Stripe vs. Braintree comparison: Which payment platform is best for your business (2025)?

Key takeaways

• Stripe gives developers control to build custom payment flows across billing, checkout, and payouts.

• Braintree provides a pre-configured enterprise stack with advanced payments capabilities.

• Airwallex is the payments and financial platform for global businesses, trusted by over 150,000 companies worldwide.

Stripe and PayPal Enterprise Payments (formerly Braintree) both offer powerful infrastructure for accepting payments. If you’re processing a large volume of transactions each month, you’ve probably already come across them in your research.

They share many of the same core capabilities, from recurring billing to fraud protection. The main difference lies in the approach. Stripe offers a highly modular, API-driven setup that gives you flexibility over the payment journey. PayPal Enterprise Payments offers a more comprehensive platform, featuring built-in tools and configurations designed for large merchants and marketplaces.

This guide compares Stripe and PayPal Enterprise Payments across pricing, features, integrations, and best-fit scenarios, so you can choose the right option for your business. You’ll also see how Airwallex compares. It gives you the payments function of Stripe and PayPal, plus global business accounts, built-in FX, multi-currency wallets, and spend management tools. Everything is in one platform, so there's no need to stitch together multiple systems.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a US-based payments company founded in 2010 by brothers Patrick and John Collison. It has become a household name in online payments, particularly for businesses that want to maintain control over how payments are integrated into their products and services. If you run a SaaS platform, a marketplace, or an eCommerce brand, you’ve probably seen Stripe in action.

The appeal lies in its flexibility. Stripe’s APIs enable you to shape everything from checkout to subscription renewals, and they work with over 100 payment methods and multiple currencies. You can plug it into eCommerce platforms, connect it to accounting tools, or build entirely custom flows. This control has made it a favourite with businesses that want payments to run exactly the way they operate, whether that’s charging customers monthly, paying out sellers, or collecting from buyers in multiple regions.

What is PayPal Enterprise Payments?

Braintree was a US-based payment platform launched in 2007 and acquired by PayPal in 2013. PayPal has recently reorganized its business offerings under a new umbrella called PayPal Open, consolidating all merchant products in one place. As part of this, Braintree has been rebranded as PayPal Enterprise Payments, focused purely on handling the payment flow for enterprise-stage businesses.

Enterprise Payments is built for flexibility and developer control, much like its predecessor. It supports cards, PayPal, Venmo (US), major digital wallets, bank transfers, and local payment methods in multiple markets. Businesses use it to build custom checkout flows, run recurring billing, and improve authorization rates. With integrated fraud protection and optimization tools, it is designed for large merchants, marketplaces, and platforms that require a developer-centric payments system backed by the PayPal network.

Stripe vs. PayPal Enterprise Payments: a head-to-head comparison

Comparison table

*PayPal Enterprise (Braintree) settlement depends on account configuration. Braintree notes that you may only be able to settle in your home currency, or may have the option to settle in multiple currencies, typically limited to major regional currencies.²

Stripe vs. PayPal Enterprise Payments: pricing and fees comparison

Stripe fees explained

Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic card transactions. If you accept international cards or require currency conversion, an additional 1% fee will be applied. ACH direct debits are priced at 0.8%, with a cap of $5. While there are no monthly fees for the standard plan, Stripe’s pricing is modular. You’ll pay extra for most features beyond basic payment acceptance. Billing starts at $620 per month. Invoicing is charged at 0.4% per paid invoice. Additionally, advanced fraud protection, reconciliation tools, and premium support incur extra costs. These fees can add up quickly, especially for high-volume or multi-region businesses.

PayPal Enterprise Payments fees explained

With PayPal, large enterprises can negotiate custom rates or opt for interchange-plus pricing; however, the baseline rates are 2.99% + $0.49 for standard online card payments and 3.49% + $0.49 for PayPal or Venmo transactions. Expanded Checkout can lower some card and wallet rates to 2.89% + $0.29. International transactions incur a 1.5% cross-border fee, plus a 34% markup for currency conversion. On top of that, instant bank transfers, recurring billing, and advanced fraud tools are all billed separately. For a business with a global reach, these extras can have a significant impact on net margin.

