Authorize.net vs Stripe vs Square vs PayPal: which should you pick?
A side-by-side look at price, features, quality and value across the leading payment platforms options — so you can choose the right one in minutes.
Visit authorize.netMature gateway
2.6% + $0.10 in-person — lowest sticker price in this comparison.
Legacy APIs
- Mature gateway
- Trusted by legacy carts
- Recurring billing
- Legacy APIs
- Monthly fee + per-txn
Authorize.net is a payment platforms option built for established smb starting at $25/mo + $0.10 per txn (on card fees). Shoppers pick it for mature gateway, but it's worth comparing against Stripe, Square, PayPal if legacy apis.
Mature gateway. Pricing: $25/mo + $0.10 per txn (on card fees).
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30.
Pricing: 2.6% + $0.10 in-person.
Pricing: 2.99% + $0.49.
Authorize.net is positioned for legacy merchants. If your team or volume is materially larger or smaller, one of Stripe / Square / PayPal may be cheaper or more capable.
None of these have a true free tier. Ask for a trial or month-to-month billing first, and verify the must-have feature in your own workflow before annual commitment.
Look past the headline price: add seats, add-ons, integration fees and transaction fees. The cheapest option rarely stays cheapest at scale.
Known trade-off with Authorize.net: Legacy APIs. Confirm it isn't a deal-breaker for your specific use case before signing.
- Legacy APIsConfirm this isn't a deal-breaker for your team before signing — it's the most common reason shoppers switch from Authorize.net to Stripe.
- Monthly fee + per-txnConfirm this isn't a deal-breaker for your team before signing — it's the most common reason shoppers switch from Authorize.net to Stripe.
For legacy merchants, yes — Mature gateway. For very different use cases, compare against Stripe, Square, PayPal.
Authorize.net pricing is $25/mo + $0.10 per txn (on card fees). Competitors in this comparison range from 2.9% + $0.30 / 2.6% + $0.10 in-person / 2.99% + $0.49.
Legacy APIs. Most teams work around it, but verify it isn't a deal-breaker for you first.
Pick Authorize.net if you want mature gateway. Pick Stripe if you need a broader / cheaper / more established alternative — see the comparison table above for the side-by-side.