Shopify Payment Gateways Comparison by Country

Your Payment Gateway Choice Can Make or Break International Sales

Choosing the wrong payment gateway for a specific country doesn't just cost you fees — it costs you customers. In the Netherlands, 60% of online transactions use iDEAL. In Brazil, Boleto bancario and Pix dominate. In India, UPI processes more digital payments than credit cards. If your Shopify store only offers Visa and Mastercard in these markets, you're invisible to the majority of buyers.

A proper Shopify payment gateways comparison by country reveals that there is no single "best" gateway. The right choice depends on where your customers are, which payment methods they trust, and how Shopify's fee structure interacts with third-party processors in each region. Get this wrong and you'll hemorrhage revenue to cart abandonment. Get it right and you unlock markets your competitors can't reach.

This guide compares every major payment gateway option available on Shopify in 2026, organized by region and country, with real fee breakdowns and specific recommendations. If you're building or scaling a store that sells internationally, consider this your payments and checkout reference.

Shopify Payments: Where It's Available and What It Costs

Shopify Payments is Shopify's native payment processor, powered by Stripe. It's the default recommendation for any country where it's available because it eliminates the additional third-party transaction fee that Shopify charges when you use an external gateway.

Supported Countries (39 Countries in 2026)

Shopify Payments is available in: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.

According to Shopify's official supported countries documentation, the list expanded from 23 to 39 countries between 2024 and 2026, with most additions in Eastern Europe.

Credit Card Processing Fees by Plan

When using Shopify Payments, you pay credit card processing fees that vary by plan. You do NOT pay the additional third-party transaction fee.

Third-Party Transaction Fees (When NOT Using Shopify Payments)

If you use any external payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee on top of whatever the gateway itself charges:

This means a store on the Basic plan using PayPal as its primary gateway pays PayPal's fees (2.99% + $0.49 for standard processing) PLUS Shopify's 2% fee — a total of roughly 5% per transaction. That's a significant margin hit that makes Shopify Payments the clear winner in any country where it's available, as detailed in our guide on how to set up Shopify Payments.

North America: Payment Gateway Options and Recommendations

United States

Shopify Payments is available and should be your primary processor. The US market is credit-card dominant, but BNPL (buy now, pay later) adoption is accelerating.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
• BNPL: Shop Pay Installments (included free with Shopify Payments), Afterpay, Klarna
• Alternative: PayPal (many US shoppers trust PayPal for purchases from unfamiliar brands)
• Digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay (both enabled through Shopify Payments)

Key consideration: Shop Pay Installments is the most cost-effective BNPL option for Shopify stores because it's included at no extra cost with Shopify Payments. Afterpay charges merchants 4-6% plus a fixed fee, and Klarna charges 2.49-5.99% per transaction. According to Shopify's BNPL comparison guide, offering at least one BNPL option increases average order value by 20-30% for merchants selling products over $50.

Canada

Shopify Payments is available with competitive CAD processing rates. The Canadian market has high credit card penetration and growing Interac e-Transfer usage.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• BNPL: Shop Pay Installments, Afterpay, Sezzle
• Alternative: PayPal
• Local method: Interac (supported through Shopify Payments)

Mexico

Shopify Payments launched in Mexico in recent years. The Mexican market has a large unbanked population, making alternative payment methods essential.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• Cash payment: OXXO (allows customers to pay in cash at convenience stores)
• Alternative: PayPal, Mercado Pago
• Local cards: Carnet cards (supported through Shopify Payments)

Europe: Regional Payment Preferences That Vary Dramatically

Europe is the most fragmented payment landscape. Each country has dominant local methods that vastly outperform generic card processing.

United Kingdom

Shopify Payments is available with some of the lowest processing rates on any Shopify plan.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• BNPL: Klarna (very popular in UK), Clearpay (Afterpay's UK brand)
• Alternative: PayPal
• Digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay

Key consideration: UK consumers heavily use contactless payments and digital wallets. Ensure Apple Pay and Google Pay are enabled — they're free with Shopify Payments and significantly reduce checkout friction.