Stripe vs. PayPal Enterprise Payments: features and services comparisons

Stripe is designed for flexibility. It supports 100+ payment methods and 135+ currencies (availability varies by country/method), including cards, ACH, wallets, and BNPL. Its API-first approach lets you control every step of the payment process, from the appearance of your checkout page to how you manage subscriptions or route payouts to sellers. If your team already handles complex technical workflows, Stripe gives you the tools to build payments that match your exact business model. It also offers advanced recurring billing logic, detailed analytics, and customizable fraud prevention features.

PayPal Enterprise Payments focuses on speed and network reach. It doesn’t come close to offering the breadth of local payment methods that Stripe or other major platforms offer. It does come with the advantage of tapping into PayPal’s huge base of active users. Its drop-in UIs, Hosted Fields, and SDKs enable faster deployment with reduced development work. You can also connect it to other PayPal services, such as Payouts, merchant debit cards, and working capital loans, to keep payments and related services in one place.

Stripe stands out for its depth of control, making it well-suited to international expansion and highly tailored checkout needs. PayPal Enterprise Payments is a fit when you want a ready-to-use enterprise platform that integrates closely with a globally recognized checkout brand. The choice depends on whether you value maximum customization across markets or faster time-to-market with PayPal’s established reach.

Stripe vs. PayPal Enterprise Payments: ideal use cases

Who is Stripe best for?

Stripe is designed for businesses that want complete control over payments and have the necessary technical resources to achieve this. SaaS providers, digital marketplaces, and global eCommerce companies use Stripe to build custom checkout flows, manage complex billing logic, and run multi-party payouts. It’s the right fit if flexibility and fine-tuning matter more than getting live in the shortest possible time.

Who is PayPal Enterprise Payments best for?

PayPal Enterprise Payments is well-suited for large merchants and platforms that require an enterprise-ready toolkit, as well as access to PayPal’s extensive customer base. If brand recognition, faster time to market, and easy access to services like PayPal Payouts are priorities, it’s a strong contender. It’s less suited for businesses that require extensive local payment coverage for expansion into emerging markets, but ideal for those already operating in markets where PayPal adoption is high.

Beyond the basics: key differences between Stripe and PayPal Enterprise Payments

If you run a marketplace, a subscription product, or a busy online store, this choice comes down to control, coverage, and how quickly you can go live. Stripe is API-first and modular, so your team can design payments around your product. PayPal Enterprise Payments focuses on quicker deployment and tighter integration with the wider PayPal network, which can boost conversions where PayPal and Venmo are already familiar to shoppers.

Coverage becomes real the moment you sell outside your home market. Stripe supports a broad set of local methods in many regions, allowing you to add iDEAL for Dutch customers, Boleto for Brazil, or Konbini for Japan without requiring additional providers. PayPal Enterprise Payments offers major credit cards, some digital payment methods, and a limited selection of local options, making it a good fit where PayPal usage is already high. Both can support in-person payments through terminals, allowing you to run a single omnichannel strategy across online and in-store checkout.

Think about your operating model as well. A marketplace that splits a $100 order between a seller and a courier, then holds a small reserve for disputes, benefits from Stripe’s building blocks working together, such as Connect for payouts, Billing for renewals, and Radar for fraud controls. A retailer that wants a fast launch, strong PayPal and Venmo coverage, and access to services like Payouts or working capital may prefer PayPal Enterprise Payments, especially if your team wants hosted components like Drop-in UI or Hosted Fields.

Factor in real-world feedback. Stripe users often report friction around onboarding, account holds, and chargeback handling¹², which can disrupt operations if you process thousands of orders a day. Public reviews of Braintree, the predecessor to PayPal Enterprise Payments, highlight long setup timelines, API configuration issues¹³, higher chargeback volumes in some cases, and inconsistent support.¹⁴ Treat those as prompts for due diligence, ask for clear SLAs, and test dispute workflows with real scenarios before you commit.

“Our previous solution was Stripe invoicing, but it became expensive and cumbersome. A 3% fee on a large order was substantial, and we needed a more efficient way to process payments.” - Mandy Chow, Co-founder and CEO, Wayo

Why Airwallex is a powerful alternative (and how we compare)

Stripe gives developers the flexibility to build every detail of their payment flow. PayPal Enterprise Payments provides a fast way to connect with a global brand and start accepting payments. But if you want to operate across multiple markets without stitching together extra providers or paying for unnecessary conversions, Airwallex takes a different approach. You can accept, hold, convert, and send money globally from one platform, with no trade-off between control and ease of use.

