Shopify Payments vs Stripe: Which payment gateway is best for your store in 2026?

Key takeaways

• Shopify Payments and Stripe handle cards and wallets well, but force currency conversion and pay out in a single currency, which increases costs as soon as you sell internationally.

• The real cost difference shows up in FX and cross-border fees. International card fees, FX markups, and automatic conversion apply on every overseas sale, reducing margins even when volumes are predictable.

• Airwallex helps you keep more of your money. You can use it to hold multiple currencies, convert at better FX rates, and manage global payouts from one platform.

If you run a Shopify store, your payment gateway affects checkout completion, fees, payout timing, and your ability to sell outside the UK.  

Shopify Payments and Stripe are two popular options. This guide explains how each handles pricing, payment methods, global selling, and technical control. It also shows how Airwallex helps Shopify merchants reduce FX costs, hold multiple currencies, and run a more profitable international operation.

What is Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s built-in payment method, powered by Stripe. It lets you:

• Accept cards and digital wallets

• Manage payments, refunds, and payouts inside Shopify

• Offer Shop Pay for faster conversion

• Show prices in multiple currencies

Shopify Payments is simple to use, but you lose some control over checkout, payment routing, and global currency handling.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a global payments platform used by many online businesses. It offers:

• Card payments, wallets, and more than 135 currencies

• Apple Pay and Google Pay

• Ane-click checkout with saved cards

• Dispute tools and fraud controls

• Advanced APIs for custom checkout flows

Stripe is a payment service provider, which means you stay the merchant of record. In plain English: you manage tax, compliance, and settlement. You also absorb FX costs on international payments.

Compare Shopify Payments and Stripe at a glance

How Shopify Payments and Stripe compare on pricing and fees

Shopify Payments runs on Stripe, so the numbers are similar. Costs depend on your plan and the card used:

• UK cards: 1.5% to 2% + 25p, depending on plan¹

• International cards: +2% on top of the base card fee

• Currency conversion: +2% FX fee whenever a payment is converted²

• Extra transaction fees apply if Shopify Payments is switched off

• Chargebacks cost extra³

• App fees apply if you add more payment methods

If you sell outside the UK, international card fees and FX fees apply on every order, and payouts are always converted into one currency.

Stripe’s costs are transparent, but when you take cross-border payments, fees rise fast. Costs depend on the card used:

• UK cards: 1.4% + 20p⁴

• European cards: 2.9% + 20p

• Non-European cards: 2.9% + 20p plus a 1.5% FX fee

• Chargebacks: £20 per dispute received, plus another £20 if you counter it⁵

• Currency conversion: +2% FX fee whenever a payment is converted

• Products like Stripe Billing and Stripe Tax cost extra

The shared problem: Neither lets you hold foreign currencies. Both platforms pay you in one currency only. If a customer pays in USD, EUR, AUD, JPY, or any other currency, it’s converted into GBP before you receive it. You can’t:

• hold those currencies

• choose when to convert

• choose your FX rate

Forced conversion is where many Shopify stores lose money.

To see how multi-currency settlement protects your revenue, see our guide to multi currency payment gateways.

How Shopify Payments and Stripe compare on checkout conversion and customer experience

Both Stripe and Shopify Payments are built for mobile checkout. The difference is how much choice and control you get as you sell across markets.

Shopify Payments has:

• Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay

• Fast one-page checkout built into Shopify

• Multi-currency display on eligible plans

• Fewer local methods unless you add extra apps

Shop Pay is fast, especially on mobile. Coverage outside core Shopify markets is narrower than Stripe.

Stripe gives you:

• Apple Pay and Google Pay

• Saved cards for one-click repeat checkout

• 100+ local payment methods, including iDEAL and Sofort

• Custom checkout with Stripe Elements or Stripe Checkout

Stripe sometimes converts better in Europe because customers see the payment methods they already trust.

How Shopify Payments and Stripe compare on global selling and multi-currency support

This is where the gap between the two platforms increases.

Stripe helps you accept global payments, but it doesn’t let you manage revenue in multiple currencies. It:

• Supports 135+ currencies at checkout

• Converts all foreign payments into your home currency before payout

• Has no option to hold balances in USD, EUR, or other currencies

• Applies FX and cross-border markups to every international order

Shopify Payments focuses on ease of use, not multi-currency control. It:

• Shows prices in multiple currencies

• Pays out in a single settlement currency

• FX fees apply on every international sale

• Gives you limited control over how cross-border payments are routed

How Shopify Payments and Stripe compare on developer flexibility and customisation

Stripe is for sellers who want control. You get more flexibility, but you also take on more setup and maintenance. It offers:

• Full API access

• Advanced fraud controls

• Custom checkout flows

• Granular reporting and event data

Shopify Payments for sellers who want convenience. You get less control over payment routing, settlement, and currency. It has:

1. No setup apart from enabling the feature

2. Everything managed inside Shopify

3. Simple reporting and payouts

For more information on getting started with this, see our guide to payment gateway integrations.

