5 Best Alternatives to Braintree in 2026

Why look beyond Braintree

Braintree, a PayPal service, provides a comprehensive suite of payment processing tools, including a payment gateway, merchant accounts, and recurring billing capabilities. It is widely adopted by online businesses, marketplaces, and subscription services due to its developer-friendly SDKs and PCI DSS Level 1 compliance. However, businesses may explore alternatives for several reasons. Some seek different pricing models, particularly as transaction volumes scale, or desire more granular control over transaction fees and interchange rates. Others might require a broader international payment method acceptance or specific local acquiring capabilities not offered by Braintree. Businesses with significant in-person sales may also look for solutions that offer a more integrated point-of-sale (POS) system alongside their online payment processing. Furthermore, some enterprises may prefer a provider with a more extensive ecosystem of integrations for specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM) systems, or a platform that offers more advanced fraud detection tools tailored to niche industries. Evaluating alternatives allows organizations to find a payment processor that aligns more closely with their evolving operational needs and strategic growth objectives.

Top alternatives ranked

1. 1. Stripe — Developer-focused payment infrastructure for internet businesses

   Stripe offers a suite of APIs and tools designed to facilitate online payment processing for web and mobile applications. It supports a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and local payment options across numerous countries. Stripe provides extensive documentation and SDKs for popular programming languages, emphasizing ease of integration for developers. Its core offerings include Stripe Payments for accepting one-time and recurring payments, Stripe Connect for building marketplaces, and Stripe Billing for subscription management. Additionally, Stripe provides fraud prevention tools (Radar), financial reporting, and options for issuing virtual and physical cards (Issuing). Businesses often choose Stripe for its developer experience, global reach, and a platform that can scale from startups to large enterprises.

   • Best for: Online businesses, marketplaces, subscription services, and platforms requiring extensive API customization and global payment acceptance.

   Learn more about Stripe's payment solutions.

2. 2. Adyen — Unified commerce platform for global businesses

   Adyen is a global payment platform that provides end-to-end infrastructure for processing payments across online, mobile, and in-store channels. It operates as an acquirer, gateway, and processor, allowing businesses to manage all payment operations through a single platform. Adyen supports a broad array of international payment methods and currencies, making it suitable for enterprises with a significant global presence. Its unified commerce approach enables businesses to connect online and offline transactions, offering insights into customer behavior across all touchpoints. Adyen’s platform includes features for fraud prevention, risk management, and data analytics. It is often chosen by large enterprises and multinational corporations that require a scalable, integrated payment solution capable of handling complex international payment flows and diverse customer experiences.

   • Best for: Global enterprises with complex payment needs, unified commerce across online and in-store, and high-volume transaction processing.

   Explore Adyen's developer documentation.

3. 3. Square — Integrated payment solutions for small to medium-sized businesses

   Square offers a comprehensive ecosystem of business tools, with a strong focus on payment processing for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). While widely known for its point-of-sale (POS) hardware and in-person payment processing, Square also provides online payment solutions, including an e-commerce platform, invoicing, and virtual terminal capabilities. Its online payment gateway integrates with various e-commerce platforms and offers developer APIs for custom integrations. Square's ecosystem extends to include tools for inventory management, payroll, appointment scheduling, and customer relationship management, all designed to work seamlessly together. Businesses often select Square for its ease of use, transparent pricing, and integrated suite of tools that simplify both online and offline operations, particularly for retail and service-based businesses.

   • Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses, retailers, restaurants, and service providers requiring integrated online and in-person payment solutions.

   Find out more about Square's business tools.

4. 4. DigitalOcean — Cloud infrastructure for developers

   DigitalOcean provides cloud computing services designed for developers, offering virtual servers (Droplets), managed databases, and object storage. While not a payment gateway itself, DigitalOcean is frequently used by businesses that host their e-commerce platforms, web applications, or custom payment processing logic on its infrastructure. Developers can deploy and scale their payment-related services, such as custom payment gateways or integrations with third-party payment processors, on DigitalOcean's global network of data centers. Its focus on simplicity, predictable pricing, and robust API makes it suitable for startups and developers building custom solutions. Businesses needing fine-grained control over their hosting environment and the ability to integrate various payment APIs often choose DigitalOcean as their underlying infrastructure provider.

   • Best for: Developers and businesses building custom e-commerce platforms, web applications, or microservices that require scalable and developer-friendly cloud infrastructure for hosting payment-related logic.

   Learn about DigitalOcean's cloud offerings.

