# Paydude vs Stripe

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/paydude-vs-stripe
Type: Guide
Published: 2026-09-05 · Updated: 2026-09-05
Summary: Paydude at 2.6% + 25¢ against Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢. What each does better, and the cases where Stripe is the right choice.

## Summary

Paydude is 0.30% and 5¢ lower than Stripe on published domestic card rates. Subscriptions and invoicing carry no additional Paydude percentage, where Stripe Billing is priced as a separate product on top of processing. On recurring revenue that gap is larger than the headline rate difference. Choose Stripe when you need Connect, Issuing, Terminal or its integration ecosystem. Compare on effective rate at your own ticket size, not on headline percentages.

Both are card processors with published flat pricing, so the rate comparison is straightforward. What matters more is where the two products differ in shape — and Stripe does several things we do not.

## Published rates

**Standard published rates for domestic online cards, September 2026**

|  | Paydude | Stripe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.6% (falling to 2.5%) | 2.9% |
| Fixed fee | 25¢ (falling to 15¢) | 30¢ |
| Monthly platform fee | $0 | $0 |
| Subscriptions | No extra percentage | Priced separately |
| Chargeback fee | $12 | $15–$25 typical |

> **Verify before deciding:** These are published list prices as of September 2026. Rates change, and Stripe may quote you something different. If you already process payments, your own statement is a better source than any published figure.

## What Stripe does better

Stripe is the default choice for developers, and deservedly so. Its product surface is far larger than ours: Connect for marketplaces, Issuing for card programmes, Terminal for in-person, Atlas for incorporation, and more than a decade of ecosystem so that almost every tool integrates with it already.

## Choose Stripe when

You need Connect, Issuing, Terminal, or an integration that only exists for Stripe. Breadth is a genuine reason to pay a higher rate, and we will not pretend a rate table settles it.

## Choose Paydude when

Subscriptions and invoicing carry no additional Paydude percentage, where Stripe Billing is priced as a separate product on top of processing. On recurring revenue that gap is larger than the headline rate difference.

## How to decide

1. Work out your real [effective rate](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/effective-rate-calculator) from one month of statements.
2. Compare it against both providers at your own average ticket using the [Stripe fee calculator](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/stripe-fee-calculator).
3. Multiply the annual difference. If it is small, decide on capability instead — it will matter more than the rate.
4. Check whether you need anything only one provider offers. That settles it faster than any comparison table.

For every major provider side by side, see the [payment processor fee comparison](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison). For an honest account of where each alternative beats us, see [Paydude alternatives](https://www.paydude.io/resources/paydude-alternatives).

**Run it on your own numbers** Published rates and a calculator that uses your volume and ticket size. — [Open the calculator](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/paydude-vs-stripe-fee-calculator)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paydude cheaper than Stripe?

On published standard rates for domestic cards, Paydude is 0.30% and 5¢ lower than Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢. Whether that translates into a meaningful saving depends on your volume and average transaction size — multiply the gap by your annual volume before deciding.

### When should I choose Stripe instead?

You need Connect, Issuing, Terminal, or an integration that only exists for Stripe. Breadth is a genuine reason to pay a higher rate, and we will not pretend a rate table settles it.

### Can I switch from Stripe to Paydude?

Switching processors means migrating stored payment tokens, which are specific to the provider that issued them. Most major providers will run a PCI-compliant migration of the underlying card data. Confirm that path exists before committing, since it is the main technical obstacle to any processor change.

### Where do these rates come from?

Both figures are the publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and Stripe may quote you something different from its list price.