Stripe vs. Braintree: Which is Right for Your Business?

Lea LeBlanc on February 24, 2021

If your eCommerce business needs an online payment processor, perhaps you are considering Stripe vs. Braintree.

Online payment platforms make it possible to send and receive payments. No matter how great your company may be, all business owners should thoroughly research the available financial service platforms and choose the best one for their needs. 

Keep reading for an overview of Stripe vs. Braintree, as well as how Baremetrics can expertly analyze data from both platforms. 

What is Stripe?

stripe vs. braintree

For those who are not yet familiar, Stripe is essentially a one-stop-shop financial solution for eCommerce businesses that was founded in 2010.

Specializing in market and subscription payments, many eCommerce companies favor this third-party processor because it is quick, easy, and cost-effective. With the help of Stripe’s API, businesses can build their eCommerce environments with ease.

What is Braintree?

stripe vs. braintree

Braintree is a PayPal company that provides online-only credit card processing for all businesses, including those who sell internationally.

Founded in 2013, it is considered an especially great platform for startups, and unlike its parent company; it accepts payments outside of the credit, debit, and PayPal transactions.

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Stripe vs. Braintree: Similarities

As mentioned, these platforms are used to help eCommerce businesses build their own payment gateways. They are also both known to serve forward-thinking businesses that are often large and lucrative. 

Using innovative tools and software, these platforms allow companies to thrive as they provide the technology necessary to easily process and receive payments.

Read on for Stripe vs. Braintree features: 

  • Payment Processing
    • Each of these platforms makes it possible to process payments to and from businesses and individuals with whom your company is doing business. They also both have the same exact processing rate: A flat rate of 2.9% + $0.30.
  • Currency Support
    • Another feature that each of these platforms offers is currency support. Each of them is capable of supporting foreign currencies, which makes it possible for people to acquire new customers and collaborators all across the globe.
  • Customer Support
    • Similarly, each of these platforms offers customer support, which is imperative to help settle disputes, explain charges, and more. 
    • Building your company’s online customer support services? Not sure where to start? Check out our guide!
  • Programmable Language Support
    • Given that each of these platforms is heavily geared towards developers, they both provide programmable language support of languages such as Android/iOS, Java, .NET, Python, PHP, Ruby, and Node.js.
  • Reporting
    • Both of these platforms offer reporting tools that calculate vital metrics and generate basic reports. Customized reports are available for a monthly fee.
    • For even deeper knowledge into the most important SaaS metrics including churn, MRR, and ARR, start a free trial of Baremetrics today! 

Stripe vs. Braintree: Differences 

For a robust Stripe vs. Braintree comparison, we must consider how the platforms differ. 

  • Payment Options
    •  On the whole, Braintree offers more payment options as Stripe does not accept PayPal, Venmo, or UnIonPay, and only accepts ACH in local markets.
    • However, Stripe does accept other forms of payments in local markets only, such as Bancontact, EPS, SOFORT, P24, and others.
  • Stability vs. Speed
    • While Stripe offers speedier payments, Braintree’s payments are known for being more stable.
  • Gateway Usability
    • Braintree allows its users to use its gateway independent of its merchant services, while Stripe’s payments and services are a popular package deal.  

Stripe vs. Braintree: Pros and Cons

Stripe Pros

  • Ease of Use
    • Signing up is easy, and navigating the non-development part of the platform is relatively simple, as well. 
  • Pricing
    • Many companies prefer to use Stripe because it offers flat-rate fees that are competitive when compared to alternative services.
  • No Cancellation Fees
    • Stripe has somewhat of an open-door policy as there are no extra fees for setup, cancellation, or account maintenance.
  • Ease of Integration 
    • Thanks to its popularity, Stripe has many different integrations with third-party services—such as Baremetrics, which gives you smarter analytics about your Stripe transactions. Get started with a free trial today! 

Stripe Cons

  • Skill Needed to do Customization 
    • Although Stripe offers a wide variety of customization options, implementing them may actually require the help of a developer.

Braintree Pros

  • Fewer Fees
    • One of the top reasons many companies love Braintree is that it charges customers fewer fees. They offer standard rates and many free features.
  • Developer Tools
    • Another benefit of Braintree is that it offers tools that make customizing your payment solution easy and cost-effective.

Braintree Cons

  • Expensive to Add Existing Merchant Accounts
    • Braintree includes a dedicated merchant account when users sign up. If you wish to keep your existing one, Braintree will charge a fee. 

Stripe vs. Braintree: Conclusion

Whether you ultimately decide to go with Stripe or Braintree, every organization needs to have a firm grasp of how cash is flowing throughout the business.

That’s why Baremetrics has built a powerful, yet user-friendly analytics tool for Stripe users that uncovers hidden trends and insights in your data. With more clarity, you can make smarter, data-driven predictions and decisions for your business. 

Looking for a robust, feature-rich analytics platform that will empower you to get more from Stripe? Sign up today to start your free trial of Baremetrics.

Lea LeBlanc

Lea is passionate about impactful businesses, good writing, and the stories founders have to tell. When she’s not writing about SaaS topics, you can find her trying new recipes in her tiny Tokyo kitchen.