Adyen vs PayPal Business: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of Adyen and PayPal Business — fees, features, ease, support, and which one fits your business. Scored on the same rubric.
Short answer: PayPal Business wins on our scorecard (7.8/10 vs 7.5/10).
| Scored on | Adyen | PayPal Business |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 7 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 5 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 9 | 7 |
| Customer support | 6 | 5 |
| Features | 9 | 9 |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Processing fee | $0.13 per transaction | — |
| Payment Method Fee | Interchange + Markup (Varies) | — |
| Setup Fee | $0 | — |
| Online transaction fee | — | 2.99% + fixed fee |
| In-person (QR) fee | — | 2.29% + $0.09 |
| Instant transfer fee | — | 1.5% (capped) |
Adyen in one paragraph
Adyen is a powerhouse for businesses scaling globally that are tired of flat-rate processors eating their margins, provided they can handle the technical setup.
Skip it if: Skip it if you are a local-only service business doing less than $10,000 a month in credit card sales.
PayPal Business in one paragraph
PayPal Business is the ultimate 'day one' tool for solopreneurs to get paid, though its automated fraud filters can be a headache for rapidly scaling firms.
Skip it if: You should not pick this if you process over $50,000 monthly and need a dedicated account representative to handle disputes.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Adyen or PayPal Business?
On our five-axis scorecard, PayPal Business scores higher (7.8/10 vs 7.5/10). PayPal Business is the ultimate 'day one' tool for solopreneurs to get paid, though its automated fraud filters can be a headache for rapidly scaling firms.
Who should skip Adyen?
Skip it if you are a local-only service business doing less than $10,000 a month in credit card sales.
Who should skip PayPal Business?
You should not pick this if you process over $50,000 monthly and need a dedicated account representative to handle disputes.