Stripe vs Mollie vs Bank PSP for B2B Payments in Dublin: Fee Comparison

The verdict in three sentences

For a B2B SME collecting 1.2 million EUR per year, the fee gap between payment providers reaches 2,900 to 4,800 EUR per year, a month of net margin for many distributors. Stripe and Mollie win on integration speed and checkout experience, while a bank PSP (0.4 to 1.2% with a subscription) becomes the cheapest once card volume exceeds 300,000 to 400,000 EUR per year. The right setup for a B2B SME often combines card, bank transfer and SEPA direct debit, because business customers rarely pay everything by card.

How B2B customers really pay

A supplier of equipment and consumables for restaurants does not sell like a consumer e-merchant. Independent restaurant owners pay by card at order time, often with a business card. Chains and public bodies pay by transfer at 30 days. Regular customers prefer a monthly SEPA direct debit.

This matters, because commercial cards (business and corporate cards) are not covered by the interchange cap applied to consumer cards in the EU. They cost more with every provider.

Stripe, Mollie or bank PSP: 2026 fee grid

The rates below are standard public pricing or 2026 orders of magnitude seen in SME contracts. Irish banks and their acquiring partners (AIB Merchant Services, Bank of Ireland Payment Acceptance, Elavon) negotiate case by case.

Simulation on 1.2 million EUR collected per year

Assumption: 480,000 EUR by card (30% of it commercial cards), 480,000 EUR by transfer and 240,000 EUR by SEPA direct debit, with an average basket of 600 EUR. That is 800 card payments and 400 direct debits per year.

Over three years, the bank PSP costs about 22,200 EUR, Stripe 27,350 EUR and Mollie 33,000 EUR. The gap grows with volume, but Stripe keeps the automation edge: invoices with payment links, reminders, accounting reconciliation.

Mini case study

Niall, managing director of a Dublin restaurant supply SME (1.2 million EUR collected, 650 business customers), currently collects 70% by cheque and transfer with an average payment delay of 47 days. He picks a hybrid setup: a bank PSP negotiated at 0.7% for website card payments, and Stripe for invoice payment links and SEPA direct debits.

Estimated annual cost: 5,600 EUR in fees plus 7,500 EUR of integration in year one. By cutting average payment delay from 47 to 25 days, he frees about 72,000 EUR of cash (1.2 million x 22 / 365). At a 6% overdraft rate, the finance cost saving reaches 4,300 EUR per year, covering nearly 80% of payment fees.

FAQ

Which payment provider is cheapest for a B2B SME in Dublin?

Above 300,000 to 400,000 EUR of card payments per year, a bank PSP negotiated at 0.4 to 1.2% is usually cheapest. Below that, Stripe at 1.5% plus 0.25 EUR stays competitive thanks to no subscription and faster integration.

Why do business cards cost more?

Commercial cards are outside the EU interchange cap (0.2% for debit, 0.3% for credit on consumer cards). Their real cost ranges from 1.5 to 2.9% depending on provider and issuer.

Is SEPA direct debit suited to B2B customers?

Yes, especially the SEPA Business-to-Business scheme, which does not let the debtor dispute an authorised debit. At 0.35 to 0.80 EUR per transaction, it costs far less than a card on a 600 EUR basket.

How much does payment integration on our site and ERP cost?

Budget 2,000 to 4,000 EUR for Stripe or Mollie, and 4,000 to 8,000 EUR for a bank PSP whose API is often less documented. Automatic reconciliation with Sage, Xero or QuickBooks adds 1,500 to 3,000 EUR.

Can we combine several providers?

Yes, it is often the optimal setup: bank PSP for card volume, Stripe for invoicing and payment links. Plan centralised accounting reconciliation to avoid double entry.

Let's scope your project. Card, transfer and SEPA direct debit integration on your B2B site and ERP, with help choosing the right provider, from 2,000 to 8,000 EUR in 2 to 6 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.