Pros and cons: Shopify Payments vs Stripe

Shopify Payments

Pros

• Built directly into Shopify, with no separate setup

• Shop Pay reduces friction and speeds up checkout, especially on mobile

• One dashboard for orders, payments, refunds, and payouts

• Simple to manage for small UK D2C stores

Cons

• Limited local payment methods outside core Shopify markets

• FX fees apply on every international sale

• Payouts always settle in one currency

• Tighter platform lock in as your store scales

Stripe

Pros

• Broad global payment method coverage, including many local options

• Strong APIs for custom checkout and advanced workflows

• Better flexibility for subscriptions and hybrid business models

• More control over the payment experience

Cons

• More setup and ongoing technical work

• FX fees and international card fees add up quickly

• Forced currency conversion before payout

• Extra costs for products like Billing and Tax

Why Airwallex is best for global Shopify expansion

Shopify Payments and Stripe help you take payments, but Airwallex helps you keep more of what you earn, especially when you sell in more than one currency.

Airwallex gives Shopify stores:

1. Multi-currency accounts and local settlement. You can open accounts in more than 20 currencies, receive funds like a local in more than 60 countries, and avoid forced conversion.

2. Better FX than Stripe and Shopify Payments. Airwallex offers interbank or market-leading FX rates. Many merchants save up to 80 percent on FX costs compared with legacy processors.

3. Acceptance of 130+ currencies and 160+ local payment methods. You reach more customers without installing extra conversion or payment apps.

4. Global payouts from one wallet. You can pay suppliers, creators, and partners in more than 150 countries, with more than 120 using local rails.

5. A platform that works with your existing checkout. If you like, you can keep Stripe or Shopify Payments at checkout. Airwallex handles settlement, holds foreign currencies, improves FX, and powers global payouts underneath.

To see how Airwallex fits into your Shopify stack, see our guide to multi currency payment gateways.

Final verdict: which should you choose in 2026?

Shopify Payments works if you want the simplest setup and you sell mainly in the UK. Stripe works if you want more control, more payment methods, and a custom checkout.

Airwallex is the best option for Shopify stores that sell internationally. You keep more revenue, cut FX costs, and run a global operation from one platform.

FAQs

Can I use Shopify Payments and Stripe on the same store?

No. Shopify only allows one primary card payment provider at checkout. If Shopify Payments is enabled, Stripe cannot be used alongside it for card payments. However, many merchants use Shopify Payments or Stripe for checkout and connect Airwallex separately to handle settlement, FX, and payouts.

Why are international fees so high on Shopify Payments and Stripe?

Both platforms apply international card fees and FX markups whenever a customer pays in a different currency. Because payouts are converted automatically into one settlement currency, merchants pay FX on every cross-border order, even if they regularly sell in the same foreign markets.

Can Shopify Payments or Stripe let me hold USD or EUR balances?

Not if you have a GBP account. Neither Shopify Payments nor Stripe lets you hold foreign currency balances. All funds are converted into your home currency before payout. Platforms like Airwallex are used alongside checkout tools to collect, hold, and manage revenue in multiple currencies.

Which is better for international Shopify stores, Stripe or Shopify Payments?

Stripe offers broader global payment method coverage and more checkout control. Shopify Payments is easier to run but more limited internationally. Both still convert funds automatically, which affects margins. Merchants selling across regions often add a multi-currency platform like Airwallex to reduce FX costs and manage global revenue.

Should I use Airwallex if I already use Shopify Payments or Stripe?

If you sell internationally, Airwallex is often added to handle multi-currency accounts, better FX rates, and global payouts. Checkout stays the same, but revenue handling is more efficient.

What makes Airwallex better than Shopify Payments and Stripe?

Shopify Payments and Stripe focus on taking payments. Airwallex focuses on what happens after. It lets merchants hold multiple currencies, control when FX happens, settle locally in different markets, and pay suppliers worldwide from one platform.

Sources and references 

1. shopify.com/uk/pricing

2. shopify.com/en/manual/international/pricing/fees

3. help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/chargebacks

4. stripe.com/uk/pricing

5. stripe.com/resources/more/chargebacks-101