Germany

German consumers are famously cautious about online payments. Credit card usage is lower than in the US or UK, and invoice-based payment (Kauf auf Rechnung) is deeply embedded in shopping culture.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• Local preference: Klarna (market leader for pay-later in Germany), SOFORT (direct bank transfer)
• Alternative: PayPal (extremely popular in Germany — over 30 million active users)
• Invoice payment: Klarna's "Pay in 30 days" option

Key consideration: Not offering Klarna or PayPal in Germany is a conversion killer. According to Ecorn's guide to Shopify payment gateways, German consumers are significantly more likely to complete checkout when invoice payment or bank transfer options are available alongside cards.

Netherlands

The Netherlands has one of the most distinctive payment landscapes in Europe. iDEAL — a direct bank transfer system — dominates online commerce.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments (iDEAL supported natively)
• Essential local method: iDEAL (60%+ of Dutch online transactions)
• BNPL: Klarna, Riverty
• Alternative: PayPal, Bancontact (for Belgian customers shopping cross-border)

France

French consumers use a mix of Carte Bancaire (the national card network), international cards, and increasingly, BNPL services.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments (supports Carte Bancaire natively)
• BNPL: Alma (French-focused BNPL), Klarna
• Alternative: PayPal
• Local method: Carte Bancaire via Shopify Payments

Nordics (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland)

The Nordic countries are among the most digitally advanced payment markets globally. Mobile payments and BNPL have very high adoption.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• Essential for Sweden: Klarna (Swedish company, massive market share), Swish (mobile payment)
• Essential for Denmark: MobilePay
• BNPL: Klarna across all Nordic markets
• Alternative: PayPal

Asia-Pacific: High Growth Markets with Unique Payment Ecosystems

Asia-Pacific includes some of the fastest-growing ecommerce markets, each with payment ecosystems that look nothing like Western card-based models.

Australia and New Zealand

Both countries have Shopify Payments availability, high card penetration, and strong BNPL adoption (Afterpay was founded in Australia).

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• BNPL: Afterpay (dominant in ANZ), Zip (formerly Zip Pay)
• Alternative: PayPal
• Digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay

Japan

Japan is Shopify Payments-supported but has a unique payment culture. Cash on delivery (COD) and convenience store payment (konbini) remain popular despite high digital adoption.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• Local methods: Konbini payments (Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson), JCB cards
• COD: Cash on delivery (still expected by many Japanese consumers)
• Digital wallets: PayPay, Line Pay

Key consideration: Japanese consumers expect detailed order tracking and multiple payment options at checkout. Limiting to cards only will significantly reduce conversion rates.

India

India is a massive ecommerce market where Shopify Payments is NOT available. This means you'll need a third-party gateway and will pay Shopify's additional transaction fee.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Razorpay (supports UPI, wallets, net banking, EMI, and cards)
• Alternative: PayU India, Cashfree
• Essential method: UPI (Unified Payments Interface — the dominant digital payment method in India)
• BNPL: Simpl, LazyPay

Key consideration: UPI processes billions of transactions monthly in India and is expected by online shoppers. Any gateway you choose must support UPI natively. According to Razorpay's Shopify integration documentation, their gateway supports all major Indian payment methods including UPI, wallets, net banking, and EMI options.

Singapore and Hong Kong

Both are Shopify Payments-supported with sophisticated, card-friendly consumer bases.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Shopify Payments
• Alternative: Stripe (for additional flexibility), PayPal
• Local methods: GrabPay (Singapore), Octopus (Hong Kong), FPS (Hong Kong)
• Digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay

Latin America: Cash-Heavy Markets Going Digital

Latin America represents a unique challenge. Many consumers are unbanked or underbanked, making cash-based and local payment methods essential.

Brazil

The largest ecommerce market in Latin America. Shopify Payments is NOT available in Brazil.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Mercado Pago (the dominant payment platform in Brazil and Latin America)
• Essential methods: Pix (instant payment system, free for consumers), Boleto bancario (bank slip payment)
• Alternative: PagSeguro, PayPal
• Cards: Visa, Mastercard (support installment payments — "parcelamento")

Key consideration: Brazilian consumers expect installment payment options on credit cards. A purchase of R$300 should be offerable in 3x, 6x, or 12x installments. Mercado Pago handles this natively.

Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico

Mercado Pago is the regional leader across Latin America. For Mexico specifically, Shopify Payments is available and should be the primary gateway, with Mercado Pago as a supplementary option.

Recommended stack for non-Mexico LATAM:

• Primary: Mercado Pago
• Alternative: PayU Latam, dLocal
• Cash methods: Vary by country (OXXO in Mexico, Rapipago/Pago Facil in Argentina, Sencillito in Chile)

Middle East and Africa: Emerging Markets with Rapid Digital Payment Adoption

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

Shopify Payments is NOT available in the Middle East. Cash on delivery remains significant but digital payments are growing rapidly.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Telr, PayTabs, or Tap Payments (regional specialists)
• Essential methods: Cash on delivery (COD), Apple Pay, Mada (Saudi debit network)
• Cards: Visa, Mastercard
• BNPL: Tabby (leading BNPL in the GCC region), Tamara

Key consideration: COD can represent 40-60% of orders in the GCC region. Your gateway and fulfillment process must support it, even though COD carries a higher risk of non-delivery returns.

South Africa

The largest ecommerce market in Africa. Shopify Payments is NOT available.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: PayFast (South African market leader for Shopify)
• Alternative: PayGate, Peach Payments
• Essential methods: EFT (electronic funds transfer), SnapScan, Zapper
• Cards: Visa, Mastercard

Nigeria

Rapidly growing ecommerce market with unique payment challenges.

Recommended stack:

• Primary: Paystack (now part of Stripe, deeply integrated with Nigerian banking)
• Alternative: Flutterwave
• Essential methods: Bank transfer, USSD payments, mobile wallets
• Cards: Verve (Nigerian card network), Visa, Mastercard

How to Set Up Multiple Payment Gateways on Shopify

Running a single gateway limits your reach. Here's how to configure multiple gateways to serve different markets.

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. Navigate to Settings > Payments in your Shopify admin
2. Your primary gateway (Shopify Payments in supported countries) is listed at the top
3. Click "Add payment methods" to browse additional options
4. Search for specific gateways by name or browse by country
5. Follow the provider's setup flow — most require creating an account with the gateway and connecting it via API keys

Managing Multiple Gateways Without Confusion

When multiple gateways are active, Shopify displays all enabled payment options at checkout. Best practices:

• Name payment methods clearly — customers should see "Pay with iDEAL" not "Third-party gateway"
• Order methods by popularity — put the most-used method in your target market first
• Test the checkout flow — place test orders with each payment method to verify everything works
• Monitor gateway-specific analytics — track conversion rates by payment method to identify friction

For a detailed walkthrough on optimizing the checkout page itself, see our guide on how to customize Shopify checkout.

Using Shopify Markets for Country-Specific Payment Routing

Shopify Markets lets you create country-specific or regional market configurations. Within each market, you can:

• Enable specific payment methods for that region
• Set local currency pricing
• Display locally relevant BNPL options
• Configure duty and tax collection

This means a customer in Germany sees Klarna and SOFORT at checkout, while a customer in Brazil sees Pix and Boleto — all from the same Shopify store.

BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later): A Shopify Payment Gateways Comparison by Country

BNPL has moved from a nice-to-have to a conversion essential in most markets. Here's how the major BNPL providers compare across countries.

Global BNPL Provider Comparison

BNPL Selection Strategy by Market

US/Canada: Start with Shop Pay Installments (free) and add Afterpay or Klarna for wider reach.

UK/Europe: Klarna is the dominant BNPL brand. Add Clearpay (Afterpay) for customers who prefer it.

Australia/NZ: Afterpay is the market leader. It was founded there and has the strongest brand recognition.

Middle East: Tabby and Tamara are the only meaningful BNPL options. Western providers have minimal presence.

Latin America: Installment payments on credit cards (built into Mercado Pago) are the local equivalent of BNPL. Western BNPL brands have low awareness.

