The verdict in three sentences
For a B2B SME that wants to collect payments online without friction, a modern PSP (Stripe, Mollie) goes live in a few days at a cost of 0.9 to 2.9% + 0.25 EUR per transaction, whereas a legacy bank gateway imposes weeks of onboarding. The full technical integration — checkout, webhooks, reconciliation, B2B credit terms — costs 3,000 to 12,000 EUR depending on complexity. The real issue isn't the headline rate, but the friction removed and the days of cash flow recovered.
What online collection really costs
The cost of an online payment is never just the commission rate. You must aggregate variable fees, fixed per-transaction fees, integration cost and maintenance cost. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for the French market.
| Item | Modern PSP (Stripe/Mollie) | Legacy bank gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Card commission | 0.9 - 2.9% | 0.4 - 1.2% + subscription |
| Fixed fee / transaction | 0.25 EUR | 0.10 - 0.20 EUR |
| Monthly subscription | 0 EUR | 30 - 150 EUR |
| Onboarding | 1 - 3 days | 3 - 8 weeks |
| Transfer / SEPA | Included | Per contract |
| Technical integration | 3,000 - 12,000 EUR | 5,000 - 15,000 EUR |
For moderate monthly volume (under 50,000 EUR collected), the modern PSP almost always wins thanks to zero subscription and fast setup. Above 150,000-200,000 EUR monthly, the bank gateway becomes competitive again on the raw rate.
The building blocks of a successful B2B integration
In B2B, collecting isn't enough: you must handle the specifics of professional clients. Here are the modules to plan and their weight in the integration budget.
| Module | Role | Effort (order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Card + SEPA checkout | Multi-method collection | 1,000 - 3,000 EUR |
| Webhooks & statuses | Reliable confirmation | 800 - 2,500 EUR |
| Credit terms | 30/60-day invoice payment | 1,500 - 4,000 EUR |
| Accounting reconciliation | Auto invoice matching | 1,500 - 5,000 EUR |
| PCI-DSS compliance | Card data security | Included via PSP |
| Invoicing & VAT | Compliant document generation | 800 - 2,000 EUR |
PCI-DSS compliance is a key point: by delegating collection to a certified PSP, the SME stays out of the heavy scope (SAQ-A) and avoids a costly audit. Robust webhooks are the system's lifeline: without them, a payment confirmed on the bank side may never reach your back office.
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Mini case study
Claire is CFO of a 40-employee industrial SME in Lyon. She currently collects 90% of revenue by manual transfer, with a DSO of 52 days and 6 hours a week of bank reconciliation. By integrating a PSP (card + SEPA checkout + payment links) for an integration budget of 8,500 EUR excl. tax, she now offers online payment on invoice.
Estimated result over 12 months: DSO cut to 34 days, freeing 18 days of cash flow on an average receivables balance of 320,000 EUR, and 4 of the 6 weekly reconciliation hours automated. The cash gain and the 200 hours/year saved pay back the integration in under 4 months.
FAQ
What commission rate should I target in 2026? For online cards, expect 0.9 to 2.9% depending on risk profile and volume, plus 0.25 EUR per transaction with most PSPs. Negotiate a tiered rate from 50,000 EUR collected per month.
How long until I'm operational? A modern PSP is configured in 1 to 3 days; the full technical integration (webhooks, reconciliation, credit terms) takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on scope. A legacy bank gateway adds 3 to 8 weeks just for onboarding.
Am I affected by PCI-DSS compliance? Yes, but by using a checkout hosted by a certified PSP, you fall under the lighter SAQ-A questionnaire. You never store card data, which drastically cuts the risk and cost of compliance.
Can I offer payment terms online? Yes: combine SEPA, credit-limit management and optionally a B2B BNPL solution. This requires a scoring and credit-limit module, budgeted at an extra 1,500 to 4,000 EUR.
Do I need an in-house developer? Not necessarily to start, but integrating webhooks and reconciliation requires expertise. Outsourcing it to a specialized team guarantees a reliable system from go-live.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your monthly volume, your target payment methods (card, SEPA, terms) and your current back office, and we'll price the full integration. 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.
