Every business, at some point, has to figure out how to get paid. It sounds simple enough until you start comparing platforms, reading through pricing pages, and trying to understand what “full-stack payment processing” actually means for your bottom line. The options are many, and each company promises something a little different.
Some businesses need a quick setup with no coding required. Others want deep customization and developer-friendly tools. A few need to process payments across multiple countries and currencies. The right choice depends on what you sell, where you sell it, and how much control you want over the payment process itself.
This list covers 8 payment solution providers worth your attention. We start with Finix, a company that has built a reputation for flexibility and ease of use, then move through other well-known names in the space. Each has its own strengths. By the end, you should have a clearer sense of which direction makes sense for your business.
1. Finix: Flexibility Without the Coding Headaches
Finix operates as a full-stack payment processor. That means businesses can accept and send payments online and in-store through a single platform. What makes Finix particularly appealing is how it approaches accessibility.
The company raised $75 million in Series C funding in October 2024. Acrew Capital led the round, with co-leads from Leap Global and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Citi Ventures and Tribeca Venture Partners also participated. That kind of backing signals confidence in what Finix has built.
Here is where things get interesting for smaller businesses and teams without technical staff. Finix offers no-code payment solutions designed for the 22 million businesses that do not have developers on hand. You can set up recurring billing, tokenization, virtual terminals, real-time payouts, and more without writing a single line of code.
For businesses that do have development resources, Finix provides thousands of possible configurations. You can start processing transactions in as little as one day using as few as 3 API endpoints. Direct connections to American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa are already in place.
The company also unveiled Checkout Pages, Payment Links, Payout Links, Tokenization Forms, Virtual Terminals, and Merchant Onboarding Forms. These tools let customers set up payment solutions in minutes rather than weeks.
Finix expanded into Canada in February 2024, marking its first international launch. The Payouts solution allows users to send payments via ACH, real-time payments, and to cards through Mastercard Send and Visa Direct, all through a single API.
One more thing worth mentioning: Finix launched a Merchant Underwriting solution that streamlines how businesses onboard merchants while keeping up with regulations from governments, card networks, and sponsor banks. This is particularly useful for platforms and marketplaces that need to bring sellers onboard quickly and compliantly.
For businesses looking for a payment solution that balances power with simplicity, Finix delivers on both fronts.
2. Stripe: The Developer’s Go-To
Stripe has become something of a household name among developers and tech companies. The platform handles everything from basic online transactions to complex payment flows through powerful APIs and extensive integration options.
The numbers are hard to ignore. Stripe officially supports more than 46 countries and works with over 135 currencies. The company holds more than a third of the payment processing market, trailing only a few percentage points behind PayPal.
Enterprise adoption continues to grow. NVIDIA, Pepsi, Rivian, Cloudflare, AMC Networks, and Forbes all build on Stripe. The company claims that businesses using its Optimized Checkout Suite see an 11.9% boost in revenue on average.
Stripe also offers solid tools for managing recurring payments. Subscriptions, automatic invoicing, and flexible billing intervals are all built in, which matters a lot for SaaS businesses and anyone with recurring revenue models.
The learning curve can be steeper for non-technical users, but if you have development resources, Stripe gives you a lot of control.
3. Square: Built for Brick-and-Mortar
Square took a different path than most payment companies. Instead of starting online, it began with a small card reader that plugged into smartphones. That decision shaped everything that came after.
As of 2024, Square is the U.S. market leader in point-of-sale systems. The company serves 4 million sellers and processes $228 billion annually. Block, Inc. launched Square in 2009, and it has grown into a full business management platform since then.
Beyond payments, Square provides e-commerce and inventory capabilities, customer appointment scheduling, payroll processing, shift scheduling, and access to banking and business loans. The fee structure is straightforward: 2.6% plus $0.10 on every electronically scanned credit card transaction, with no monthly or setup fees.
Sellers using Square Checking spent more than $3.6 billion using their debit cards in 2024, a 29% increase compared to the prior year. The platform also integrates buy now pay later functionality through Afterpay.
