Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our opinions or reviews. Learn how we make money.
Stripe vs. Braintree
Compare pros, cons and overall reputation to make the right choice for your business.
Trying to decide between these two payment processors? Stripe is best for companies that need a quick sign-up process and strong customer service, while Braintree — owned by PayPal — has fewer extra fees.
How do Stripe and Square compare?
Stripe and Braintree both offer a fee of 2.90 + $0.30 for debit and credit cards processed online, so your cost per transaction for digital sales will be the same. Both are also good choices for global sales, as they each support currency payments in more than 130 currencies.
Otherwise, here’s how they stack up:
| Stripe | Braintree | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Which should I choose? | Choose Stripe if you’re a small business that needs to sign up and start accepting payments ASAP. | Choose Braintree if you’re a developer looking for straightforward pricing and a no-frills approach to payment processing. |
| Overview | A good option for companies that don’t mind using Stripe’s third party payment aggregator, rather than their own merchant account. You can choose between using a prebuilt solution or Stripe’s customizable API. But it doesn’t accept PayPal. | Braintree is meant for experienced coders who need a payment gateway and individual merchant account to facilitate payments made on an app or online storefront. It’s not meant for business owners with a physical storefront, though it can be used with PayPal’s hardware for in-person payments. |
| Products |
|
|
| Price starts at | 2.9% + 30¢ per successful card charge | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
| Contract required? | No | No |
| Processing time | 2 business days | 2-3 business days |
| High-risk merchants accepted? | No | No |
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
| Tools |
|
|
| BBB letter rating | A+ | B- |
| Trustpilot rating | ★★★★★ 3.4/5 | ★★★★★ 1.5/5 |
| Reputation and customer reviews | Stripe has mixed reviews on Trustpilot and the BBB. Customers note:
| Braintree generally has poor reviews on Trustpilot and the BBB, with customers complaining about:
That said, Braintree has a more positive reputation in business chat forums like Capterra and Reddit. |
| Support |
|
Email and phone number aren’t publicly available, though you can access this information through the help portal after signing up. |
Bottom line
Stripe and Braintree are both comprehensive online payment processing solutions. The choice may ultimately come down to whether you want your own merchant account or are OK with Stripe’s third-party aggregated account — though be sure to read the full reviews for each before signing up.
If neither provider is quite right for your biz, compare other payment processors to find a better match.
Frequently asked questions
Related Posts
Ask an Expert