tech from europe
Stripe

The best alternatives to Stripe

5 European alternatives · updated 12 October 2026 · How we select

Stripe’s pricing and complexity push EU merchants to look for simpler, more transparent options. Data residency and GDPR compliance are also common triggers, especially where server location and sub-processor control matter. Adyen and Mollie offer comparable feature depth with clearer cost structures and EU-based hosting.

In short

Stripe covers payment processing, recurring billing, developer tools, financial operations and compliance & security. European alternatives: Mollie, GoCardless, Adyen, Payrexx and Klarna. By area: Mollie, Adyen and Payrexx for payment processing; Mollie, GoCardless and Adyen for recurring billing; Mollie, Adyen and Payrexx for developer tools; Mollie and Adyen for financial operations; Mollie and Adyen for compliance & security.

European alternatives to Stripe

Mollie🇳🇱 NL

Dutch payment gateway with local EU methods and PCI DSS Level 1 compliance

Replaces Stripe for EU-focused businesses with local payment methods and full payment processing.

Covers all of Stripe★ 4.4 (10307 reviews)
EU hostingGDPRPCI DSS Level 1
Mollie vs Stripe →
What users praise and criticise
  • Fast onboarding with minimal paperwork and near-instant account activation for European businesses
  • Intuitive, clean dashboard for non-technical users to manage payments, refunds, and performance
  • Supports 35+ payment methods, including global and local options
  • Inconsistent onboarding experience with slow responses and incorrect information from support
  • Mixed customer support quality, ranging from clear guidance to poor communication
  • Pricing perceived as unclear or expensive by some users
GoCardless🇬🇧 GB

UK-based payment gateway for recurring and one-off bank debit and open banking payments

Handles recurring bank debit and open banking payments but lacks card processing.

Recurring billingFrom £4★ 2.7 (2903 reviews)
EU hostingGDPRISO 27001
GoCardless vs Stripe →
What users praise and criticise
  • Easy setup with a user-friendly dashboard and straightforward interface
  • Automated recurring payments reduce administrative workload
  • Seamless integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, and Salesforce with automatic reconciliation
  • Slower payment processing times, up to 7 working days for first collections
  • No support for credit/debit cards, digital wallets, or buy-now-pay-later options
  • Customer service issues, including slow responses and unresolved account suspensions
Adyen🇳🇱 NL

Global payment gateway with EU-hosted processing and PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance

Full-featured global alternative to Stripe with unified commerce and POS support.

Covers all of Stripe★ 2.1 (538 reviews)
EU hostingGDPROpen SourcePCI-DSS Level 1
Adyen vs Stripe →
What users praise and criticise
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface for payment processing and account management
  • Omnichannel payment support across online, in-store, and mobile channels
  • Global coverage with support for multiple payment methods and currencies
  • Support response times can exceed the 24-hour SLA, with agents occasionally lacking product knowledge
  • Documentation is sometimes out of sync or lacks depth
  • Slow rollout of platform changes and limited native data visualization capabilities
Payrexx🇨🇭 CH

Swiss payment gateway with subscriptions, QR-bill and POS terminals

Swiss gateway with subscriptions and POS terminals but fewer global payment methods than Stripe.

Payment processingRecurring billingDeveloper toolsFrom 12.00 CHF/mo★ 2.9 (35 reviews)
EU hostingGDPRFree planPCI DSS Level 1
Payrexx vs Stripe →
What users praise and criticise
  • Extremely quick and easy setup without programming skills, often completed in minutes
  • Supports over 200 payment methods across 20+ providers, including local options like TWINT
  • Transparent pricing with a free plan, discounts for startups (30%) and nonprofits (50%)
  • Feature set optimized primarily for Swiss and DACH markets, with fewer local options for Southern/Eastern Europe
  • Limited advanced features for large enterprises (e.g., revenue recognition, complex tax handling)
  • Pricing in Swiss francs introduces currency risk for EU-based businesses
Klarna🇸🇪 SE

Swedish payment gateway with BNPL, installments and EU-regulated banking

Offers BNPL and installments but not full payment processing like Stripe.

Payment processing★ 3.4 (3515659 reviews)
EU hostingGDPR
Klarna vs Stripe →
What users praise and criticise
  • Flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later and installment plans
  • Intuitive app with clear payment schedules and spending overviews
  • Simplified checkout process reducing cart abandonment
  • Higher transaction fees compared to competitors
  • Delays in transaction processing and fund disbursement
  • Limited merchant acceptance

All Stripe alternatives at a glance

Which part of Stripe each alternative covers.

ProviderPayment processingRecurring billingDeveloper toolsFinancial operationsCompliance & securityFromRating
Stripe 🇺🇸 (the tool you are replacing)✓✓✓✓✓––
Mollie 🇳🇱✓✓✓✓✓On request★ 4.4 (10307)
GoCardless 🇬🇧✓£4★ 2.7 (2903)
Adyen 🇳🇱✓✓✓✓✓On request★ 2.1 (538)
Payrexx 🇨🇭✓✓✓12.00 CHF/mo★ 2.9 (35)
Klarna 🇸🇪✓On request★ 3.4 (3515659)

Prices per user and month in the cheapest paid plan. Ratings are weighted across G2, Capterra, OMR and other portals, with the review count in brackets.

Stripe: the facts

What to know about the tool you are replacing, with sources.

Headquarters
🇺🇸 US · since 2010
Where your data is stored
EU region only on some plansEU data residency is available for EU customers on request.
Transfers to the US based on
Standard Contractual Clauses
Contracts
DPA · Sub-processors

What users value in Stripe

  • Highly scalable for businesses of all sizes
  • Extensive developer documentation
  • Global payment method support

What they criticise

  • Complex fee structure for some use cases
  • Customer support can be slow for non-enterprise users
  • Limited customization for checkout flows on lower-tier plans

Sources: stripe.com · researched 5 October 2026

Moving away from Stripe

Stripe exports your data as CSV, JSON and PDF, and its API can read everything out.

Frequently asked questions

Which European tool fully replaces Stripe?

Mollie and Adyen cover all Stripe capabilities: payment processing, recurring billing, developer tools, financial operations and compliance. Both are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant and host data in the EU.

Which European alternative is best for recurring payments?

GoCardless specialises in recurring bank debit and open banking payments. Mollie, Adyen and Payrexx also support recurring billing alongside their broader payment features.

Do European Stripe alternatives offer GDPR-compliant hosting?

Mollie, Adyen, GoCardless, Klarna and Payrexx all host data in the EU. Each provides a DPA and meets PCI DSS standards for payment security.

Is it hard to migrate from Stripe to a European provider?

Check the import options of the tool you shortlist. Stripe exports data in CSV, JSON, PDF and via API, which most providers can use for migration.

Are European Stripe alternatives cheaper?

Pricing varies by provider and volume. GoCardless and Payrexx publish their rates, while Mollie, Adyen and Klarna provide pricing on request.

Which European Stripe alternative has a free plan?

Payrexx offers a free plan. Adyen is open source and free to use.

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