A flat rate against interchange-plus, which is less a price comparison than a choice between predictability and transparency.
Comparisons
Every major processor's published rate in one table, with the effective rate at three ticket sizes.
Stripe vs Adyen: Which Is Actually Cheaper?
A flat rate against interchange-plus — less a price comparison than a choice between predictability and transparency.
Published standard rates for domestic cards. Neither figure is a negotiated rate, and both providers may quote you something different. One of these prices on interchange-plus, so the figure used is a typical all-in estimate.
Adyen is cheaper$4,080a year less than Stripe, at this volume and ticket size
- Stripe
- $3,5003.50%
- Adyen
- $3,1603.16%
- Paydude (Growing)
- $2,9502.95%
Adyen is cheaper at every realistic ticket size — the two rate cards do not cross over.
Cheaper of the two, by average transaction
$5Adyen
$10Adyen
$25Adyen
$50Adyen
$100Adyen
$250Adyen
Paydude is shown for reference, not as the answer to the question in the title. Excludes international, premium-card and dispute fees, which differ between all three.
Published rates
| Stripe | Adyen | |
|---|---|---|
| Card rate | 2.9% | interchange + markup |
| Fixed fee | 30¢ | 13¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing model | Flat rate | Interchange-plus |
Which one is cheaper
Stripe charges one blended rate for every card. Adyen passes actual interchange through with a disclosed markup, so the cost varies with your card mix — cheaper on debit-heavy volume, dearer on premium rewards cards.
What actually decides it
Volume and card mix. Adyen is not aimed at smaller merchants and generally expects meaningful scale. Below roughly $1M a year, published flat pricing is usually both cheaper in practice and far less work to reconcile.
For reference
The calculator above also shows Paydude, which publishes 2.6% + 25¢ improving with volume. It is there as a third data point rather than as the answer to a question about Stripe and Adyen — for every provider side by side see the full processor fee table.
GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked
Is Stripe cheaper than Adyen?+
At scale and on debit-heavy volume, Adyen usually costs less because interchange-plus passes the saving through. At lower volume Stripe is typically cheaper once you account for Adyen's minimums and the reconciliation overhead.
At what transaction size does the answer change?+
It is not a ticket-size question here. The deciding variables are monthly volume and card mix, because interchange-plus pricing varies per transaction in a way flat pricing does not.
What is the difference between Stripe and Adyen?+
Stripe bundles interchange, network fees and its own margin into one number. Adyen itemises them. Adyen also holds its own acquiring licences in many markets, which can improve authorisation rates for international volume.
Where do these rates come from?+
Both are publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and either provider may quote you something different from its list price.