--- title: "PayPal / Braintree vs Stripe: Which is Better in 2026? | App Stack Builder" description: "PayPal / Braintree vs Stripe compared for 2026: pricing, free tiers, features, pros & cons. See which payment gateway tool is the better fit for your startup." source: https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/paypal-braintree-vs-stripe retrieved: 2026-11-06 --- ![](https://appstackbuilder.com/paypal.svg) vs ![](https://appstackbuilder.com/stripe.svg) # PayPal / Braintree vs Stripe: Which is Better in 2026? Payment Gateway Choosing between [PayPal / Braintree](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/paypal-braintree) and [Stripe](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/stripe)? Both are popular payment gateway tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack. PayPal / Braintree is for: Businesses that want PayPal checkout alongside cards in one integration from PayPal. Stripe is for: Developers who want card and wallet payments through an API, with billing, tax and a merchant-of-record option from the same company. Quick verdict There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose PayPal / Braintree if you want PayPal checkout next to cards. Choose Stripe if you want to build checkout and billing through an API. ## PayPal / Braintree vs Stripe: Side by Side | | PayPal / Braintree | Stripe | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | Category | Payment Gateway | Payment Gateway | | What it is | Payment gateway from PayPal | Payments platform | | Merchant of record | No | No by default; yes with Managed Payments (+3.5%) | | Online card fee | Not confirmed on the vendor page | 2.9% + 30¢ (US) | | Monthly fee | Not confirmed on the vendor page | None | | Built for | Businesses that want PayPal checkout | Online businesses of any size | | Pricing | Usage-based | Usage-based | | Starting price | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-as-you-go | | Free tier | — | — | | Best for | Payment Gateway: PayPal checkout, cards, PayPal-owned | Payment Gateway: payments API, developers, global cards | ## Pros & Cons ![](https://appstackbuilder.com/paypal.svg) [PayPal / Braintree](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/paypal-braintree) * ✓PayPal checkout alongside cards in one integration * ✓Run by PayPal * ✓Enterprise plan with custom pricing * ✗You handle sales tax yourself (not a merchant of record) * ✗Custom rates require talking to sales ![](https://appstackbuilder.com/stripe.svg) [Stripe](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/stripe) * ✓Cards, ACH and wallets through one API * ✓No setup or monthly fees * ✓Merchant of record available through Managed Payments * ✗You handle sales tax unless you add Managed Payments (+3.5%) * ✗International cards and currency conversion add fees * ✗$15 per dispute ## Key Features Compared ### PayPal / Braintree * ✓Braintree is now sold as PayPal Braintree; braintreepayments.com/braintree-pricing redirects to PayPal’s fee page * ✓Cards and PayPal through one integration * ✓PayPal’s fee page blocks our fetch, so this entry carries no prices ### Stripe * ✓US cards and wallets: 2.9% + 30¢ per successful transaction; +0.5% manually entered, +1.5% international, +1% currency conversion * ✓ACH Direct Debit: 0.8%; Billing: 0.8% of billing volume * ✓Disputes: $15 per dispute * ✓No setup or monthly fees on standard pricing * ✓Managed Payments: Stripe becomes merchant of record for 3.5% on top of standard processing fees ### Choose PayPal / Braintree if… * ✓You want PayPal checkout next to cards. * ✓You already use PayPal and want one vendor for cards too. [PayPal / Braintree review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/paypal-braintree) ### Choose Stripe if… * ✓You want to build checkout and billing through an API. * ✓You want to handle tax yourself now and add a merchant of record later. * ✓You want cards, ACH and wallets from one account. [Stripe review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/stripe) ## Frequently Asked Questions Is PayPal / Braintree better than Stripe?⌄ There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose PayPal / Braintree if you want PayPal checkout next to cards. Choose Stripe if you want to build checkout and billing through an API. What is the difference between PayPal / Braintree and Stripe?⌄ What it is. PayPal / Braintree: Payment gateway from PayPal. Stripe: Payments platform. Merchant of record. PayPal / Braintree: No. Stripe: No by default; yes with Managed Payments (+3.5%). Online card fee. PayPal / Braintree: Not confirmed on the vendor page. Stripe: 2.9% + 30¢ (US). Monthly fee. PayPal / Braintree: Not confirmed on the vendor page. Stripe: None. Built for. PayPal / Braintree: Businesses that want PayPal checkout. Stripe: Online businesses of any size. PayPal / Braintree vs Stripe: which is cheaper?⌄ PayPal / Braintree pricing: Usage-based. Stripe pricing: Usage-based. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change. When should I skip both PayPal / Braintree and Stripe?⌄ Skip PayPal / Braintree if you want published, self-serve card pricing. Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards. Skip Stripe if you want a merchant of record from day one at one flat rate. Paddle and Polar charge 5% + 50¢ with tax included. Sources · tool facts checked November 2026 1. 1.[PayPal Braintree feespaypal.com ](https://www.paypal.com/us/enterprise/paypal-braintree-fees) 2. 2.[Stripe pricing (US)stripe.com ](https://stripe.com/us/pricing) 3. 3.[Stripe Managed Paymentsstripe.com ](https://stripe.com/managed-payments) See more options in our guide to the [best payment gateway tools for startups](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/payments). ## Still not sure which to pick? Get a free, AI-powered tech stack, including the best payment gateway pick for your budget and team, in 60 seconds. [Build my stack free ](https://appstackbuilder.com/build-stack)