The verdict in three sentences
For an SME, choosing a payment provider comes down to three numbers: per-transaction fee, integration cost and payment failure rate. Stripe, PayPlug and Mollie show fees of 1.2 to 2.9% + fixed charges, with integration from 3,000 to 12,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on features (recurring, SEPA, 3-D Secure). The most underestimated item is not the fee: it is lost revenue from declined payments.
Fees: the visible cost
Rates vary by card type (European or out-of-zone), volume and channel. In 2026, the orders of magnitude for a French SME are as follows. Beware: a low fee sometimes hides high fixed charges or billed options.
| Provider | EU card fee | Fixed / transaction | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 1.5% + 0.25 EUR | 0.25 EUR | Full API, international |
| PayPlug | 1.2 to 2.5% | 0.25 EUR | France focus, FR support |
| Mollie | 1.8% + 0.25 EUR | 0.25 EUR | Multi-method EU |
| Custom (via PSP) | negotiable from 0.9% | variable | High volume, margin |
Total cost over three years
The per-transaction fee crushes everything else as volume climbs. A well-chosen integrator who negotiates 0.3 point of fee saves more than the integration cost within the first year at a meaningful volume.
| Annual volume processed | Fee ~2.0% | Fee ~1.4% | Gap / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200,000 EUR | 4,000 EUR | 2,800 EUR | 1,200 EUR |
| 500,000 EUR | 10,000 EUR | 7,000 EUR | 3,000 EUR |
| 1,000,000 EUR | 20,000 EUR | 14,000 EUR | 6,000 EUR |
| 2,000,000 EUR | 40,000 EUR | 28,000 EUR | 12,000 EUR |
| 3,500,000 EUR | 70,000 EUR | 49,000 EUR | 21,000 EUR |
Recurring payment, SEPA and compliance
If you bill by subscription, you must handle SEPA mandates, failed-payment retries (dunning) and secure storage of payment methods. PCI-DSS compliance is simplified if you never host card data: by using a hosted field (Stripe Elements, PayPlug integrated), you stay on SAQ A, the lightest level.
| Need | 2026 integration cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple card payment | 3,000-5,000 EUR | SAQ A, hosted field |
| Subscription + dunning | 6,000-10,000 EUR | Automated retries |
| SEPA direct debit | 4,000-8,000 EUR | Mandates + notifications |
| Multi-currency / international | 5,000-12,000 EUR | Stripe recommended |
| Accounting reconciliation | 4,000-9,000 EUR | Export to ERP |
Mini case study
Claire is CFO of an e-learning SME in Nantes: 1.2 million EUR processed a year, 70% in monthly subscriptions. Her current provider takes 2.3% and 8% of her recurring payments fail for lack of automated retries. By moving to a 1.5% integration with dunning, she saves 0.8 point of fee (9,600 EUR/year) and recovers half the failed payments, about 33,600 EUR of extra revenue a year. Integration cost: 9,000 EUR excl. VAT, paid back in under three months.
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FAQ
Is Stripe always the cheapest?
Not systematically. For a modest volume and a 100% France focus, PayPlug can be more competitive and offers French-language support. Above one million euros or internationally, Stripe often regains the edge thanks to negotiable rates.
What does a failed payment really cost?
Much more than the fee: a lost subscription means the entire customer lifetime value. A good dunning system recovers 30 to 50% of failures, which often outweighs 0.5 point of fee.
Am I required to be PCI-DSS certified?
If you never store card numbers and use a field hosted by the PSP, you fall under the SAQ A questionnaire, very lightweight. It is the recommended setup for 95% of SMEs.
Can I switch provider without breaking everything?
Yes, if the integration goes through an abstraction layer. A unified payment module lets you switch or add a provider without rewriting checkout, protecting your negotiating power.
How long to integrate a recurring payment?
Budget 3 to 6 weeks for a subscription with dunning and SEPA debit, testing included. A simple card payment ships in 2 to 3 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Share your annual volume, subscription share and current provider: we will price the optimal integration (3,000 to 12,000 EUR excl. VAT) and the fee savings. 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.
