Best 5 payment gateways for Dutch businesses in 2025

Every time your customers click 'Betalen', they start a process that directly impacts your bottom line. When 81% of point-of-sale (POS) payments in the Netherlands are made with debit or credit cards¹, your digital payment infrastructure is the financial backbone of your business whether you operate online, in-store or both.

Choose the right payment gateway and you're setting yourself up for growth: Smooth transactions, happy customers and room to scale internationally. Get it wrong, and you're likely fighting hidden fees, technical glitches, and abandoned carts at checkout.

This guide examines the top payment gateways for Dutch businesses in 2025 to help you identify which payment gateway aligns with your business model, budget and growth plans.

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway is a technology that allows your business to get paid online or in-store securely and without friction. It connects your checkout (whether on your website, app or POS terminal) to the systems that move money from your customer’s account to yours.

It handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes, including:

• Encrypting your customer’s payment details 

• Routing this through the processing system (either their own or a third party’s)

• Contacting the customer’s bank to check the account is valid, confirm available funds and request authorisation

• Triggering the payout to your account once the payment is cleared.

The right payment gateway does its job invisibly, letting customers pay how they want, in their currency, without delays, or errors. When it doesn’t, it’s painfully visible. 

Here’s how to create and set up a payment gateway in four steps if you're just getting started.

How to choose the best payment gateway for your business

Here’s what we recommend considering before you commit.

Total cost, not just transaction fees

Most gateways charge per transaction, usually a percentage of the payment plus a small, fixed fee, but some also charge monthly fees and setup costs. There are also likely fees for currency conversion, specific payment methods, refunds or chargebacks.

Find out the total cost of using the gateway so you can predict your fees easily. 

Local and international payment support

The best payment gateways make it easy to accept payments the way your customers want to pay, like iDEAL or Bancontact, without forcing you to piece together local providers one by one.

How fast you get paid

For your customer, the transaction ends in seconds. For you, getting that money into your account might take two days (or five) depending on your provider. Payout times vary: some offer instant options, others only pay weekly.

Built-in security and compliance

At a minimum, any payment gateway should be PCI DSS compliant. That means it follows global standards for securely storing, processing, and transmitting cardholder data. Also look for 3D Secure, fraud tools and compliance with local regulations.

Integration and developer friendliness

Your payment gateway should connect to your eCommerce platform, accounting software, and the tools your team relies on to manage inventory, orders, and subscriptions.

If you’ve got a dev team, API quality matters too. Some platforms make basic tasks like refunds or webhook setup easy. Others don’t.

Choosing a payment gateway gets easier once you understand your full payment flow. This guide breaks down how to set up online payments step-by-step, from checkout to payout.

Top 5 payment gateways for Dutch businesses in 2025

1. Airwallex 

Why it stands out: it’s built for businesses that sell across borders with global accounts, competitive FX rates and the ability to accept and payout in multiple currencies.

Key features:

• Multi-currency accounts

• Accept payments from 180+ countries across 160+ local payment methods, and 130+ currencies

• Also offers extensive payout functionality to 150+ countries at interbank FX rates

• Expense management tools

• Integrated with popular accounting (like Exact) and eCommerce platforms 

What to watch for:

• Range of features may be more than needed if you’re only operating domestically 

2. Mollie

Why it stands out: it offers a straightforward setup for SMEs with a focus on European payment methods and strong UX.

Key features:

• Supports all major Dutch and EU payment methods²

• Accept payments in 11 currencies ³

• Transparent pay-per-transaction pricing, no monthly fees on Standard plan³

• Plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and more⁴

What to watch for:

• Settlements are limited to 11 currencies, which may not suit some global businesses

• Might not be a good fit if you want advanced features like comprehensive FX management or global treasury tools

3. Shopify Payments

Why it stands out: it's fully integrated with the Shopify platform, making it the simplest option for merchants already using Shopify.

Key features:

• Accepts all major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and local methods like iDEAL and Klarna⁴

• No additional subscription transaction fees⁵

• Sell in over 130 currencies⁶

What to watch for:

• Only available to Shopify merchants

• Payout delays are usually four days⁷

• Fees can stack up quickly between card fees and conversion fees 

• Limited customisability

4. Stripe

Why it stands out: a platform with customisation options, making it good for businesses seeking tailored payment solutions.

Key features:

• Advanced fraud prevention powered by machine learning via Stripe Radar⁹

• Modular checkout options from no-code Payment Links to fully custom APIs¹⁰

• Pre-built support for recurring billing, invoicing, and subscriptions¹¹

What to watch for:

• Setup and customisation can require significant developer time

• Global businesses may find fees prohibitively high – you can only settle and hold in your home currency

• Customer support depends on price plan 

5. Adyen

Why it stands out: it's built for large, multi-channel retailers needing enterprise-grade control, unified in-store and online payments and advanced risk and reconciliation tools.

