Comparison · Updated October 22, 2026
Stone vs PagBank (Brazil card machines)
Stone
B
Stone is the small and mid-size business brand of StoneCo, the Nasdaq-listed (STNE) Brazilian payments and banking group. The merchant agreement is with Stone Instituição de Pagamento S.A., which the Banco Central do Brasil authorises as a card acquirer (credenciadora) and e-money issuer. Stone sells card terminals (maquininhas), a tap-on-phone app called TapStone, payment links, e-commerce processing, a free business account (Conta PJ) and working-capital credit. As of October 2026 it publishes some rates: TapStone at 0.87% for debit and 1.90% for one-off credit (crédito à vista), and payment links at 2.99% for one-off credit. Terminal rates are personalised: the terminal page advertises debit from 0.74% and credit from 2.99%, and you get your own rates after an assessment. The contract has no fixed term and the merchant can end it on 30 days' notice without penalty. StoneCo's cheaper micro-merchant brand, Ton, is a sibling sold separately, with its own published plans.
PagBank
B
PagBank, known until May 2023 as PagSeguro, is a Brazilian card acquirer, card-machine (maquininha) seller and digital bank based in São Paulo. It began in 2006 as an online payments service of the internet group UOL, which still controls it, and its holding company, PagSeguro Digital Ltd., has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since January 2018. As of June 2026 it reported 6.2 million active merchants and R$133.4 billion of payment volume in the quarter. PagBank is the licensed acquirer itself: its payment institution signs up each merchant directly, so there is no reseller or processor in between. Merchants buy a terminal outright, from about R$17 to R$196 as listed in October 2026, with no rent and no monthly fee, and pay a percentage per sale that depends on when they want the money. For Visa and Mastercard credit sales on a machine, PagBank's rate page lists 4.99% for same-day payout, 3.99% at 14 days and 3.19% at 30 days, with debit at 1.99%. Separate promotional plans and the online products carry their own, different prices, so the rate you actually get depends on which plan you join. The contract has no fixed term and either side can end it at any time, but it lets PagBank set reserves, hold balances and block accounts on its own risk assessment, and blocked accounts and withheld balances recur in recent Reclame Aqui complaints and in the consumer cases its annual report describes. PagBank holds Reclame Aqui's top RA1000 reputation, with 90.5% of complaints resolved over April to September 2026.
VS
Overview
We compare the two for a Brazilian business taking cards in person in reais, on a card machine (maquininha) or a phone, using each company's own pages as of October 2026. Both are Central Bank-authorised payment institutions that sign merchants directly and offer their own business account to receive sales. Their pricing models differ. PagBank publishes a rate card for its machines: for Visa and Mastercard, debit costs 1.99% paid the same day, and one-off credit costs 4.99% paid the same day, 3.99% at 14 days or 3.19% at 30 days. Its Super Max plan, for businesses selling more than R$2,000 a month, charges 1.44% debit and 3.49% credit once its promotion ends. You buy the machine outright, from R$15.00 to R$196.08, with no rent. Stone does not publish a machine rate card. Its machine page offers debit from 0.74% and credit from 2.99%, and you get your own rates after a questionnaire or a sales call. Its machines stay Stone's property, usually rented, and the rent is waived only if you reach sales targets it does not publish. By default, according to its help centre, Stone pays debit in one business day and credit in 30 days. Same-day payout costs extra on both your debit and credit rates, and Stone does not publish how much. On tap on phone, both publish rates: TapStone charges 0.87% debit and 1.90% one-off credit, against 0.88% and 3.14% on PagBank's Tap On. Tap On pays the same day. TapStone's page does not say when it pays. Both contracts are open-ended with no exit penalty. PagBank lets you cancel at any time. Stone asks for 30 days' notice and the return of rented machines. Payment Review grades both B.
Key Takeaways
- ✓It depends on whether you want a price you can see before signing. PagBank publishes its machine rates and sells the machine outright. Stone quotes your machine rates individually and keeps ownership of the machine, usually renting it to you.
- ✓PagBank's published machine rates for Visa and Mastercard, as of October 2026, are 1.99% for debit and, for one-off credit, 4.99% same day, 3.99% at 14 days or 3.19% at 30 days. The Super Max plan charges 1.44% debit and 3.49% credit after its promotion. Stone advertises debit from 0.74% and credit from 2.99%, without saying which businesses qualify.
- ✓On tap on phone, TapStone lists a lower one-off credit rate, 1.90% against 3.14% on PagBank's Tap On, but the two may not pay out on the same schedule. Debit costs about the same, 0.87% against 0.88%. Tap On pays the same day. Stone's page does not say when TapStone pays, and Stone's standard schedule pays credit in 30 days.
