WooPayments vs Stripe: Which is the best payment platform for WooCommerce stores?

Key takeaways

• WooPayments and Stripe let you take card payments on WooCommerce, but they work in different ways. WooPayments is built into WordPress, while Stripe is a standalone payment platform with deeper control and more global reach.

• The biggest differences appear when you start selling outside the UK. Then, FX fees, currency support, local payment methods, and payout delays all shape your margins.

• Many stores use WooPayments or Stripe for checkout, then use Airwallex to collect and hold money in multiple currencies, save on FX, and pay suppliers worldwide from one account.

If you run a WooCommerce store, your payment gateway influences how many customers finish checkout, how much you pay in fees, how quickly you receive funds, and how easily you can sell outside the UK.

WooPayments and Stripe are two of your choices. This guide explains how each platform handles pricing, payment methods, and cross-border selling. It also shows where Airwallex gives WooCommerce stores more control over currency, FX, payouts, and international growth.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a global payments platform used by many online businesses. It powers checkout, recurring payments, invoicing, and payment links. For WooCommerce stores, Stripe provides:

• Card payments, wallets, and 135+ currencies

• Apple Pay and Google Pay

• Saved cards and faster repeat checkout

• Built-in tools for disputes and fraud

• Advanced APIs for developers

Stripe is a payment service provider. You stay the merchant of record, so you manage tax, compliance, and settlement yourself. You also carry FX costs when you take international payments.

Stripe pros and cons

What is WooPayments?

WooPayments (formerly WooCommerce Payments) is WooCommerce’s own payment solution, built in partnership with Stripe. It runs inside your WordPress dashboard and lets you:

• Take card and wallet payments

• View payments, refunds, and payouts inside WooCommerce

• Offer secure checkout without plugins

• Accept multiple currencies on supported plans

WooPayments is Stripe under the hood, but with a simpler dashboard and tighter WooCommerce integration. In exchange, you lose some customisation and global features you’d get by using Stripe directly.

WooPayments pros and cons

WooPayments vs Stripe: quick comparison

You might notice the two platforms look quite similar. (That’s because WooPayments is built on Stripe.) Differences do show up in control, global coverage, and fees when you sell in more than one currency.

Stripe compared to WooPayments on pricing and fees 

Stripe charges different rates depending on the card. UK cards are about 1.4% + 20p, European cards are about 2.9% + 20p, and non-European cards are around 2.9% + 20p plus a 1.5% FX fee.¹ Chargebacks cost extra,² FX applies whenever Stripe converts your money, and tools like Stripe Billing and Stripe Tax add to your bill.

The pricing is transparent, but international orders raise your costs quickly.

WooPayments uses Stripe underneath, so the core card fees are similar. UK cards are typically 1.4% + 20p, European cards 2.9% + 20p, and non-European cards 2.9% + 20p plus a 1.5% international card fee. Chargebacks cost extra. 

When payments are made in another currency, WooPayments applies an FX conversion fee of around 2%, alongside any applicable international card fees. Additional costs can apply if you use WooCommerce extensions or add extra payment methods.³

The key issue: Neither platform lets you hold foreign currencies.

If a customer pays in USD, EUR, AUD, or anything else, your payout arrives in GBP after an automatic conversion. Forced FX erodes margins for many WooCommerce stores, especially those with overseas customers.

Stripe compared to WooPayments on payment methods and checkout 

Stripe supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, all major card schemes, and more than 100 local payment methods, along with the ability to build custom checkout flows.⁴ 

WooPayments supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, and standard card methods, with some local options available through extensions.⁵ Its checkout is clean and built into WooCommerce, but it offers fewer global payment methods.  

Stripe compared to WooPayments on global selling, FX, and expansion

This matters if you sell outside the UK.

Stripe lets you accept 135+ currencies, but it converts funds before payout. You can’t hold USD, EUR, AUD, JPY, or other currencies in separate accounts, and international card fees add up fast. You also have no control over when FX happens, which makes it harder to manage margins.

WooPayments also supports 135+ currencies, and payouts also only come in your main WooPayments currency, with FX charges applied to every cross-border sale.⁶ 

Stripe compared to WooPayments on developer and store owner experience

Stripe offers full API access, advanced fraud tools, customisable checkout, and more detailed reporting. It gives developers and technical teams more control, but requires more setup and ongoing maintenance.

