Stripe vs Revolut: Payment solutions compared for business growth in 2026

Key takeaways

• Stripe outperforms Revolut for international payment acceptance and developer tooling, but comes at a higher cost and less flexible settlement.

• Revolut stands out for its combined merchant and business accounts, as well as low-cost payment acceptance.

• As a third option, Airwallex offers the best of both worlds: extensive global coverage, affordable payment acceptance, and a host of financial infrastructure features that help you grow globally.

The right payment solution can help you grow faster and further than ever: to new markets and geographies, with better margins and results. Two options are Stripe and Revolut, but they present two quite different propositions.

In this article, we separate the two based by comparing their features, analysing the pros and cons, and reviewing for which use cases they’re best suited. 

We also add one more provider to the list, as Airwallex combines the best parts of both platforms and might be the answer you’re looking for.

Stripe vs Revolut: Quick comparison table

First, let’s look at some of the headline facts and numbers from both providers. Use the table below to get a sense for some of the differences between the two, then read on for a review of the nuances.

Pros and cons: Stripe vs Revolut

Both platforms have a lot going for them, but it’s also fair to say that they have some drawbacks. We want to highlight a few of the pros and cons for both Stripe and Revolut, to give you some more context about what they can and can’t offer you.

Pros of Stripe

Stripe is one of the largest payment processors in the world. If you want a reliable processing partner that can handle large volumes of payments, then Stripe is a suitable option.

Stripe isn’t just a payment processor, either. They also provide many different financial products and services – from data reporting to tax automation. You can run a lot of your financial functions using Stripe which can be helpful if you want to minimise the number of platforms you use.

In terms of global coverage, Stripe edges out Revolut offering customers nearly four times as many currencies when purchasing. Dynamic currency conversion and adaptive pricing give your customers the option to pay using their local currency, reducing friction and potentially improving conversion.

Cons of choosing Stripe

Being as popular as Stripe is, many businesses will struggle to qualify for their enterprise plan. Stripe’s custom plans are “available for businesses with large payments volume or unique business models”.⁵ 

Considering Stripe processed 1.3% of the world’s GDP in 2024 ¹⁰, what’s “large” to them is likely to be “gargantuan” to most.

Stripe’s pricing can stack up quickly. Features like dispute prevention and resolution, global payouts (0.50 GBP payout fee + cross-border fee from 0.25% + FX fee from 0.50%), tax compliance (from 0.5% per transaction) and subscription billing (0.7% fee) all come at a relatively high cost. While it’s tempting to bundle all of your financial tools in one place with Stripe, it comes at a price.

Stripe doesn’t offer licensed banking services, either. They provide many bank-like services, but your money with Stripe is kept with separate licensed banks. You’re putting one extra layer between you and your money – in the name of safety – but that can be frustrating for some business owners.

Pros of Revolut

Revolut offers a strong balance of tools for payment acceptance, financial operations, and banking in one package. Stripe has a similar set of features, but Stripe’s EEA banking license (UK license in progress) puts it ahead of Stripe for its integrated merchant and business accounts.

Revolut offers more settlement and account currencies than Stripe, so will suit businesses with a more globalised supply chain. With this, money you’d have to convert twice instead loses 0% to conversion. Revolut also gives businesses the freedom to handle cryptocurrencies (280+ tokens). Stripe allows customers to pay in USDC and USDP but only settles in USD. If you have any involvement in crypto, Revolut is a better choice.

Getting started with Revolut is quite simple, too. You apply for an account in-app, verify your identity, add a merchant account and – once verified and approved – you’ve got everything you need. Merchant services, a business account, and payment acceptance tools are there and ready to go. 

Cons of choosing Revolut

Revolut’s international coverage for payment acceptance is unclear. If you want to know with certainty whether Revolut covers the ways and places you need, you’ll need to verify with them directly. The information they do share publicly suggests at least decent coverage, but there are no specifics we can point to.

Revolut is still in the process of gaining its full UK banking license. It’s licensed in the European Union, but is in what’s called the ‘mobilisation stage’ in the UK. As a result, Revolut can’t offer you products like an overdraft or mortgage. Your money is safeguarded, but until it achieves its full license, Revolut remains an e-money institution (EMI).

Revolut’s developer tooling doesn’t compare to Stripe’s. This is one of Stripe’s strongest areas. Compared to Stripe’s documentation, SDKs, webhook quality, plugin ecosystem, marketplace tools, and community support, Revolut can feel a little rigid. It does offer varied checkout options and plenty of software integrations, but Stripe wins on custom development.

Why Airwallex is the better alternative for international growth

We’re comparing Stripe vs Revolut, but you do have a third option. Airwallex offers the scale and flexibility of Stripe, with far wider international coverage than Revolut. Whatever you like about Stripe or Revolut, you should find that Airwallex does it too.

With payment acceptance, you get:

• Airwallex’s debit card acceptance fees of 1.30% + 0.20 GBP.

• 160+ payment methods and 130+ currencies accepted by Airwallex’s gateway. You can take payments from 180+ countries worldwide.

• A built-in optimisation engine powered by machine learning, 3D Secure fraud protection, and local acquiring to improve acceptance rates.

Airwallex’s merchant account sits within your business account, so you can spend as soon as each payment settles. Your account can hold 20+ currencies and payout using local rails in 120+ countries, meaning your international transfers are fast and affordable. You also get all the remaining financial infrastructure you need alongside payments: Spend management, card issuing, FX, embedded finance, billing, and more.

