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One of the most important parts of setting up a WordPress online store is choosing the best WooCommerce payment gateway. That way, you can get paid efficiently.
With so many options out there, it can be difficult to pinpoint the ones you should actually use.
That’s why I have compiled a list of the best payment gateways for WooCommerce. I have also included details on how to pick the one that’s the best fit for your online store.
How to Pick the Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway
Payment gateways are software for merchants that can be used in online stores. They process credit card and debit payments securely. WooCommerce payment gateways are extensions that are specifically designed to be used for WooCommerce online stores to process secure payments.
WooCommerce payment gateways connect with third-party service providers that offer the service of processing payments.
There’s something else to consider before being able to determine which is the best WooCommerce payment gateway. It’s essential to understand how they work.
That way, it’s easier to know what features to look for when you pick the best payment gateway for WooCommerce.
How WooCommerce Payment Gateways Work
This is typically how WooCommerce payment gateways work:
- A customer views an item on your online store. They click to buy it or add it to their cart. Then, they click the check out button.
- The customer fills out their billing and shipping information to complete the checkout process.
- The WooCommerce payment gateway then verifies the billing details that were entered.
- Once the billing information is verified, the customer’s chosen payment method is verified. This ensures there are sufficient funds available to cover the transaction.
- Once that’s done, the transaction is approved and an order number is generated.
- The order and payment is processed. Your customer and your online store both receive a notification.
- You’re now able to fulfill the order. You can ship the items that were ordered or provide a download link to the item if it’s digital.
There are also two main types of WooCommerce payment gateways:
- Direct (or integrated) – The payment gateway is installed on the online store. So, customers can place their orders and pay directly in your online store without leaving.
- Redirect – This is the WooCommerce payment gateway where customers are sent to an external site to complete their purchase.
Essential Considerations to Choose the Best Payment Gateway for WooCommerce
Now you’re a bit more familiar with how payment gateways work. But, there are some crucial points to consider when choosing the best payment gateway for WooCommerce and your online store. This includes cost, availability, support in your country, security and trust.
Cost
Some of the best WooCommerce payment gateways are free while others are premium options.
Availability
Some options only serve customer bases in certain countries. This means the best payment gateway for WooCommerce is the one that will work for your customers’ specific regions.
Support in Your Country
Similarly, the option you choose needs to be able to serve your country of origin. This also includes your customers’ regions.
Security
The bare minimum security requirement for using a direct payment gateway is installing an SSL certificate on your site.
SSL certificates encrypt the connection between your customers and your site. So, information such as payment details are passed on securely. If you don’t have one, your customers and your online store are at risk. You’ll get hacked and have personal information stolen.
It’s essential that you also have other security measures in place as well. This is regardless of which option you choose as the best WooCommerce payment gateway for your site.
Trust
It’s also critical to consider whether your customers will see the payment gateway you choose as trustworthy.
Otherwise, they may hesitate when placing their order. It could lead to them deciding to abandon their cart if they don’t trust the payment options that are available.
It’s Not True That There Can Be Only One
You may also want to consider choosing more than one WooCommerce payment gateway.
The reason for this is that some options may not be available globally. So, if you choose a couple that serve different countries, for example, you’ll have a wider reach and audience.
It also helps increase the odds that at least one of the options you choose as the best WooCommerce payment gateway is trusted by your customers. If you choose correctly, it can help reduce the rate of cart abandonment.
The Best Payment Gateways for WooCommerce
Now you know what to look for when it comes to finding the best WooCommerce payment gateway for your store. So, here are the best options.
Stripe
Stripe is a free and popular WooCommerce payment gateway. This also includes Apple Pay and Google Pay. It supports all major credit cards and is a direct payment gateway.
It’s compliant with the European Economic Area (EEA) as it includes Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).
Fraud protection technology comes built in and recurring payments are supported.
PayPal Pro
PayPal Pro is one of the best WooCommerce payment gateways available and it’s a premium, integrated option.
