Stripe review (2026): Is it the right payment platform for your Singapore business?

Key Takeaways:

• Stripe is a powerful payment platform with extensive payment methods, global coverage, and tools for businesses that need flexible payment infrastructure.

• Stripe works particularly well for businesses with complex payment needs, such as SaaS companies, marketplaces, and businesses with developer resources.

• Airwallex gives you competitive FX pricing that helps you save up to 80% on FX fees, like-for-like settlement in 14 currencies, and financial operations tools for managing payments, accounts, and spend on one platform.

If you're looking for a Stripe review, you're in the right place.

Stripe is a powerful payment platform with a wide range of tools for online payments, subscriptions, marketplaces, and international sales.

In this review, we'll break down Stripe's pricing, features, and limitations for Singapore businesses, and compare it with alternatives to help you decide whether it's the right payment platform for you.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a payment platform that lets you accept online and in-person payments, run subscriptions, and manage related financial workflows through one set of APIs.

In Singapore, Stripe Payments Singapore Pte. Ltd. is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as a Major Payment Institution.

What sets Stripe apart from most gateways is its breadth. Beyond core payment acceptance, the platform includes products for subscription billing, in-person card readers, fraud prevention, tax automation, and reporting.

Stripe is a developer-led platform at heart. Most of its power comes from its APIs and SDKs, which developers use to build custom payment flows and checkout experiences.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of how Stripe works in Singapore, see our Stripe payment guide.

Information in this section is based on Stripe’s official website as of 21 Sep 2026.

Who Stripe is built for

Stripe works for a wide range of businesses, but it's a stronger fit for some than others. Here's where it genuinely shines:

1. Developer-led teams and SaaS platforms

If you have engineers in-house, Stripe gives you precise control over how payments work in your product. You can build custom checkout flows, embed payments inside an app, or wire up billing logic for usage-based and tiered pricing. This is where Stripe is hard to beat.

SaaS companies in particular benefit from Stripe Billing's handling of subscriptions and usage-based pricing models.

Its Smart Retries feature automatically re-attempts failed payments to help recover revenue you'd otherwise lose to expired or declined cards.

2. eCommerce stores wanting a customisable checkout

For online stores, Stripe offers a spectrum of options.

You can drop in a hosted Checkout page in an afternoon, use Elements to build a branded payment form, or go fully custom with the Core API. Pre-built integrations for popular eCommerce platforms are available through Stripe's app marketplace.

The platform handles common card schemes, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and PayNow for Singapore customers. For most online stores, the checkout experience itself is polished and conversion-friendly.

3. Businesses selling internationally

Stripe supports 135+ currencies and 100+ payment methods globally, allowing businesses to accept payments from customers in markets around the world.¹

The trade-off is cost. International card transactions and currency conversions carry meaningful fees on top of standard rates, and these add up quickly if cross-border sales become a large share of your revenue.

We'll cover the actual numbers in the pricing section below.

Stripe pricing in Singapore

Stripe has no setup fees, no monthly fees, and no contracts on its standard plan. You pay per successful transaction. The headline rate looks simple, but your real cost depends on the card type, the currency, and whether conversion is involved.

Here's a summary of Stripe's main fees in Singapore, before we get into the details:¹

This information is based on publicly available information accessed on 21 Sep 2026. Information reflects Airwallex's own research and has not been independently verified.

Card processing fees

For online card payments, Stripe charges 3.4% + S$0.50 per successful domestic transaction. International cards carry an extra 0.5% surcharge, taking the effective rate to 3.9% + S$0.50. If the payment also requires currency conversion, Stripe adds a 2% markup on top.

In-person card payments through Stripe Terminal carry the same 3.4% + S$0.50 base rate, plus an extra S$0.15 per authorisation if you use Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android.¹

There are no separate refund fees, but the original processing fees aren't returned when you refund a customer.¹

PayNow and local payment method fees

Stripe supports PayNow at 1.3% per successful transfer, alongside a handful of regional wallets: GrabPay at 3.3%, and Alipay and WeChat Pay both at 2.2% + S$0.35.¹

FX and currency conversion fees

This is where Stripe can get more expensive for cross-border sellers.

By default, Stripe converts incoming payments into your account's default currency. When currency conversion is required, Stripe charges an additional 2% on top of the payment processing fee.

Stripe does support multi-currency settlement in Singapore, so you can settle in different currencies (eg USD) without converting them to SGD. But there's a catch: you need a separate supported bank account for each settlement currency you configure.²

For businesses receiving payments in several currencies, maintaining multiple foreign-currency bank accounts can add complexity.

What Stripe charges on a S$1,000 cross-border payment

Here's what the fees can look like when a customer pays you the equivalent of S$1,000 in AUD, using a card issued in Australia.

Assuming you don’t have an AUD bank account and haven't configured AUD for multi-currency settlement, Stripe will convert the payment into SGD for settlement:

Illustrative example only.

That works out to S$59.50 in fees on a S$1,000 transaction, which is almost 6% of the payment.

Stripe features reviewed

Stripe's product range is wide. Here's a look at the features most Singapore businesses will actually use:

Payments and Checkout

Stripe Payments is the core of the platform. You can accept card payments, digital wallets, PayNow, GrabPay, and other regional methods through one integration.

The checkout experience is where Stripe stands out. You can drop in a hosted Checkout page with almost no work, or use Elements to build a branded payment form.

For full control, use the Core API directly. Basic fraud protection through Radar Lite is included with Payments at no extra cost.¹

For most online stores, Checkout is good enough out of the box. For teams that want more control, Elements and the API give you that option.