You can collect payments in over 130 currencies and accept more than 160 local methods, including cards, wallets, and bank transfers. You can settle like-for-like in 14 major currencies, avoiding forced conversions and the extra charges that come with them. Global Accounts enable you to open with local bank details in more than 60 countries, allowing customers to pay you like a domestic business. Access to interbank FX rates can cut your currency conversion costs by as much as 80% compared to traditional banks. Most payouts are received the same day, and many arrive within minutes. Whether you're selling to customers in the US, taking bookings in Europe, or paying suppliers in Asia, you control the flow of funds at every step.

With Airwallex, payments are just the start. It’s a complete financial stack. You can manage FX, multi-currency wallets, card issuance, expense controls, and global payouts all within the dashboard. It integrates with your existing systems, from eCommerce platforms to accounting software, and our APIs let you create custom workflows if you want even more control. You also get dedicated account managers and flexible onboarding, so you aren't left waiting in a queue when you need help.

Consider Airwallex if:

• You collect revenue in multiple currencies and want to cut FX costs

• You operate in several countries and need to settle payments locally

• You want to offer local payment methods without multiple integrations

• You need faster payouts and fewer delays from SWIFT

• You want to consolidate payments, FX, cards, and accounts in one platform

• You need enterprise-grade capabilities without unnecessary complexity

Final verdict: choosing the right solution for your business

Choosing between Stripe and PayPal Enterprise Payments is less about which one is better and more about which one fits your way of working. Think of your payment platform like the foundation of a house. Stripe gives you the raw materials to design and build it your way, while PayPal Enterprise Payments hands you a prefabricated structure you can move into tomorrow. The right choice depends on whether you want full architectural control or a faster, more streamlined move-in process.

Airwallex offers a third option, one foundation for your entire financial operation. It connects payments, FX, accounts, cards, and expenses in one place, so you can run your financial operations without bolting on extra providers or patching over gaps. Every part works together, providing both flexibility and speed without compromising on quality. You’ll also get real support. Unlike Stripe and PayPal, Airwallex provides dedicated, region-based support from the outset. Whether you decide to expand to South America or need to payout to the UK, someone with local knowledge has your back. If you’re serious about global growth, and you want fewer tools, fewer fees, and more control, Airwallex is built to help you scale.

FAQs

How do I determine whether Stripe or PayPal Enterprise Payments is the right choice for me?

It comes down to how you like to work. If your team has developers and you want to design every step of the payment flow, Stripe gives you the building blocks. If you’d rather get live quickly with a platform tied to a global checkout brand, PayPal Enterprise Payments can get you there faster.

Which one will give me the best global reach?

Stripe supports 100+ payment methods and 135+ currencies (availability varies by country/method). PayPal Enterprise Payments operates in more than 200 markets, but with fewer local methods. If you also want to settle in local currencies and avoid FX markups, Airwallex can give you both coverage and local settlement in 14 major currencies.

Will I pay more than the headline transaction fees?

Often, yes. Stripe charges extra for features such as advanced fraud protection, reconciliation tools, and premium support. PayPal Enterprise Payments applies separate fees for instant transfers, cross-border payments, and currency conversion. With Airwallex, you get interbank FX rates and many advanced features included, so there are fewer surprises on your bill.

When would Airwallex be the better choice?

Choose Airwallex if you’re operating in multiple countries, need to collect and settle in different currencies, and want to manage payments, FX, accounts, and expenses in one place. You’ll also have a dedicated account manager with local expertise from day one, so help is on hand whether you’re launching in Asia or sending payouts to the UK.

Sources

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

2. https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/help/settlementCurrencies

3. http://stripe.com/payments/payment-methods

4. https://developer.paypal.com/studio/checkout/pay-later/us 

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

6. https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/articles/guides/payment-methods/local-payment-methods

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

8. https://docs.stripe.com/connect/cross-border-payouts

9. https://developer.paypal.com/docs/payouts/standard/payouts-web/

10. https://stripe.com/pricing

11. https://www.paypal.com/us/business/fees#online 

12. https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/south-san-francisco/profile/payment-processing-services/stripe-inc-1116-437157/complaints

13. https://www.g2.com/products/paypal-braintree/reviews

14. https://www.trustradius.com/products/braintree/reviews-btf-test?cg=large#reviews