The best alternatives to Adyen
Adyen’s enterprise pricing and rigid workflows push many EU merchants to look for simpler, more flexible payment processors. If your team needs a self-serve onboarding, lower entry costs, or payment flows that don’t require months of development, European alternatives like Mollie or GoCardless offer a direct path to launch. Data residency is already EU-based with Adyen, but some prefer providers fully rooted in EU jurisdictions.
European alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Why do companies switch from Adyen?
The most common reasons are high costs due to its enterprise pricing model, complex onboarding, and rigid workflows that don’t support custom payment flows. Many EU businesses also seek providers with simpler integrations or full EU jurisdiction to avoid compliance friction.
Are there Adyen alternatives with EU data hosting?
Yes. Mollie, GoCardless, and Payrexx all process and store transaction data within the EU. Adyen itself already hosts EU data in EU data centers, but some prefer providers with headquarters and legal entities fully based in EU member states.
How hard is it to migrate from Adyen to another processor?
Migration complexity depends on your integration. Adyen’s custom setups can require 120–160 developer hours to replicate, while simpler APIs like Mollie’s often reduce this to days. Plan for testing payment flows, updating webhooks, and reconciling historical data.
Which Adyen alternative has the simplest pricing?
Mollie and Payrexx offer transparent, pay-as-you-go pricing with no minimum fees, making them a common choice for small to mid-sized businesses. GoCardless specializes in direct debit with a straightforward per-transaction model.
Is Adyen GDPR-compliant?
Yes, Adyen is fully GDPR-compliant and processes EU transaction data in EU data centers. However, its Dutch corporate structure means EU merchants are subject to Dutch law, which some businesses prefer to avoid by choosing providers with EU-only legal entities.
What’s the best European alternative to Adyen for SaaS businesses?
For SaaS, Mollie is often the top pick due to its developer-friendly API, support for recurring payments, and EU-based infrastructure. GoCardless is ideal if your SaaS relies heavily on direct debit, while Payrexx offers a quick setup for multi-currency needs.