Stripe Billing (subscriptions)

Stripe Billing handles recurring payments: subscriptions, usage-based pricing, and tiered plans. It's a strong product for SaaS companies and any business with steady recurring revenue.

Smart Retries automatically re-attempts failed payments at the time most likely to succeed. This can help recover revenue you'd otherwise lose to expired or declined cards.

Stripe Terminal (in-person)

Stripe Terminal brings card payments into physical stores. You can use Stripe readers like the BBPOS WisePad3 or the Stripe Reader S710.

Alternatively, accept payments without hardware using Tap to Pay on a compatible iPhone or Android.

Terminal can integrate with your existing POS software, work with third-party POS and commerce integrations, or support a custom POS that you build yourself.

For retailers that already have a POS system and want to add payment acceptance, Terminal can provide the payment infrastructure without replacing the rest of their setup.

Stripe Radar (fraud)

Radar is Stripe's fraud prevention engine. It uses AI trained on data from across the Stripe network to detect and prevent fraud.

Basic fraud protection, called Radar Lite, is included at no extra cost with standard Payments pricing. If you need more advanced fraud controls, Stripe offers paid Radar tiers with features such as custom rules and advanced analytics.

Stripe Tax (GST handling for Singapore)

Stripe Tax automatically calculates the applicable sales tax, GST, or VAT based on your tax settings and the customer's location. It's supported with Stripe Billing, Invoicing, Checkout, and Payment Links, and can also be used with custom payment flows.

This can be useful if you're selling internationally and need to manage tax calculations across multiple jurisdictions.

For a Singapore-only business with a single GST registration, Stripe Tax may be less relevant if your accountant or existing accounting software already handles your GST calculations and reporting.

Is Stripe safe and legitimate in Singapore?

Stripe is a regulated payment provider in Singapore and is a PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider.

Stripe Payments Singapore Pte. Ltd. holds a Major Payment Institution (MPI) licence from MAS, covering regulated activities including account issuance, domestic and cross-border money transfers, merchant acquisition, and e-money issuance.³

On the security side, Stripe uses encryption and tokenisation to protect payment data, with TLS for data in transit and AES-256 encryption for data at rest. When using Stripe's hosted payment tools, card data doesn't touch your servers.

However, two points are worth understanding:

Account holds can happen

Like any aggregator payment processor, Stripe can place holds on funds if a transaction or account triggers its risk systems. These holds typically resolve once you provide additional documentation, but they can disrupt cash flow if you're caught off guard.

Building a buffer into your working capital is sensible if Stripe is your primary processor.

Disputes carry a fee

Stripe charges S$15 for each dispute received. If you choose to counter the dispute by submitting evidence, a separate S$15 dispute countered fee applies. This fee is returned if you win the dispute, but not if you lose.

This is worth budgeting for if your business operates in a category with a higher dispute rate.

Why Singapore businesses choose Airwallex over Stripe

Stripe is a strong option for businesses focused primarily on accepting online payments. But if you also need to manage international funds and accept payments across different markets, Airwallex offers more flexibility in a few key areas.

Here’s what you get with Airwallex:

Like-for-like settlement without separate bank accounts

Airwallex lets you settle payments like-for-like, with funds going directly into your multi-currency wallet. You don't need to open a separate foreign currency bank account for each currency.

Stripe also supports multi-currency settlement in Singapore, but requires a supported bank account for each settlement currency you configure.

Lower currency conversion costs

Airwallex charges 0.4%–0.6% for currency conversion, while Stripe charges an additional 2% when currency conversion is required¹. For businesses that regularly convert currencies, the lower conversion fee can make a meaningful difference as transaction volume grows.

Accept payments through more local payment methods

Airwallex's payment gateway supports 160+ local payment methods, compared with 100+ payment methods on Stripe's payment gateway¹. This gives businesses more options for accepting payments from customers across different markets.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How much are Stripe's fees in Singapore?

Stripe charges 3.4% + S$0.50 per successful domestic card transaction.¹ International cards add a 0.5% surcharge, and currency conversion adds a further 2% if the payment isn't in SGD.¹ PayNow is charged at 1.3% per successful transfer.¹ For a full breakdown by payment method, see Stripe's pricing page.

How long does Stripe take to pay out in Singapore?

Stripe processes payouts on a rolling basis, with funds typically reaching your bank account a few business days after the transaction. The exact timing depends on your account history and risk profile, with new accounts often facing a longer waiting period for the first payout. Faster payouts are available for an extra fee.

Is Stripe better than PayPal for Singapore businesses?

It depends on what you're optimising for. PayPal's biggest strength is brand trust at checkout, but its fees are typically higher than Stripe's and its checkout experience redirects customers off your site. Stripe gives you a branded, on-site checkout and lower fees, but the trade-off is that you'll need engineering help to get the most from the platform.

What are the hidden costs of using Stripe?

The most commonly cited "hidden" cost is that Stripe does not return processing fees when you refund a customer. The other costs that catch businesses off guard are the 0.5% international card surcharge, the 2% currency conversion fee on cross-border payments, the S$15 dispute fee per case, and the per-transaction cost of paid add-ons like Stripe Tax, Billing, and Radar for Fraud Teams.¹

Sources:

1.  https://stripe.com/en-sg/pricing 

2. https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/multi-currency-settlement?account-country=SG

3. https://eservices.mas.gov.sg/fid/institution/detail/219107-STRIPE-PAYMENTS-SINGAPORE-PTE-LTD