- ✓Payout speed is priced differently. PagBank prices same day, 14 days and 30 days separately and you choose. Stone's default schedule pays debit in one business day and credit in 30 days unless you add anticipation, which raises your rate by an amount Stone does not publish.
- ✓Neither ties you in. PagBank's contract can be ended by either side at any time. Stone's can be ended on 30 days' notice without a penalty, and rented machines must be returned within 5 business days or you pay their full value.
Stone
Choose Stone if you sell enough to negotiate, want a person to call and a field agent for delivery and maintenance, and would rather rent than own your terminal. Get your debit, credit, instalment and same-day anticipation rates, the monthly rent and the sales target that waives it in writing before you sign. If you only need a phone, TapStone's published 1.90% one-off credit rate is low, but ask when the money arrives.
PagBank
Choose PagBank if you want to see your price before you sign, own the machine outright, and pick your own payout speed. If you sell more than R$2,000 a month, check the Super Max plan, and look at the rate in your account once any promotion ends. Keep some cash outside PagBank, because its contract lets it hold balances during risk reviews.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
Neither is better for every business. PagBank suits a small business that wants to see its price before signing, own its machine and choose its payout speed, accepting that same-day credit costs 4.99% on its rate page. Stone suits a business that will negotiate, wants fast human support and a field agent, and prefers to rent. Stone's advertised floor rates are low, but you only learn your real rates, rent and anticipation cost after the sales conversation. For tap on phone, TapStone's published credit rate is lower than Tap On's, but Tap On states that it pays the same day and TapStone does not state a payout timing. Get Stone's full offer in writing and compare it like for like with PagBank's published plan at the same payout speed.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Card-machine rates, Visa and Mastercard (October 2026)
| Feature | Stone | PagBank |
|---|---|---|
| Debit | From 0.74%, quoted per business | 1.99%, paid same day |
| Stone's machine page shows "Débito a partir de 0,74%" as an exclusive offer and says rates are personalised; you get a proposal after a questionnaire or sales call. Its help centre pays debit one business day after the sale by default; Stone does not say which payout schedule the advertised floor assumes. PagBank's rate page says the 1.99% applies for one year. PagBank's Super Max plan (sales above R$2,000 a month) charges 0.58% for 30 days or until R$5,000 of sales, then 1.44%. Its Essencial plan charges 2.39% after a promotion. Elo and other brands cost 2.98% for same-day debit on PagBank's rate page. We set no winner, because Stone's figure is a floor rather than a price you can count on. | ||
| One-off credit (crédito à vista) | From 2.99%, quoted per business | 3.19% at 30 days; 4.99% same day |
| PagBank's rate page also lists 3.99% at 14 days. On PagBank, a R$1,000 one-off Visa or Mastercard credit sale nets R$968.10 at 30 days or R$950.10 the same day. Super Max charges 3.49% after its promotion, and Essencial charges 4.99%. PagBank's plans page says sales money arrives the same day (na hora) but does not give a payout timing for each plan. Stone advertises credit from 2.99%, and its help centre's standard schedule pays one-off credit 30 days after the sale. We set no winner. | ||
| Credit in instalments | Quoted per business | 3.79% at 30 days; 5.59% same day |
| PagBank's rate page lists 4.59% at 14 days. Its FAQ says a separate instalment fee depends on the number of instalments, and the rate page's footnote quotes 1.41% per instalment at 12x, so these base rates may not be the full cost. Its Super Max plan lists 10.88% for 6 instalments and 13.78% for 12 after the promotion. Stone sells instalments up to 21x on its machines but publishes no machine instalment rate. Its standard schedule pays each instalment 30, 60, 90 days and so on after the sale, unless you anticipate. | ||
Debit
Stone
From 0.74%, quoted per business
PagBank
1.99%, paid same day
Stone's machine page shows "Débito a partir de 0,74%" as an exclusive offer and says rates are personalised; you get a proposal after a questionnaire or sales call. Its help centre pays debit one business day after the sale by default; Stone does not say which payout schedule the advertised floor assumes. PagBank's rate page says the 1.99% applies for one year. PagBank's Super Max plan (sales above R$2,000 a month) charges 0.58% for 30 days or until R$5,000 of sales, then 1.44%. Its Essencial plan charges 2.39% after a promotion. Elo and other brands cost 2.98% for same-day debit on PagBank's rate page. We set no winner, because Stone's figure is a floor rather than a price you can count on.
One-off credit (crédito à vista)
Stone
From 2.99%, quoted per business
PagBank
3.19% at 30 days; 4.99% same day
PagBank's rate page also lists 3.99% at 14 days. On PagBank, a R$1,000 one-off Visa or Mastercard credit sale nets R$968.10 at 30 days or R$950.10 the same day. Super Max charges 3.49% after its promotion, and Essencial charges 4.99%. PagBank's plans page says sales money arrives the same day (na hora) but does not give a payout timing for each plan. Stone advertises credit from 2.99%, and its help centre's standard schedule pays one-off credit 30 days after the sale. We set no winner.
