The verdict in three sentences
Accepting payment online rests on two distinct costs: the PSP's technical integration (3,000 to 12,000 EUR in 2026) and the fees that follow every sale (1.2 to 2.9 % + ~0.25 EUR/transaction). The provider choice matters: on 500,000 EUR annual volume, a 0.5 % fee gap is 2,500 EUR/year. And a poorly integrated checkout (heavy 3D Secure, redirects) can cost more in lost conversion than in fees.
PSP comparison in 2026
The right PSP depends on your volume, region (Europe, international, Africa) and payment methods. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude.
| PSP | Card fee | Fixed fee / transaction | Setup / integration | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 1.4 - 2.9 % | 0.25 EUR | 3,000 - 8,000 EUR | fast, dev-friendly, international |
| Adyen | 1.2 - 2.0 % + interchange | 0.11 EUR | 6,000 - 15,000 EUR | high volume, unified commerce |
| Local PSP / mobile money | 1.5 - 3.5 % | variable | 4,000 - 12,000 EUR | Wave, Orange Money, West Africa |
| PayPal / Braintree | 2.5 - 3.4 % | 0.35 EUR | 2,000 - 6,000 EUR | brand trust, express checkout |
| SEPA / bank transfer | 0.2 - 0.8 % | 0.10 - 0.35 EUR | 3,000 - 9,000 EUR | B2B, large amounts |
At high volume, Adyen or an interchange++ model becomes cheaper; at low volume, Stripe remains the best speed/cost ratio. Mobile money is essential for the West African market.
The real math: effective rate and conversion
Total cost = fees + fixed charges + cost of baskets lost at checkout. Here is the effect of the effective rate on three SME profiles.
| Annual volume | Avg basket | Effective rate 2.4 % | Effective rate 1.8 % | Savings / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200,000 EUR | 60 EUR | 5,633 EUR | 4,433 EUR | 1,200 EUR |
| 500,000 EUR | 90 EUR | 13,389 EUR | 10,389 EUR | 3,000 EUR |
| 1,200,000 EUR | 140 EUR | 30,943 EUR | 23,743 EUR | 7,200 EUR |
| 2,500,000 EUR | 200 EUR | 63,125 EUR | 48,125 EUR | 15,000 EUR |
Beyond fees, a smooth checkout (Apple Pay, frictionless 3D Secure, one-click payment) can lift conversion by 1 to 3 points, often worth more than fee optimization. Both are worked together.
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Mini case study
Ines, owner of an online-sales SME in Toulouse, does 620,000 EUR annual volume with an 85 EUR average basket, about 7,300 transactions. Her legacy PSP charges a 2.6 % effective rate. She migrates to an optimized integration at 7,500 EUR (setup) bringing the rate to 1.9 %, with Apple Pay and frictionless 3D Secure. Fee savings: ~4,340 EUR/year. More importantly, the improved checkout lifts conversion from 1.8 to 2.2 %, about +13,700 EUR revenue/year at constant margin. Payback on the integration reached in under 6 months, conversion gain included.
FAQ
What does payment integration really cost? 2026 order of magnitude: 3,000 to 12,000 EUR depending on the number of payment methods, accounting reconciliation and webhooks. A plain standard Stripe button costs less; a multi-PSP integration with reconciliation costs more.
What is the effective rate and why watch it? It is the real percentage charged once all fees, fixed charges and taxes are combined, often higher than the headline rate. It is the only figure to compare across PSPs, not the face-value fee.
Does 3D Secure lose sales? Poorly implemented, yes: every added step drops conversion. Done well (frictionless when the bank allows), it secures without penalizing. It is an integration point to get right.
Can you accept mobile money from France? To sell to the West African market (Wave, Orange Money), yes, via local PSPs or aggregators. It is essential if your customers pay mostly by mobile money rather than card.
How long to set up? Budget 3 to 6 weeks for a clean integration with tests, confirmation webhooks and reconciliation. A single standard PSP can be live in 1 to 2 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Give us your volume, average basket and target payment methods (card, SEPA, mobile money) and we'll compare PSPs and price the 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.
