Stripe vs PayPal — Which Is Right for You?

Side-by-side comparison

Choosing between Stripe and PayPal depends on your specific needs and priorities. Overall, Stripe leads in 1 out of 1 comparable metrics, while PayPal has the edge in 1.

When it comes to founded, Stripe offers 2,010 compared to PayPal's 1,998.

Below is a detailed side-by-side breakdown to help you make an informed decision between these two tools.

Category
Stripe
Accounting & Finance
PayPal
Accounting & Finance
Subcategory
Stripe
Payments
PayPal
Payments
Pricing
Stripe
Pay-per-use
PayPal
Pay-per-use
Free Tier
Stripe
PayPal
Founded
Stripe
2,010
PayPal
1,998
Headquarters
Stripe
San Francisco, CA
PayPal
San Jose, CA
Best For
Stripe
Online businesses and developers
PayPal
Online sellers and freelancers

Stripe

Stripe, Inc. is an Irish-American multinational financial services and software as a service (SaaS) company dual-headquartered in South San Francisco, California, United States, and Dublin, Ireland....

PayPal

PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments system in the majority of countries that support online money transfers; it serves as an...

Comparison Details

MetricStripePayPal
CategoryAccounting & FinanceAccounting & Finance
SubcategoryPaymentsPayments
Pricing ModelPay-per-usePay-per-use
Free TierYesYes
Founded20101998
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CASan Jose, CA
Key FeaturesPayment Processing, Subscriptions, Invoicing, ConnectPayment Processing, Invoicing, Business Debit Card, Buyer Protection
Best ForOnline businesses and developersOnline sellers and freelancers

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Stripe or PayPal?

Stripe is best for online businesses and developers, while PayPal is best for online sellers and freelancers. The right choice depends on your needs.

Is Stripe cheaper than PayPal?

Stripe uses a Pay-per-use model with a free tier, while PayPal uses a Pay-per-use model with a free tier.

Can I use Stripe and PayPal together?

Many teams combine Stripe (Payments) with PayPal (Payments) for different aspects of their workflow.

What are the main differences between Stripe and PayPal?

Stripe focuses on Payment Processing, Subscriptions, Invoicing, while PayPal excels at Payment Processing, Invoicing, Business Debit Card.