If you run a restaurant, retail store, or professional services operation with a physical location, Square deserves serious consideration.
4. PayPal: The Name Everyone Knows
PayPal needs little introduction. With over 400 million active users and presence in more than 200 countries and regions, it remains one of the most widely recognized payment brands in existence.
Users can pay through bank accounts, Venmo or PayPal balances, installment plans, credit and debit cards, cryptocurrency, and gift cards. The company operates multiple brands including PayPal, Braintree, PayPal Credit, Xoom, Venmo, Hyperwallet, Zettle, Paidy, and Honey.
In September 2024, PayPal announced an expansion of its global strategic partnership with Shopify. The company became an additional online credit and debit card processor for Shopify Payments through PayPal Complete Payments.
PayPal’s Fastlane service aims to speed up guest checkout by as much as 40% through one-click functionality. That matters when cart abandonment costs businesses revenue every day.
The sheer familiarity of PayPal can work in your favor. Many customers already have accounts and trust the brand, which can reduce friction at checkout.
5. Adyen: Enterprise-Grade Processing
Adyen was established in 2006 in the Netherlands and has built a strong reputation among large businesses. Microsoft and Uber both use Adyen as a payment gateway provider, which says something about its capabilities at scale.
The platform accepts more than 100 payment options and processes transactions in over 180 currencies. Adyen operates in over 30 countries and supports payouts in more than 15 currencies.
One of Adyen’s strengths is its machine learning-based risk controls for fraud prevention. The company also excels at offering 94 payment methods, which makes it a good fit for businesses targeting specific markets or serving customers with varied payment preferences.
Adyen’s integration with Shopify includes diversified payment options and global acquiring solutions. For enterprise businesses looking to grow internationally, the platform offers the modular approach that large operations often need.
6. Braintree: Mobile-First Payments
Braintree, now part of the PayPal family after its 2013 acquisition, focuses on mobile and web payment solutions for e-commerce businesses.
The platform operates in over 45 countries and supports payments in more than 130 currencies. Payment options include credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and Visa Checkout. Merchants can also add their own payment methods.
Braintree offers advanced features such as recurring billing and mobile payments. For marketplace businesses, Braintree Payouts allows you to automate and manage outbound payments, which simplifies the process of paying sellers or contractors.
The PayPal connection brings added trust and integration possibilities. If your business already uses PayPal in some capacity, Braintree can complement that setup well.
7. Shopify Payments: Seamless for Shopify Stores
If you already sell through Shopify, their native payment solution deserves a look. Shopify Payments keeps everything within your store, meaning customers complete transactions without being redirected elsewhere. All payments link directly to orders, which simplifies bookkeeping.
The fee structure favors those who commit to the ecosystem. With Shopify Payments, merchants do not pay extra transaction fees. Third-party providers typically charge between 0.6% and 2% depending on your Shopify plan.
Payment options include credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The system also integrates with Shopify’s Point of Sale, unifying online and in-store sales data in one place.
The main consideration here is lock-in. Shopify Payments works best when you are fully invested in the Shopify ecosystem. If you plan to sell across multiple platforms, you may need additional payment solutions.
8. Checkout.com: High-Volume Processing
Checkout.com serves enterprise businesses that process high transaction volumes. The company provides a unified API for accepting payments across multiple channels and payment methods.
Strong capabilities in fraud detection and payment optimization make Checkout.com attractive to brands that cannot afford downtime or security issues. The platform focuses on customizable solutions for businesses with complex requirements.
If your company processes a large number of transactions and needs performance at scale, Checkout.com is worth evaluating alongside other enterprise options like Adyen and Stripe.
Making Your Decision
Each of these 8 companies approaches payments from a slightly different angle. Your choice depends on your specific situation.
If you want flexibility, no-code options, and strong API capabilities without needing a full development team, Finix offers a compelling package. The recent funding and product launches show a company building for the future.
Take time to compare pricing structures, integration requirements, and the specific features each platform offers. The right payment solution can save you money, reduce friction for customers, and give you room to grow.