5. 5. Firebase — Backend-as-a-Service for web and mobile applications

   Firebase, a Google product, offers a suite of tools for building and scaling web and mobile applications without managing server infrastructure. While Firebase itself does not directly process payments, it provides essential backend services that integrate with payment gateways. Developers commonly use Firebase Authentication for user management, Cloud Firestore or Realtime Database for storing transaction data, and Cloud Functions for server-side logic to interact with payment processors. For example, a mobile app built with Firebase might use Cloud Functions to securely call a Stripe or Braintree API to process a payment. Its real-time capabilities, scalability, and integration with other Google Cloud services make it a strong choice for applications requiring a robust backend that can handle user interactions and data storage related to payments.

   • Best for: Mobile and web application developers who need a scalable backend for user authentication, data storage, and serverless functions to integrate with third-party payment gateways.

   Explore Firebase's development platform.

Side-by-side

How to pick

Selecting the right payment processing solution requires evaluating specific business needs, technical requirements, and long-term strategic goals. Consider the following factors when choosing an alternative to Braintree:

1. Assess your primary business model:

• Online-only businesses: If your operations are exclusively online and you need a robust, developer-friendly API for web and mobile payments, Stripe is often a strong contender. It excels in providing tools for subscription billing, marketplace payments, and global acceptance.
• Global enterprises with complex needs: For large organizations with a significant international presence, diverse payment methods, and a need to unify online and in-store payments, Adyen offers a comprehensive, single-platform solution that acts as an acquirer, gateway, and processor.
• Small to medium businesses (SMBs) with mixed online/offline sales: If you operate a retail store, restaurant, or service business that requires integrated point-of-sale (POS) hardware alongside online payment processing, Square provides an all-in-one ecosystem for managing sales, inventory, and customer relationships.
• Developers building custom solutions: If you are building a highly customized e-commerce platform or web application and need control over the underlying infrastructure, DigitalOcean can provide the cloud hosting environment. For mobile and web apps that require a scalable backend for user management and serverless functions to interact with payment APIs, Firebase is a suitable choice.

2. Evaluate technical requirements and developer experience:

• API flexibility and documentation: Look for platforms with well-documented APIs, comprehensive SDKs, and active developer communities. Stripe is particularly known for its developer-centric approach. Adyen also offers extensive documentation for complex integrations.
• Integration effort: Consider the time and resources required to integrate the new payment solution. Platforms like Stripe and Square often offer pre-built integrations with popular e-commerce platforms, potentially reducing development time.
• Customization: If you require deep customization of the payment flow, user interface, or backend logic, solutions with flexible APIs (like Stripe or Adyen) or infrastructure providers (like DigitalOcean or Firebase) that allow you to build custom integrations will be more appropriate.

3. Consider pricing and fee structures:

• Transaction fees: Compare the percentage and fixed fees per transaction. While Braintree offers a standard rate, alternatives may have different tiers or custom pricing for high-volume merchants. Adyen, for instance, often provides custom enterprise pricing.
• Additional costs: Factor in any monthly fees, chargeback fees, international transaction fees, or costs associated with fraud tools and reporting. Square's ecosystem might include hardware costs or fees for additional business services.
• Interchange optimization: For very high-volume businesses, inquire about interchange-plus pricing models or optimization strategies that can reduce overall processing costs, which providers like Adyen or custom enterprise solutions from Stripe might offer.

4. Analyze fraud prevention and security features:

• Built-in fraud tools: Assess the effectiveness of each platform's integrated fraud detection and prevention tools. Stripe Radar and Adyen's risk management features are examples of advanced offerings.
• PCI DSS compliance: Ensure the alternative provider handles PCI DSS compliance to the necessary level, minimizing your own compliance burden. Most payment gateways, including the listed alternatives, are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant.
• Tokenization and encryption: Verify how sensitive payment data is handled, including tokenization and encryption practices, to secure customer information.

5. Future scalability and global expansion:

• International reach: If you plan to expand globally, choose a provider that supports a wide range of international currencies, payment methods, and local acquiring capabilities. Adyen and Stripe have strong global footprints.
• Scalability: Ensure the chosen solution can handle increasing transaction volumes and evolving business requirements without significant re-platforming. Cloud infrastructure providers like DigitalOcean and serverless backends like Firebase are designed for scalability.
• Ecosystem and integrations: Consider the availability of integrations with other business tools, such as CRM, ERP, accounting software, and marketing platforms, to ensure a cohesive operational environment.