Common Payment Gateway Mistakes That Cost You Sales

Avoiding these mistakes can immediately improve your checkout conversion rate. According to Statrys' comparison of Shopify payment gateways, the right gateway configuration can lift conversion by 15-25% in international markets.

Mistake 1: Using Only Cards in Markets Where Cards Aren't Dominant

In the Netherlands (iDEAL), Germany (Klarna/SOFORT), India (UPI), Brazil (Pix/Boleto), and Japan (Konbini), card-only checkout drives away the majority of potential customers. Research your target market's payment preferences before launching.

Mistake 2: Not Using Shopify Payments Where Available

Every plan that uses a third-party gateway instead of Shopify Payments pays an additional 0.6-2% transaction fee. On $500,000 in annual revenue, that's $3,000-$10,000 in unnecessary fees. Unless you have a specific technical requirement that Shopify Payments can't meet, always use it as your primary processor.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Mobile Payment Methods

Mobile commerce represents over 60% of ecommerce traffic globally. Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay reduce checkout to a single tap. Not enabling them means forcing mobile customers through manual card entry — a massive friction point.

Mistake 4: Overlooking BNPL for High-AOV Products

If your average order value exceeds $75, not offering a BNPL option leaves significant revenue on the table. BNPL providers report that merchants see 20-30% higher AOV and 15-20% higher conversion when installment options are available.

Mistake 5: Using One Gateway for All Markets

A US-centric gateway configuration fails in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. If you sell internationally, you need:

• Shopify Payments as the foundation (where available)
• Regional gateways for unsupported countries (Razorpay for India, Mercado Pago for LATAM, PayFast for South Africa)
• Local payment methods enabled per market (iDEAL, UPI, Pix, Konbini)

Fees Comparison: The True Cost of Each Gateway by Country

Understanding the full fee picture requires looking beyond the gateway's processing rate. You need to account for Shopify's additional fees, currency conversion charges, and settlement timing.

Fee Breakdown for Major Gateways

Calculating Your Total Payment Processing Cost

Use this formula to calculate the true cost per transaction:

Total Cost = Gateway Processing Fee + Shopify Third-Party Fee (if applicable) + Currency Conversion Fee (if applicable)

Example for a US store on the Basic plan using PayPal for a $100 order:

• PayPal: $2.99 + $0.49 = $3.48
• Shopify third-party fee: $2.00 (2%)
• Total: $5.48 (5.48% of order value)

Same order using Shopify Payments:

• Processing: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20
• Shopify third-party fee: $0.00
• Total: $3.20 (3.20% of order value)

Savings: $2.28 per transaction — on 1,000 monthly orders, that's $2,280/month or $27,360/year. Tracking these fees is essential for understanding your true profit margins as a store owner.

Choosing Your Payment Gateway Stack: A Decision Framework

Don't overcomplicate this. Follow this decision tree for each market you sell into.

Step 1: Is Shopify Payments Available?

If yes, use it as your primary gateway. This eliminates Shopify's third-party transaction fee and gives you access to Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay automatically.

Step 2: What Local Payment Methods Are Essential?

Research your target market. Check if Shopify Payments supports the local methods natively (it often does for iDEAL, Bancontact, EPS, and others). If not, add the specific gateway that supports them.

Step 3: Do You Need BNPL?

If your AOV exceeds $50-75, add at least one BNPL option. Start with Shop Pay Installments (free) in the US/Canada. Add Klarna for Europe and Afterpay for ANZ.

Step 4: Do You Need a Regional Gateway?

For countries without Shopify Payments (India, Brazil, UAE, South Africa, Nigeria), select the dominant regional gateway. Optimize for local payment method coverage, not just card processing.

Your Shopify payment gateways comparison by country should result in a documented payment strategy — a simple table listing each market, primary gateway, additional methods, and estimated fee percentage. Review this quarterly as markets evolve and Shopify expands its native payment support.

For more guides on building and optimizing your store's payment and checkout experience, explore the payments and checkout resources on our blog, or visit the Talk Shop community to discuss your specific payment setup with other Shopify merchants.

What payment gateway challenge is holding back your international expansion? Share your experience — the solution might already exist and another merchant has likely solved it.

About Talk Shop

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