WooPayments is built for simplicity. You install the plugin, connect your payout account, and manage everything inside WordPress. There’s no heavy setup, but there’s also less flexibility.

Read more: Plug & pay: Getting started with payment gateway integrations

Airwallex is the best choice for international WooCommerce stores

WooPayments and Stripe help you take payments. Airwallex helps you keep more of the money you earn, especially when you sell outside the UK.

Here’s how Airwallex fits into a WooCommerce stack:

1. Multi-currency accounts. You can open local accounts in more than 20 currencies and receive money like a local in over 60 countries. That means no forced conversion, no unnecessary FX, and no separate bank accounts.

2. Better FX than Stripe and WooPayments. Airwallex gives you interbank or market-leading FX rates. Many merchants save up to 80% on FX fees compared with legacy processors. You convert only when you choose.

3. Accept 130+ currencies and 160 local payment methods. You reach more customers with the payment methods they prefer, without installing dozens of WooCommerce extensions.

4. Payouts to suppliers and partners worldwide. You can send payouts to more than 150 countries, with 120+ using local rails. You run your whole international operation from one wallet.

5. Works with your existing checkout. You can keep your Stripe or WooPayments checkout, route the funds into Airwallex, hold them in foreign currencies, convert at better FX rates, and pay suppliers globally.

Final verdict: which should you choose in 2026?

WooPayments works if you want the easiest setup inside WooCommerce and you mainly sell in the UK.

Stripe works if you want more payment methods, better conversion tools, and custom checkout flows.

Airwallex is the best overall option for WooCommerce stores that sell internationally. You keep more revenue, cut FX costs, and get global accounts and payouts in one platform.

FAQs

Is WooPayments or Stripe cheaper for WooCommerce?

Both charge similar card fees because WooPayments uses Stripe under the hood. The real cost difference appears when you sell internationally. Neither platform lets you hold foreign currencies, so every cross-border sale triggers automatic FX conversion. Airwallex removes this issue by letting you collect and hold 20+ currencies without forced conversion.

Does WooPayments support as many payment methods as Stripe?

No. WooPayments supports cards and wallets, with a few local methods available through extensions. Stripe supports 100+ local payment methods worldwide, which helps conversion in Europe and Asia. If you need wide payment method coverage and lower FX costs, you can keep your checkout provider and route the funds into Airwallex to reduce fees on international orders.

Why do FX fees matter for WooCommerce stores?

If you sell outside the UK, payment processors convert every foreign transaction into GBP before paying you out. FX markups, international card fees, and hidden bank conversions all reduce your margin. Airwallex solves this by giving you multi-currency accounts, so you hold funds in the currency you receive and convert only when the rate suits you.

Can WooPayments or Stripe pay out to me in foreign currencies?

No. Both convert everything into your main payout currency, usually GBP. You can’t hold or manage balances in USD, EUR, AUD, or other major currencies. Airwallex lets you open local accounts in 20+ currencies and receive payouts like a local in more than 60 countries.

Which is better for international WooCommerce stores, WooPayments or Stripe?

Stripe gives you stronger global payment method support than WooPayments, but both force FX and settle in one currency. For stores selling across Europe, the US, or Asia, this becomes costly fast. Airwallex is built for cross-border operations. You can accept 130+ currencies, hold them without conversion, get better FX rates, and pay suppliers in more than 150 countries.

Can I use Airwallex with my existing WooCommerce checkout?

Yes. Some WooCommerce stores keep Stripe or WooPayments at checkout and plug Airwallex in underneath. Funds flow into an Airwallex multi-currency wallet where you hold, convert, and pay out globally at far lower cost.  

Sources and references

1. stripe.com/pricing

2. docs.stripe.com/disputes

3. woocommerce.com/payments/united-kingdom/

4. stripe.com/pricing/local-payment-methods

5. woocommerce.com/document/woopayments/payment-methods/apple-pay-and-google-pay-compatibility/

6. woocommerce.com/document/woopayments/fees-and-debits/fees/#united-kingdom