Credit in instalments
Stone
Quoted per business
PagBank
3.79% at 30 days; 5.59% same day
PagBank's rate page lists 4.59% at 14 days. Its FAQ says a separate instalment fee depends on the number of instalments, and the rate page's footnote quotes 1.41% per instalment at 12x, so these base rates may not be the full cost. Its Super Max plan lists 10.88% for 6 instalments and 13.78% for 12 after the promotion. Stone sells instalments up to 21x on its machines but publishes no machine instalment rate. Its standard schedule pays each instalment 30, 60, 90 days and so on after the sale, unless you anticipate.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
MEI or micro business selling a few thousand reais a month
Recommended
PagBank
PagBank's prices are published, its machines cost R$15.00 to R$196.08 with no rent, and its Essencial plan has no minimum. Stone usually rents its machines and waives the rent only above sales targets it does not publish. StoneCo also runs a separate brand, Ton, which we have not compared here.
Established shop or franchise that can negotiate
Recommended
Stone
Stone prices machines per business, advertises debit from 0.74% and credit from 2.99%, and pairs them with phone and WhatsApp support and field agents who handle deliveries and maintenance within 48 hours. Get the offer, rent and anticipation surcharge in writing, then check it against PagBank's published Super Max rates (1.44% debit, 3.49% credit) and the larger-merchant plans PagBank quotes above R$5,000 a month.
Business that needs card money the same day
Recommended
PagBank
PagBank publishes its same-day prices: 1.99% debit and 4.99% one-off credit for Visa and Mastercard. Stone offers same-day automatic anticipation but adds an unpublished surcharge to its rates, so you cannot compare it until you have a written quote.
Selling with only a phone, at events or on delivery
Both turn a phone into a contactless terminal with no rent. TapStone lists 1.90% for one-off credit against 3.14% on PagBank's Tap On, and debit costs about the same. Tap On states that it pays the same day. Check when TapStone pays you before relying on its lower rate.
Stone: Best for 1 use case
PagBank: Best for 2 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
It cannot be settled from published prices. PagBank publishes its machine rates. For Visa and Mastercard, debit is 1.99% paid the same day, and one-off credit is 3.19% at 30 days or 4.99% the same day. The Super Max plan charges 1.44% debit and 3.49% credit after its promotion. Stone quotes machine rates per business and advertises only floor rates, debit from 0.74% and credit from 2.99%. You also pay rent unless you reach Stone's unpublished sales targets. For tap on phone, TapStone lists 1.90% for one-off credit against 3.14% on Tap On, as of October 2026, but Tap On pays the same day and TapStone's page does not say when it pays.
On Stone, usually yes, unless you reach its sales targets. The machine stays Stone's property: its contract defines a monthly rent payable whether or not you use the machine, and also provides for a loaned machine against a one-off sign-up fee. Its site says the rent is waived depending on your sales. It publishes neither the amounts nor the targets. PagBank sells its machines outright, from R$15.00 to R$196.08 as listed in October 2026, with no rent, monthly fee or sign-up fee.
Stone's help centre gives a default schedule, which it says does not apply to every client: it pays debit one business day after the sale, one-off credit after 30 days, and instalment sales one instalment a month. You can switch on automatic anticipation for same-day or next-day payment, which adds an unpublished amount to your rate. PagBank lets you pick same day, 14 days or 30 days, each at its own published rate. Same-day money reaches the PagBank account within an hour for chip-and-PIN and contactless sales, after a security check.
Yes. Stone's general terms run indefinitely and let you end them on 30 days' notice without charge or penalty, but you must return rented machines within 5 business days or pay their full value. PagBank's contract lets either side end it at any time without a reason. You own the machine, but you must withdraw your balance before the account closes.
Stone belongs to StoneCo Ltd., listed on Nasdaq as STNE since 25 October 2018. Merchants sign with Stone Instituição de Pagamento S.A., a Central Bank-authorised acquirer. StoneCo also runs Ton, a separate brand. PagBank is the brand of PagSeguro Digital Ltd., listed on the NYSE as PAGS since January 2018 and controlled by the internet group UOL. It began in 2006 as UOL's PagSeguro and has traded as PagBank since May 2023.
Reclame Aqui blocked our check on 22 October 2026, so we could not confirm either company's current standing. When we read PagBank's page on 8 October 2026 it held the RA1000 reputation with a score of 8.7, and 90.5% of 20,484 complaints over April to September 2026 were resolved; its recent complaints were mostly about blocked accounts and held balances. Stone's own website claims the RA1000 certificate, with a score of 9.0 on its homepage and 9.2 on its card-machine page, which we could not check against Reclame Aqui. Look at both live pages before signing.
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