European Payment Processing & Gateways compared

It handles the entire transaction flow from the moment a customer pays to the funds reaching your account. This includes authorising the payment, checking for fraud, settling with the card network or bank, and reconciling the amounts in your system. Tools like Adyen and Mollie also offer features such as recurring billing and multi-currency support.

Pricing varies widely. Most providers charge a percentage per transaction, often between 1% and 3%, plus a fixed fee per transaction. Some add monthly fees, especially for advanced features like subscription management or multi-acquirer routing. Adyen and Mollie, for example, offer transparent pricing with no hidden costs for standard use cases.

Businesses subject to strict data regulations, such as those in finance, healthcare or the public sector, often prefer European providers for their EU-based processing and compliance with local laws. Adyen and Mollie are popular choices for companies needing PSD2-licensed, GDPR-compliant solutions with strong European coverage. Smaller merchants may also benefit from local payment methods and lower cross-border fees.

Yes, both support recurring billing for subscriptions, memberships or instalment plans. Mollie offers built-in subscription management with automatic retries for failed payments, while Adyen provides more granular control for complex recurring revenue models, including tiered pricing and usage-based billing.

Yes, most European providers prioritise local methods. Adyen and Mollie, for example, support iDEAL, Giropay, Sofort, Bancontact and other regional schemes alongside global cards and wallets. This can improve conversion rates by offering customers their preferred way to pay.

Start by mapping your current payment flows and integrations. Most European providers, including Adyen and Mollie, offer migration tools or APIs to import existing customer payment data. Test the new setup in sandbox mode before switching traffic, and ensure your new provider supports all the payment methods and currencies you need. Plan for a parallel run to minimise downtime.

Few providers offer entirely free plans, but some have low-cost or pay-as-you-go models suitable for small volumes. Payrexx, for example, provides a free tier with basic features, though transaction fees still apply. For very small businesses, the cost of a dedicated gateway may be offset by better conversion rates and reduced fraud risk compared to simpler solutions.

Reputable European providers like Adyen and Mollie are designed to meet GDPR requirements, including data minimisation, encryption and the right to erasure. However, compliance also depends on how you configure and use the tool. Always check the provider’s data processing agreement and ensure server locations and sub-processors align with your obligations.

Adyen is often preferred by large enterprises with complex, global needs due to its extensive coverage of payment methods, currencies and local acquiring in multiple countries. Mollie is a strong choice for European SMEs, offering a simpler setup and competitive pricing for regional markets. Both provide PSD2-licensed services and GDPR-compliant processing, but Adyen’s scale and feature set are broader.

Yes, Klarna integrates with major e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento, as well as custom setups via its API. It supports buy-now-pay-later options, instalments and direct payments, which can increase conversion rates. Check that your platform and region are supported, as Klarna’s availability varies by country.