Adyen vs PayPal
Adyen and PayPal are both payments & billing tools. Adyen is aimed at enterprise and E-commerce, while PayPal is aimed at small businesses and freelancers. Only PayPal has a free plan.
Enterprise payments platform for online, in-store and platform sales
Global payments and invoicing
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Enterprise, E-commerce | Small businesses, Freelancers |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | NL · 2006 | US · 1998 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Adyen if
Large merchants and platforms processing high volumes across several countries and channels that want one acquiring partner.
- Transparent, published Interchange++ pricing with no setup or monthly fees
- Single platform for online, in-store and marketplace payments
- Strong authorization rates from direct acquiring and tokenization
Look elsewhere if: Small businesses and early startups that need instant self-serve setup (Stripe, PayPal, Square).
Choose PayPal if
Merchants wanting trusted checkout options.
- Trusted brand increases conversion
- Global reach
- Easy setup
Look elsewhere if: Sole processor for high-volume SaaS.
Adyen vs PayPal pricing
Adyen
- Processing fee$0.13/transactionFixed fee on every payment, plus the payment method fee
- Cards (Visa, Mastercard)Interchange++ + 0.60%Interchange and scheme fees passed through at cost
- American Express3.3% + $0.10North America rate; 3.95% elsewhere
- ACH Direct Debit$0.27/transactionNo setup, monthly or closure fees; minimum invoice may apply
PayPal
- Business account$0Free to open; fees per transaction
- Checkout3.49% + fixed fee/per transactionUS domestic; cards 2.99% + fixed fee; +1.50% international
Adyen · Key features
- Own acquiring and processing for cards in many countries under one contract
- Drop-in and Components SDKs for web, iOS and Android checkout
- Point-of-sale terminals and Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android
- RevenueProtect risk engine with configurable fraud rules
- Network tokenization and automatic card updater to lift authorization rates
- Adyen for Platforms for marketplace onboarding, KYC and split payouts
Cons
- Sales-led onboarding that is not designed for small merchants
- Integration and configuration usually need in-house developers
- Minimum invoice can apply depending on industry
PayPal · Key features
- PayPal and Venmo checkout
- Card processing
- Pay Later options
- Invoices and payment links
- Buyer and seller protection
- Multi-currency
Cons
- High fees
- Account holds and disputes
- Developer experience behind Stripe
Adyen vs PayPal: FAQ
Do Adyen and PayPal have a free plan?
Adyen has no free plan. PayPal has a free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Adyen or PayPal?
PayPal lists small businesses as a core audience, while Adyen is aimed more at enterprise and E-commerce.