇪 UK/DE | Micro-SMB | ✅ | Flat % | | Tiller | 🇫🇷 FR | Fintech Builders | ✅ | Usage-based |
How to Choose
- Just want Stripe but European? → Mollie
- Enterprise with global needs? → Adyen or Checkout.com
- French e-commerce? → Payplug
- Fashion/lifestyle e-comm? → Klarna
- Mobile/in-person first? → SumUp
- Building a fintech product? → Tiller
Making the Switch
Most of these providers offer migration support and can run in parallel with Stripe during transition. The typical migration path:
- Sign up and complete KYC (1-3 days)
- Integrate in staging (Mollie/Adyen have Stripe-like APIs)
- Test with real transactions in live mode
- Migrate existing subscriptions (if applicable)
- Switch production traffic gradually
The developer experience won't be identical to Stripe, but Mollie and Adyen come closest in API design philosophy.
Conclusion
Stripe isn't going anywhere, and if it works for you, that's fine. But European alternatives have matured significantly. Mollie offers developer experience that rivals Stripe with EU-native infrastructure. Adyen provides enterprise capabilities that often exceed Stripe's. And specialized players like Klarna and Payplug serve specific niches better.
The best part? You can often reduce costs while gaining compliance peace of mind.
Ready to explore more European software? Check out our full directory of EU SaaS companies.
Have experience with these payment providers? We'd love to hear your feedback — get in touch.