The full picture is a platform that helps you earn and grow around the world. If your business is ready to move into new territories or scale in existing ones, Airwallex is the perfect partner.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a payment processing and financial infrastructure platform. They group their products into three main categories: payments, money management, and revenue and finance automation. Stripe is one of the largest payment processors in the world and is a popular choice for ecommerce businesses.

See how Stripe compares to Airwallex.

What is Revolut Business?

Revolut is an e-money institution in the UK, with a banking license in the European Union. They offer business accounts, payment acceptance, expense management, card issuing, and a proprietary HR system (Revolut People). They also offer personal accounts, which is why they specify their unique Business product.

See how Revolut Business compares to Airwallex.

A closer look at Stripe vs Revolut features

We’ve done a broad overview of both platforms so far; now we’ll get into a more detailed look at some key considerations for payment acceptance. For each feature, we’ll share our view on which platform performs best.

Pricing and cross-border fees

One of the first considerations for merchants is how much they get to keep out of what they earn. The cost of goods sold includes dozens of small percentages that add up to take a slice from every sale. One of the more controllable elements is the payment processor you choose.

The table below compares fees for popular payment methods with Stripe vs Revolut.

Stripe has lower fees for most payment methods – except for domestic consumer cards. If you’re selling B2C, this could be a big deciding factor. The difference on a £50 sale would be 0.95 GBP with Stripe vs. 0.70 GBP with Revolut. 10,000 sales later and you will have kept an extra £2,500 with Revolut.

Best of the two: Revolut for B2C, Stripe for B2B.

Global payments coverage and acceptance

This is a slightly hard comparison to make, given the lack of information about Revolut’s coverage. Still, we can draw some estimations and conclusions with what we do have.

Stripe accepts 4x more currencies than Revolut – that much is for certain. In terms of giving your customers the flexibility to pay in their preferred way, Stripe is far ahead. The one distinction to make is that Revolut’s crypto acceptance is far beyond that of Stripe.

On the other hand, Revolut has significantly more settlement currencies (32) than Stripe’s 23. If you have active supply chains in many countries, you might find Revolut’s settlement currencies benefit you more.

Both offer a variety of gateway experiences, from no-code plugins to API-integrated custom checkouts.

Best of the two: Stripe, based on available information.

Developer tools vs no-code simplicity

Stripe’s developer tooling is extensive and, frankly, far better than Revolut. It’s better than most payment processors, it should be noted, so this is a reflection of Stripe’s quality rather than a shortcoming from Revolut.

Both offer no-code checkouts that are simple to start with and don’t overcomplicate things. At the custom-end of the checkout design process, Stripe leads the way. Stripe’s developer kits have been optimised over the years through such popular use, so you’re working with a well-oiled machine. The same can be said for their community support, too. Stripe’s scale and age both work in its favour.

Best of the two: Stripe

Beyond payments: Financial operations and automation

Stripe and Revolut offer some interesting and unique products beyond payments. Stripe’s focus on AI for financial analysis and automation. Revolut’s focus on areas beyond the traditional finance function – such as crypto and HR. Their services are similar across financial essentials like treasury, spend and expense management, and fraud protection.

You only have to look at Stripe’s product menu to see how extensive their services are, but more isn’t always better. For the average business, many of Stripe’s features are an unnecessary distraction. A simpler product suite might be best for smaller businesses.

If you want more unique financial operations services, Stripe is a better choice. If you want a slightly more adventurous approach (e.g. holding and trading crypto), Revolut’s the one for you.

Best of the two: Stripe for detailed financial products, Revolut for more left-field tools.

Final verdict: Which you should choose in 2026

In comparing Stripe vs Revolut, you might have realised that they – overall – suit different businesses quite clearly. Stripe works well enough for B2B commerce and subscription-based businesses, while Revolut can work well for B2C retailers and businesses in need of a simple suite of financial products.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. There’s also a big exception to keep in mind: Airwallex.

Don’t settle for Stripe’s fees and inflexible settlements, nor for Revolut’s unclear global acceptance and underwhelming developer tools. Airwallex does it all with style, giving you a huge range of financial infrastructure along with the payment acceptance you need to grow a truly global business in all industries.

FAQs

Is Revolut a bank?

Revolut has a European banking license and is in the mobilisation stage of acquiring its UK banking license. At the time of writing, it is not a UK bank. That means they keep all customer money in separate safeguarding accounts with licensed banks. It also means they can’t offer you products like overdrafts or mortgages.

Is Stripe a bank?

Stripe doesn’t have a banking license, it’s a financial technology company. That means they can’t lend your money to other customers or give you an overdraft. They do offer treasury accounts and many bank-like services, but they are an e-money institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.

Can businesses use cryptocurrency?

Yes, but how you use them and what you can use them for will depend on your financial platform. Revolut lets you hold, trade, and convert 280+ tokens. Stripe lets you collect payments in USDC and USDP, but you can’t hold them as a balance – they get converted automatically to USD.

What makes a good payment solution?

A combination of low fees, high security, and international coverage (for payment acceptance and settlement) make a good payment solution. Your business will need specific things from a payment provider, but balancing cost with safety and global reach is a good starting point.

Sources and references

1. https://stripe.com/gb/payments

2. https://www.revolut.com/business/accept-payments-pricing/

3. https://stripe.com/gb/payments/payment-methods 

4. https://developer.revolut.com/docs/accept-payments

5. https://stripe.com/gb/pricing

6. https://docs.stripe.com/payouts?locale=en-GB#payout-schedule

7. https://www.revolut.com/business/accept-payments/

8. https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/multicurrency-settlement

9. https://www.revolut.com/business/business-account-plans/

10. https://stripe.com/gb/newsroom/news/stripe-2024-update