WooCommerce Payment Gateway Alternatives to Stripe

Stripe is a solid default. Clean API, wide support, easy WooCommerce integration; there’s a reason so many stores start with it. But “easy to start with” doesn’t always mean “best to stick with,” especially if your margins are tightening and you’re a UK-based business watching transaction fees chip away at every order.

So what are your actual WooCommerce payment alternatives worth considering?

The case for switching (or at least adding options)

Stripe charges 1.5% + £0.20 per domestic UK transaction. That’s not extortionate, but it compounds. European cards jumped to 2.5% + £0.20, and non-European cards hit 3.25% + £0.20. Add a dispute? That’s £20 per chargeback. Refund? Stripe keeps the fixed fee regardless.

Meanwhile, the UK’s open banking landscape has shifted dramatically. According to Open Banking Limited’s 2025 Impact Report, 31 million open banking payments were made in March 2025 alone. That is a 70% year-on-year increase. One in five UK consumers and small businesses now actively uses open banking. That’s not a niche anymore.

Top WooCommerce payment gateway alternatives

A closer look at each

PayPal is still the most recognisable name at checkout, and that familiarity drives conversions. The downside? At 2.9% + £0.30, it’s the most expensive on this list for domestic UK transactions and customers get redirected off-site unless you pay for the advanced integration.

Square offers the lowest percentage rate at 1.4% + £0.25 for UK cards, making it attractive for higher-volume stores. It also syncs inventory with Square POS, which is useful if you sell in-person too.

WooPayments (powered by Stripe) is the native option. Everything is managed inside your WordPress dashboard. Pricing sits at 1.75% + £0.30, though watch out for the additional 1% fee on subscription payments if you’re running a membership or subscription-based store.

GoCardless is worth a mention for B2B merchants or anyone offering subscriptions. It specialises in Direct Debit and is a genuinely lower-cost option for recurring billing without the card network overhead.

The one worth watching: Pay by Bank via Atoa

Here’s where it gets interesting for UK merchants specifically. Pay by Bank is a payment method that bypasses card networks entirely. 

For WooCommerce stores, Atoa’s Pay by Bank integration plugs directly into checkout, letting customers pay straight from their bank account via secure open banking APIs. Settlement is faster, fees are lower than card-based alternatives, and there’s no chargeback risk in the traditional sense.

If you’re running a UK-focused store and card fees are genuinely affecting your margins, it’s the most compelling WooCommerce Stripe alternative on this list.

The bottom line

Whether you’re looking to cut transaction costs, speed up settlement, or simply give customers more ways to pay, there’s a WooCommerce payment plugin for it. The best setups often combine a card-based gateway for familiarity with a lower-cost alternative like Pay by Bank for those who are happy to skip the card altogether. Start with what your customers need at checkout, then let the fees follow.