Shopify vs Stripe

Shopify scores higher overall (79 vs 74), but the right choice depends on your size and card mix. If you sell online, the bundled economics and Shop Pay conversion lift make Shopify Payments the default — just accept that you are marrying the platform.

Updated 2026-07-30

Shopify

The ecommerce platform with payments built in

79/ 100
GreatParity Score
4.3Merchant Score
Pricing
3.2
Features
4.7
Ease of use
4.4
Customer support
3.5
User reviews
4.1
Pricing model
Flat rate, tiered by plan
Headline rate
2.9% + $0.30 online · 2.6% + $0.10 in person
Monthly fee
$39/mo
Contract
None — monthly or annual plans
Payouts
2-3 business days
Hardware
POS Go $299, reader $49

Strong fit for

  • Online-first brands of any size
  • Merchants selling internationally
  • Stores that want checkout conversion above all
Full Shopify review

Stripe

Developer-first payments infrastructure

74/ 100
GoodParity Score
3.5Merchant Score
Pricing
3.1
Features
4.6
Ease of use
3.8
Customer support
3.2
User reviews
3.9
Pricing model
Flat rate
Headline rate
2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
None
Contract
None — pay as you go
Payouts
2 business days standard
Hardware
Terminal readers from $59

Strong fit for

  • SaaS and platforms with engineering teams
  • Custom checkout and marketplace builds
  • International online sellers
Full Stripe review

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