The verdict in three sentences
For an SMB processing 1.2M EUR a year online, the gap between payment providers reaches 5,000 to 8,000 EUR a year before any negotiation. Stripe (1.5% + 0.25 EUR on standard European cards) remains the easiest to integrate, PayPlug is often cheapest on French cards, Mollie stands out for the range of payment methods, and Adyen only wins at several million euros. The most underused lever is not switching provider: it is moving large B2B baskets to instant bank transfer, billed a few tens of cents instead of a percentage.
Public 2026 pricing
The rates below are the standard published prices for consumer cards issued in the European Economic Area. Commercial cards, non-EEA cards and American Express cost significantly more everywhere. Always check your actual card mix before comparing.
| Criterion (2026, order of magnitude) | Stripe | PayPlug | Mollie | Adyen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard EEA cards | 1.5% + 0.25 EUR | 1.2 to 1.4% + 0.25 EUR by volume | 1.8% + 0.25 EUR, negotiable | Interchange++ + about 0.13 EUR |
| Non-EEA or commercial cards | about 3.25% + 0.25 EUR | 2.5 to 3% + 0.25 EUR | 2.9 to 3.25% + 0.25 EUR | Interchange++ (variable) |
| Dispute fee (chargeback) | 20 EUR | 15 EUR | 15 EUR | about 20 EUR |
| Payout delay | D+2 to D+7 | D+2 to D+5 | D+1 to D+3 | D+1 to D+3 |
| Instant transfer or pay by bank | Available, flat fee | Available | Available, flat fee | Available |
| Monthly subscription | 0 EUR | 0 to 30 EUR by plan | 0 EUR | Minimum invoice threshold |
| Ideal profile | Startups, SaaS, custom integrations | French SMBs, French cards | Multi-country European SMBs | High volumes, several million euros |
Annual cost by volume
Assumptions: 120 EUR average basket, 100% standard EEA cards, public pricing without negotiation (PayPlug at 1.4%, Adyen estimated at 0.9% + 0.13 EUR all-in). Amounts in EUR excluding VAT per year.
| Annual volume | Transactions | Stripe | PayPlug | Mollie | Adyen (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300,000 EUR | 2,500 | 5,125 | 4,825 | 6,025 | Not suitable |
| 600,000 EUR | 5,000 | 10,250 | 9,650 | 12,050 | Not suitable |
| 1,200,000 EUR | 10,000 | 20,500 | 19,300 | 24,100 | 12,100 |
| 2,500,000 EUR | 20,833 | 42,710 | 40,210 | 50,210 | 25,210 |
| 5,000,000 EUR | 41,667 | 85,420 | 80,420 | 100,420 | 50,420 |
From 1M EUR, every provider will negotiate: 1.2 to 1.3% at Stripe, Mollie or PayPlug is common with a clean history and a dispute rate under 0.5%. Adyen's theoretical advantage melts if your customers pay with commercial cards, whose interchange often exceeds 1.5%.
Hidden fees that distort the comparison
The headline rate is only part of the bill. Three items often make the difference: disputes, billed 15 to 20 EUR even when you win them, the card mix, since 20% commercial or foreign cards can add 0.3 to 0.4 points to the average rate, and the payout delay, which weighs on cash flow. On 1.2M EUR, moving from D+7 to D+2 permanently frees about 16,000 EUR of cash.
For B2B sales, instant transfer through a pay-by-bank (open banking) solution generally costs 0.20 to 0.90 EUR per transaction, with no percentage. On a 3,000 EUR invoice, the saving exceeds 40 EUR per payment.
Mini case study
Claire, CFO of a technical supplies SMB in Nantes, processes 1.2M EUR a year online through Stripe, i.e. 10,000 transactions. Her actual bill reaches 24,700 EUR, because 20% of volume goes through commercial or non-EEA cards, billed about 1.75 points more.
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She offers instant transfer for B2B baskets above 1,500 EUR, which account for 30% of volume (360,000 EUR, 900 transactions). These payments cost 5,625 EUR by card; they now cost 450 EUR at 0.50 EUR each. Saving: 5,175 EUR a year, 21% of her bill, without changing provider. Renegotiating the remaining EEA cards from 1.5% to 1.3% would add about 1,700 EUR a year. Cost of integrating instant transfer into her checkout: about 3,500 EUR, paid back in 8 months.
FAQ
Is Stripe more expensive than PayPlug?
On standard French cards without negotiation, Stripe at 1.5% is slightly more expensive than PayPlug at 1.2 to 1.4%. On 1.2M EUR, the gap is around 1,200 to 3,600 EUR a year, to weigh against the richness of Stripe's API.
How much does switching provider cost?
Allow 2,000 to 8,000 EUR to adapt the checkout, webhooks and accounting reconciliation, and 4 to 6 weeks of parallel running to migrate recurring subscriptions.
Can we use two providers at once?
Yes, many SMBs keep Stripe for international cards and add a second provider or instant transfer for B2B baskets. The extra development cost is about 3,000 to 6,000 EUR.
How do we reduce dispute fees?
Enable 3D Secure on baskets above 30 EUR, show a clear bank statement descriptor and send a detailed order confirmation. A dispute rate under 0.5% is also the main argument to negotiate 0.2 to 0.3 points off the rate.
Should we move to Adyen at 1.2M EUR?
Rarely. Interchange++ becomes attractive from several million euros and a majority of European consumer cards. Below that, a negotiated deal at Stripe or Mollie gives a similar result with less complexity.
Let's scope your project. Send us your annual volume, average basket and fee statement: we will price the optimisation of your checkout (instant transfer, multi-provider) with an indicative budget and a 3 to 6 week timeline. 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.
