The verdict in three sentences
At EUR 1.2 million collected per year, a Dublin SME on Stripe's standard rate (1.5% + EUR 0.25 per standard EEA card) pays around EUR 19,000 in fees. A negotiated Adyen or bank-acquirer contract on interchange-plus pricing brings that down to EUR 10,000 to 15,000, a saving of EUR 4,000 to 9,000 a year. Integration costs EUR 2,000 to 6,000 ex VAT and pays back in under 9 months, provided you check the share of business cards and non-EEA cards in your volume.
2026 pricing of three typical options
Irish SME owners tend to look at the headline percentage, yet three other items weigh as much: the fixed fee per transaction, the monthly fee and the handling of non-EEA cards. Figures below are 2026 market ranges before any specific negotiation.
| Criterion | Stripe | Adyen | Bank acquirer (interchange-plus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard EEA cards | 1.5% + EUR 0.25 | Interchange + scheme fees + markup, about 0.6 to 1.0% all-in | Interchange + scheme fees + markup, about 0.5 to 0.9% all-in |
| Fixed fee | Included above | About EUR 0.11 processing fee | EUR 0.05 to 0.15 |
| Monthly fee | None | Minimum invoice may apply | EUR 20 to 100 |
| Non-EEA cards | Much higher, roughly 2.5 to 3.25% | Interchange-based, higher | Interchange-based, higher |
| Time to open | 1 to 3 days | 1 to 3 weeks | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Strength | Developer tools, subscriptions, global reach | Volume pricing, multi-market | Low rates at volume, local support |
Stripe remains unbeatable on simplicity and international coverage. Interchange-plus contracts get attractive above EUR 500,000 a year, especially when most customers pay with Irish and EU consumer cards.
Simulation on EUR 1.2 million and 5,000 transactions
Assumptions: EUR 240 average basket, 5,000 transactions a year, 85% EEA consumer cards, 10% business cards, 5% non-EEA cards. Business cards fall outside the EU interchange cap and cost more with every provider.
| Annual item | Stripe | Adyen negotiated | Bank acquirer negotiated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average variable commission | EUR 18,900 | EUR 13,000 | EUR 8,900 |
| Fixed per-transaction fees | EUR 1,250 | EUR 750 | EUR 500 |
| Monthly fees | EUR 0 | EUR 600 | EUR 1,200 |
| Business and non-EEA card uplift | Included in average rate | EUR 900 | EUR 1,100 |
| Annual total | EUR 20,150 | EUR 15,250 | EUR 11,700 |
| Saving vs Stripe | Baseline | EUR 4,900 | EUR 8,450 |
The number to negotiate first is the variable commission: at this volume, half a point is worth EUR 6,000 a year. Get written offers from at least two providers and let them compete with your bank's own card-not-present offer.
Strong customer authentication, integration and hidden costs
Under PSD2, strong customer authentication through 3D Secure is required for most card payments in Europe. All three options handle it, but not equally well: low-value exemptions (under EUR 30) and provider-side transaction risk analysis avoid a challenge screen and cut checkout abandonment by 2 to 5 points depending on the sector. For B2B sellers, a corporate buyer paying by card almost always triggers authentication.
Integration costs EUR 2,000 ex VAT on WooCommerce, Magento or Shopify with an official plugin, and up to EUR 6,000 ex VAT on a custom platform with subscriptions, partial refunds and automatic reconciliation with your accounting package. Add card-token migration if you sell subscriptions. Our online stores and payments page covers these integrations, and the B2B reseller ordering portal article shows how to combine card payment with 30-day terms.
Mini case study
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Aoife, managing director of a professional garden equipment SME in Ballymount, Dublin, collects EUR 1.2 million a year online across 5,000 orders. On Stripe she pays EUR 20,150 in fees. Her bank's acquiring arm offers 0.75% average all-in, EUR 0.10 per transaction and EUR 100 a month, or EUR 11,700 a year including uplifts. The saving is EUR 8,450 a year. Integration with her Magento store and automatic reconciliation with Xero cost EUR 4,500 ex VAT. Payback: 4,500 ÷ 8,450 × 12 = 6.4 months. Aoife keeps Stripe as a backup for non-EEA customers, which also protects her cash collection if either provider has an outage.
FAQ
How much does Stripe cost an Irish SME in 2026?
The standard rate is 1.5% + EUR 0.25 for standard EEA cards, with no monthly fee. On EUR 1.2 million collected, that is about EUR 19,000 to 20,000 a year depending on card mix.
At what volume should you leave standard pricing?
Above EUR 500,000 a year, negotiation usually saves 0.3 to 0.6 points, or EUR 1,500 to 3,000 per EUR 500,000 tranche. Below that, Stripe's simplicity often outweighs the gap.
Why are business cards more expensive?
Commercial cards are not covered by the EU interchange cap, which limits consumer cards to 0.2% for debit and 0.3% for credit. Their cost can exceed 1.5% on interchange-plus contracts.
How much does switching payment provider cost?
Allow EUR 2,000 ex VAT with an official plugin on a common platform and up to EUR 6,000 ex VAT on a custom build. Lead time is 1 to 4 weeks, including account opening and 3D Secure testing.
Can we run two providers in parallel?
Yes, many SMEs keep Stripe for non-EEA cards and a cheaper acquirer for 80 to 90% of volume. The extra maintenance stays small, a few hundred euros a year.
Let's scope your project. We analyse your card mix, compare the offers you receive and integrate the chosen provider within 1 to 4 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