Key features:

• Local acquiring in 14 key markets¹²

• Unified commerce tools to connect online, in-app and POS payments across regions¹³

• Enterprise-grade risk management tools¹⁴ 

• Embedded payments for platforms and marketplaces¹⁵

What to watch for:

• Geared toward enterprise — may be too complex or resource-heavy for smaller teams

• API integration and risk tools may require dedicated support¹⁶

Comparing the top 5 payment gateways

* €0/month if you deposit at least €10k per month or hold a minimum balance of £10k. For more information, see here.

Top payment gateways for specific business needs

Mollie

Mollie’s plug-and-play setup, no monthly fees and support for all major Dutch and EU payment methods make it a good fit for small businesses or newer online shops. You can start accepting payments with minimal developer work and scale gradually with transparent, per-transaction pricing.

Airwallex

Airwallex is built for cross-border business. You can accept payments in over 130 currencies, settle in up to 11 and hold balances in local currency accounts to avoid forced conversions. With interbank FX rates and local acquiring in key markets, it’s ideal for Dutch businesses expanding into Europe, the UK, or further afield.

Stripe

With features such as complex recurring billing with seat-based pricing, Stripe has SaaS support built in without any plugins or workarounds required. It also supports trials, metered billing and churn management features out of the box.³⁰

Why Airwallex is a top choice for Dutch businesses

For Dutch businesses thinking beyond borders, Airwallex stands out.

As an end-to-end payment service provider, we’re not just a payment gateway. Our platform also manages settlement, FX, and global treasury. Instead of stitching together multiple providers, you get one platform built to move money efficiently across markets.

We’re also built for international growth. You can accept payments in 130+ currencies, open local accounts in key currencies, hold and settle funds without hidden conversion fees and avoid inflated FX rates. Our range of supported local payment methods like iDEAL, Alipay and WeChat means you don’t have to compromise on customer experience while scaling globally. 

FAQs about payment gateways for Dutch businesses

Do I need a Dutch business bank account to use a payment gateway?

Not necessarily. Some providers, like Airwallex, offer multi-currency accounts with local bank details. This means you can operate in the Netherlands without going to a Dutch bank to open an account.

Can I accept international payments with local gateways like Mollie?

Yes, but you may be limited to certain currencies. 

Can I use multiple payment gateways in one business?

Yes. Many businesses use multiple gateways to optimise for different markets, payment methods or pricing.

How do I ensure my payment gateway is secure and compliant?

Look for PCI DSS compliance as a minimum and check whether the gateway supports features like 3D Secure, fraud detection, and dispute management.

Conclusion

The payment gateway that makes the most sense for your business will depend on where you are now and where you're headed next. 

Whether you're a small business focused on the local market or selling to the US and beyond, focus on the key factors: does it support the payment methods your customers use, can it scale with your business plans, and does the fee structure make sense for your transaction volume and patterns? 

We’ve run through various options in this guide – Mollie excels locally, Stripe gives you control, Adyen serves enterprise retail needs, and Shopify Payments works for its platform users.

Airwallex offers a comprehensive solution for businesses planning to operate internationally, particularly in handling multiple currencies without excessive conversion fees. For Dutch companies looking to streamline cross-border payments, it’s a strong global partner.

References

1 https://factsheet.betaalvereniging.nl/en/

2 https://www.mollie.com/gb/payments/payment-methods

3 https://www.mollie.com/nl/pricing

4 https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/supported-countries/netherlands#accepting-payments

5 https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/your-account/manage-billing/billing-charges/types-of-charges/third-party-charges/third-party-transaction-fees

6 https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/sell-in-133-currencies-with-shopify-payments

7 https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/getting-paid-with-shopify-payments

8 https://docs.stripe.com/currencies

9 https://stripe.com/en-nl/radar

10 https://stripe.com/en-nl/payments/checkout

11 https://stripe.com/en-nl/billing

12 https://www.adyen.com/global-payment-processing

13 https://www.adyen.com/unified-commerce

14 https://www.adyen.com/uplift/protect

15 https://www.adyen.com/platform-payments

16 https://www.capterra.com/p/165680/Adyen/

17 https://www.adyen.com/en_GB/pricing

18 https://www.aboutpayments.com/knowledge-base/provider/adyen#:~:text=The%20only%20provider%20of%20a,mobile%2C%20and%20in%2Dstore.

19 https://docs.adyen.com/account/getting-paid/

20 https://docs.adyen.com/development-resources/currency-codes/

21 https://docs.mollie.com/docs/payment-methods

22 https://help.mollie.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002540294-How-long-does-it-take-to-process-a-payment

23 https://docs.mollie.com/docs/multicurrency

24 https://www.shopify.com/pricing

25 https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/international

26 https://stripe.com/en-nl/pricing

27 https://stripe.com/en-nl/payments/payment-methods

28 https://docs.stripe.com/payouts

29 https://docs.stripe.com/currencies#:~:text=You%20can%20charge%20customers%20in,native%20currency%20can%20increase%20sales.

30 https://stripe.com/en-si/resources/more/subscription-management-features-explained-and-how-to-choose-a-software-solution