It accepts major credit cards. It’s a suitable choice for those that have a merchant account in the UK, Canada or the US. It’s also an option for Australians if they have a PayPal Pro Payflow account.
Keep in mind that it only accepts one-off payments and there’s PayPal Plus for Germany.
Square
Square is an option for the best payment gateway for WooCommerce. This is because it’s a free, direct gateway that accepts major credit cards. But, it also accepts offline payments for debit cards.
Currently, it’s only available for the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Japan. It’s also Payment Card Industry (PCI)-compliant.
Braintree
Braintree is a PayPal company and a free payment gateway that supports Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).
It accepts all major credit cards. It’s also a contender for the best payment gateway for WooCommerce because it supports US and non-US merchants alike.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net is a premium gateway that integrates directly on your online store. It’s PCI-compliant and accepts major credit cards as well as eCheques.
Beyond that, it also supports pre-orders and recurring payments. This is why it’s a serious contender as the best payment gateway for WooCommerce.
Amazon Pay
The Amazon Pay gateway is free. It’s available for the US, UK, France, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Belgium. But, that’s not all. It’s also available for Luxembourg, Austria, Cyprus, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Hungary and Japan.
It’s a direct WooCommerce payment gateway that supports recurring payments and is SCA-compliant. It also includes fraud protection and multi-currency capabilities.
Moneris Solutions
Moneris Solutions is a direct WooCommerce payment gateway that’s only available in Canada.
It supports WooCommerce subscriptions and pre-orders, accepts all major credit cards including Interac payments, has multi-currency support and fraud protection. Also, it has a mobile-friendly checkout process.
It also has the ability to issue refunds automatically.
Fiserv (Formerly First Data)
Fiserv (formerly First Data) is a premium direct payment gateway that accepts all major credit cards. It displays detailed messages when a transaction is declined. That way, a generic error message isn’t shown.
Refunds can be processed automatically, TeleCheck is supported for processing eCheques as well as WooCommerce subscriptions and pre-orders.
Worldpay
Worldpay is the best payment gateway for WooCommerce when it comes to redirect gateways.
You can also accept all major credit cards and debit cards.
Even though Worldpay is a redirect type of gateway, the whole checkout process is done on one page. This offers the most seamless user experience possible.
Sage Pay
Sage Pay is unique in that it offers both direct and redirect options. That’s why it’s a solid choice for the best payment gateway for WooCommerce. It’s available for the UK and includes fraud prevention as well.
It’s a premium option that processes payments quickly so funds get deposited into your account within two business days. Most payment gateways take 5-7 business days.
Which is the Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway?
The 10 best WooCommerce payment gateways listed above are all good options. So, no matter which ones you pick, you should be good to go.
That said, it all depends on your needs. The option you choose as the best payment gateway for WooCommerce is the one that fits your needs. That also includes the needs of your customers.
Were you able to pick the best WooCommerce payment gateway for your needs? Are you still having troubles deciding? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Thanks for this useful article, I think that the Stripe is the best choice.
Hi Jim,
Yeah, Stripe is definitely a solid option. Thanks for sharing that and I’m glad you found this article useful.
Best wishes,
Jenni
I’m looking at sagepay as an options for uk based business.
Hey Carla,
I hope Sage Pay worked out for you or else that you were able to find a suitable option!
Best,
Jenni
I am using PayPal’s default 1-click Payment Checkout option but it does not work for me because the amount paid by the customer gets held by PayPal for up to a week. Is there any better option available or should I be opting for a paid plugin?
Thank You
Hey Yasar,
That situation has to do with the payment processor and their policies rather than a plugin. No matter what plugin you use, if payments are processed through PayPal, you’ll keep getting the same result. You need to choose a different payment processor such as Stripe or Braintree, for example, but be sure to check their policies regarding funds since it differs depending on the country your business is operating in.
If you have any more questions, feel free to reply. I hope that helps.
Best,
Jenni