Head to head
Compared side by side on published facts and the same six criteria every review is graded on — generated from the live directory, not a sales page.
Shopify Payments
Payment Processor · 4.3/5 mean
Shopify Payments is Shopify’s own branded payments service — processed by Stripe, per Shopify’s published processor list — giving merchants one-click access to accepting cards and wallets inside Shopify, simplifying setup and eliminating third-party gateway fees for supported merchants.
Read the full review →Stax
Payment Processor · 4.0/5 mean
Stax is a payments technology company founded in 2014 that partners with SaaS companies, ISOs, and SMBs to enable flexible, multi-channel payment processing and invoicing solutions, claiming a distinctive subscription-based pricing model with 0% interchange markup.
Read the full review →Shopify Payments holds the higher standing — by grade, then mean category score. The row-by-row picture below is what should actually decide it for your business.
Both graded against the same six criteria. How we grade · Last fact-checked September 2, 2026.
| Criterion | Shopify Payments | Stax |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Feature set | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 5.0wins this criterion | 4.0 |
Straight from each provider's published documentation. Where a number isn't published, we say so rather than estimate.
| Metric | Shopify Payments | Stax |
|---|---|---|
| Online rate | 2.9% + $0.30 (Basic) down to ~2.4–2.5% + $0.30 on higher plans — rates are tiered by plan. (Shopify’s pricing page shows plan-based card rates.) | $0.15 per transaction (flat, no % markup) |
| Monthly fee | Shopify subscription plans (Basic / Grow / Advanced / Plus) carry the monthly platform fee; Shopify Payments itself has no extra monthly gateway fee beyond your Shopify plan in most markets. | $99–$199+/month (depending on subscription tier) |
| Payout | Typically 1-3 business days (varies by risk profile and bank) | Next business day |
| Contract | Standard Shopify accounts are month-to-month; Enterprise / Plus customers have custom agreements. | month-to-month subscription |
| In-person rate | example published rates around ~2.6% + $0.10 (Basic) with lower rates on higher plans. | $0.08 per transaction (flat, no % markup) |
From the Stax review
Shopify Payments activates in one click inside Shopify and removes the platform's third-party transaction fee, something Stax as an outside processor cannot do. Stax makes more sense for multi-channel or professional-service businesses whose volume justifies its subscription-based, zero-markup pricing.
Pick Shopify Payments if you sell primarily through a Shopify store and want payments built into the admin
Ideal for
Not recommended for
Ideal for
Not recommended for
The full reviews carry the pricing narratives, contract analysis and everything else behind these numbers — or let the matching funnel score the whole directory against your business.
| Customer support | 3.0 | 3.0 |
|---|
| Contract terms | 4.0 | 4.0 |
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| Industry reputation | 5.0wins this criterion | 4.0 |
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| Keyed rate | Typically higher (e.g., ~3.5% + $0.10 reported by some reseller/guide pages) — check your plan/region. | $0.15 per transaction |
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| International rate | Shopify publishes currency conversion fees (examples: ~1.5% for US-based stores; values vary by region) | Not publicly specified |
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| PCI fee | These vary by region and merchant agreement. | Not on Stax's published rate card; $10/month is third-party reporting |
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| Statement fee | These vary by region and merchant agreement. | Not disclosed |
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| Chargeback fee | Shopify publishes chargeback processes/fees by market (merchants are liable for chargebacks; fees can apply). For exact dollar figures check your country’s fee table and merchant agreement. | Not on Stax's published rate card; chargeback protection is offered as an add-on at an unpublished price |
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| Early termination | These vary by merchant agreement. | None (month-to-month; 30 days written notice required to cancel) |
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| Last fact-checked | September 2, 2026 | September 2, 2026 |
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