10 Best Alternatives to Adyen

Choosing the right payment processor is crucial for growing businesses, especially those operating online or across borders.

If you're looking for an Adyen alternative, you’ll be pleased to know there are strong options out there. Although Adyen has built an excellent reputation as a global payment platform, some businesses may find its pricing, complexity, or volume requirements limiting. 

In this blog, we’ll first cover what Adyen is, and then present 10 Adyen alternatives, high-quality payment gateways that you can seriously consider as an alternative payment processor for your business.

What is Adyen?

Ayden is a unified payment platform that acts both as a payment gateway and acquirer for merchants. In short, when you use the Adyen payment processor, you get one system that allows you to accept credit cards, local payment methods, mobile wallets, in-store and online payments, and a consistent global checkout experience.

Because of that breadth, many businesses view it as an industry standard. However, with that power comes complexity; setup may be heavier, pricing may depend on volume, and some features may be more suited for medium to large enterprises. 

‍

Combine that with the term payment gateway, like Adyen, and you begin to see the need for alternative providers. These alternatives should offer similar global scale, strong APIs, and robust features. However, they may also provide more flexibility, easier setup, or lower volume thresholds.

Top 10 Adyen Payment Processor Alternatives

Here, we have listed the top alternatives to the Ayden payment processor:

1. PayFirmly

PayFirmly positioned itself as an advanced payment orchestration layer. If you are looking for a payment gateway alternative to Adyen, but want something that gives you control over multiple underlying, PayFirmly is worth a look.

• Their platform provides smart routing among payment providers. This helps you achieve higher success rates and lower fees.
• They support hundreds of payment methods, including card, bank transfers, wallet, and crypto, also and multi-currency operations.
• If you are focused on scaling globally but want more flexibility than a single provider like Ayden, this can be a strong choice.

2. Stripe

Stripe is an online payment platform that enables businesses to accept credit and debit card payments through their websites and mobile apps. It is the most widely known alternative to Adyen for many modern businesses.

• It supports online and offline payments, a wide range of payment methods, and strong developer-friendly APIs.
• Many smaller and medium-sized businesses choose Stripe because its setup is easier and there is less upfront volume requirement than with Adyen.
• If your business is scaling up and you need strong features for subscriptions, marketplaces, or international payments. It often emerges as a payment gateway like Adyen.

3. PayPal

PayPal is a global online payment service that enables individuals and businesses to send, receive, and hold money. It has been around for decades and remains a trusted global brand for payments.

• Many businesses choose PayPal as their payment gateway, and it is often seen as a competitor to Adyen.
• PayPal’s global reach, brand recognition, and ease of use make it a solid choice, especially if your customers trust PayPal.
• PayPal may not offer some of the advanced features or local payment methods that Adyen provides. But it is still a strong option for many businesses.

4. NOWPayments

NOWPayments is a system that facilitates payments via digital currencies. The platform does not hold the customers' funds, thus it is regarded as a non-custodial payment gateway. If a payment processor that includes but is not limited to credit-card payments, especially in the area of cryptocurrencies and other digital currencies, is what you are looking for, then it would be an excellent idea to try out NOWPayments.

• NOWPayments supports 300+ cryptocurrencies and has very low processing service fees (around 0.5 %).

• For merchants who accept crypto payments or want to offer crypto as a payment option alongside fiat, this is a unique alternative to the traditional payment gateway like Adyen.

• Consider this if your customer base uses crypto, or you expect to accept digital assets or stablecoins.

If you are interested in crypto payment options, you can also refer to NOWPayments alternatives, which discusses other gateways that support digital currencies in detail.

5. Worldpay

Worldpay is a leading company in payment processing and financial technology. It helps businesses handle payments online, in-person, and through mobile devices. Worldpay offers payment gateway services, acquires payments, and supports both online and in-store transactions.

• Many sources list Worldpay as one of the Adyen competitors and alternatives.

• If you have both online and offline components, store checkout, kiosks, and mobile POS, Worldpay can be a flexible choice.

• Especially handy if your business needs global scale with many local payment methods supported.

6. Braintree

Braintree is a payment gateway service enabling businesses to accept online payments through a single platform. It is a PayPal-owned payment gateway that supports credit cards, wallets, and global payments.

• Should you be a fan of PayPal and plan to move into a more versatile way of accepting payments, then Braintree might be a wise choice.

• Supportive of companies with global clients and various payment options.

7. Square Payments

Square payment is well-known for its point-of-sale hardware and ecosystem for offline retail, but it also supports online payment. It allows businesses to accept payments through various methods, like card, contactless, and mobile payments.

• Square appears in the lists of Adyen alternatives.

• If your business is partly physical retail and partly online sales, Square may give you a unified system.

• While it may not have as many local payment methods globally as Adyen, its ease of use and integrated POS hardware make it compelling. 

8. Payoneer

Payoneer is a global payment method that offers smoother processing of international payments. It is largely known for its cross-border payments and has been paying out to freelancers, marketplaces, and sellers worldwide, but at the same time, it has the features of a payment platform.

• Listed among payment gateways like Adyen in several comparison lists.

• If your business model involves international payments, receiving from many countries or marketplaces, Payoneer offers flexibility.

• It may serve differently than a full “gateway + acquirer” model, so review your needs.

9. Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay is a newer but strong contender if you want a simple integration and trusted brand recognition among customers.

• While not always listed in every “alternatives to Adyen” roundup, it does function as a payment gateway and processor for merchants who tap into Amazon’s user base.

• For merchants targeting customers who already trust Amazon, this could be a strategic alternative.

10. MoonClerk

MoonClerk is a simpler payments tool aimed at small businesses, subscription-based services, and non-technical users.

• MoonClerk operates on Stripe, but it offers an easier way to handle both recurring and one-time payments.
• If you are a small business looking for a hassle-free payment processing system with monthly billing and little complexity, MoonClerk can be your “Adyen-like gateway” that is easier to onboard.
• Adyen's full international and local-method coverage might not be MoonClerk's strong point, yet if your requirements are simple, it is a nice option.

💡 Simplify Your Payments, Amplify Your Growth.

Switch to PayFirmly — the smarter Adyen alternative with 500+ payment methods, global routing, and built-in fraud prevention.

Book a free demo

Comparing the Top 10 Adyen Alternatives: Features, Pricing, and Best Use Cases

Before choosing an Adyen alternative, it’s important to see how each payment gateway compares in terms of features, pricing, and ideal use cases. Below is a detailed comparison table to help you find the right fit for your business  whether you’re handling high-risk payments, crypto transactions, or global eCommerce operations.

Each Adyen alternative has its strengths  whether it’s PayFirmly’s smart payment orchestration, NOWPayments’ crypto-friendly infrastructure, or Stripe’s developer-first approach. The right choice depends on your transaction type, region, and business model.

If you’re an enterprise dealing with global transactions, PayFirmly offers scalability and intelligent routing that stand out from traditional gateways.

Read our Top Payment Gateways in Europe blog for a detailed look at the leading Payment Gateways across European markets

Conclusion

Adyen is a very powerful global payment processor, yet it is not the right choice for every business. There are alternatives such as Stripe, Worldpay, and Braintree that give the same global presence but with easier setup or pricing flexibility. PayFirmly brings in smart routing, NOWPayments takes care of crypto transactions, and Square or Payoneer are meant for certain regional and cross-border retail needs.

The ideal payment gateway, akin to Adyen, is the one that is in sync with your customers’ preconceptions, aids your growth, and ensures payments are smooth and cheap. Opting for the right Adyen alternative can make your business expand confidently in any market.

‍