The Best International Payment Processors For Selling Across Borders
Many payment services specialize in specific types of business, so find one that matches your risk profile and operates in the markets you're hoping to break into.
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Expert Analyst & Reviewer
UPDATED
Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.
Selling across borders can expand your business’s market exponentially, but if you want to be able to take a payment from thousands of miles away, you’re going to need an international payment processor.
Below, we’ll take a look at how international payment processing works and some of the best options for international merchant accounts.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Best For | Next StepsBest For |
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PaymentCloud  |
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Stripe Payments  |
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Helcim  |
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Durango Merchant Services  |
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2Checkout  |
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| Show More Options | ||
Authorize.Net  |
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PayPal  |
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Adyen  |
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GoCardless  |
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| Show Fewer Options |
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
Table of Contents [hide][show]
- What Is An International Merchant Account?
- The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
- 1. PaymentCloud: Best For High-Risk eCommerce Businesses
- 2. Stripe: Best For Handling Multiple Currencies
- 3. Helcim: Best For Interchange-Plus Pricing
- 4. Durango Merchant Services: Best For High-Risk Merchants In Supported Markets
- 5. 2Checkout: Best For eCommerce Tools
- 6. Authorize.Net: Best Standalone Payment Gateway For International Sales
- 7. PayPal/Braintree: Best For Raw International Reach
- 8. Adyen: Best For Large, Established Businesses
- 9. GoCardless: Best For Recurring Bank-Based Payments
- Understanding International Payment Methods
- Why You Need A Great International Payment Gateway
- 10 Concerns For International Credit Card Processing & International Payment Gateways
- How To Choose The Best International Payment Processing For Your Business
- FAQS: International Payment Processors
- In Summary: The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
Table of Contents
- What Is An International Merchant Account?
- The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
- 1. PaymentCloud: Best For High-Risk eCommerce Businesses
- PaymentCloud Features
- PaymentCloud Pricing
- Where PaymentCloud Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 2. Stripe: Best For Handling Multiple Currencies
- Stripe Features
- Stripe Pricing
- Where Stripe Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 3. Helcim: Best For Interchange-Plus Pricing
- Helcim Features
- Helcim Pricing
- Where Helcim Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 4. Durango Merchant Services: Best For High-Risk Merchants In Supported Markets
- Durango Merchant Services Features
- Durango Merchant Services Pricing
- Where Durango Merchant Services Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 5. 2Checkout: Best For eCommerce Tools
- 2Checkout Features
- 2Checkout Pricing
- Where 2Checkout Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 6. Authorize.Net: Best Standalone Payment Gateway For International Sales
- Authorize.Net Features
- Authorize.Net Pricing
- Where Authorize.Net Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 7. PayPal/Braintree: Best For Raw International Reach
- PayPal/Braintree Features
- PayPal/Braintree Pricing
- Where PayPal and Braintree Really Shine For International Payment Processing
- 8. Adyen: Best For Large, Established Businesses
- Adyen Features
- Adyen Pricing
- Where Adyen Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- 9. GoCardless: Best For Recurring Bank-Based Payments
- GoCardless Features
- GoCardless Pricing
- Where GoCardless Really Shines For International Payment Processing
- Understanding International Payment Methods
- Why You Need A Great International Payment Gateway
- 10 Concerns For International Credit Card Processing & International Payment Gateways
- How To Choose The Best International Payment Processing For Your Business
- FAQS: International Payment Processors
- In Summary: The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
What Is An International Merchant Account?
An international merchant account allows a business to accept and process payments online using the local currencies of customers living in other countries worldwide.
For example, if you’re an American merchant selling to a British customer, an international merchant account would allow you to accept payment in pounds sterling in addition to US dollars. Depending on the gateway, it may convert the foreign currency for you or route it to a bank account specifically set up for that currency.
International Merchant Accounts As High-Risk Accounts
Businesses in high-risk industries sometimes seek international merchant accounts if their industry isn’t well-served by domestic merchant services. This is out of the scope of this particular article, but you can find what you’re looking for in our best offshore merchant account providers feature.
The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
Here are the best international merchant services that provide international payment processing, international payment gateways, and international merchant accounts for a variety of circumstances. Our selection criteria evaluates cost, transparency, freedom burdensome contracts, and features.
1. PaymentCloud: Best For High-Risk eCommerce Businesses
PaymentCloud |
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Exclusive Promo: PaymentCloud will give you $200 if they can't beat your current rate. Get Your Quote
Pros
- No account setup fee
- High-risk merchants supported
- Reasonable rates and fees
Cons
- No publicly-disclosed pricing
- Limited support for point of sale
PaymentCloud specializes in card-not-present transactions, which includes, of course, eCommerce. The processor uses Authorize.Net (which is also on this list) for its payment gateway, which can give you a sense of what it can offer in terms of international reach.
2. Stripe: Best For Handling Multiple Currencies
Stripe Payments |
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Pros
- Excellent global reach
- No early termination fees
- Excellent market
Cons
- Account stability issues
- Technical skill required to get the most out of it
Stripe is a developer-centric payment processor that also just happens to boast exhaustive support for foreign currencies and payment methods.
Get Started With Stripe Payments
3. Helcim: Best For Interchange-Plus Pricing
Helcim |
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Pros
- Interchange-plus pricing
- No early termination fees
- No monthly fees
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Not suitable for high-risk industries
At Merchant Maverick, we tend to be pretty big fans of interchange-plus pricing. It is, by far, the most transparent way to bill for payment processing, letting you know exactly where your fees are coming from and how much you’re paying for each swipe. Helcim offers interchange-plus pricing and more, making it well worth your consideration as an international processor.
4. Durango Merchant Services: Best For High-Risk Merchants In Supported Markets
Durango Merchant Services |
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Pros
- High-risk merchant support
- No early termination fee for most customers
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Tiered pricing
- No public fee disclosure
High-risk merchants get a bad rap in the payment processing industry and are often shunned by popular services. That said, there are payment processors that think selling a little CBD oil isn’t such a big deal. Durango Merchant Services falls into the latter category and, while it isn’t necessarily the cheapest option on the block, offers a quality service with international capabilities.
Get Started With Durango Merchant Services
5. 2Checkout: Best For eCommerce Tools
2Checkout |
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Pros
- Predictable flat-rate pricing
- Month-to-month agreements
- Excellent international reach
- Excellent online sales tools
Cons
- Account stability issues
- Not suitable for in-person transactions
2Checkout is an eCommerce-only payments platform with a very well-developed set of tools designed to monetize digital sales.
Just be aware that 2Checkout doesn’t offer any support for card-present transactions at all, so it’s not a good solution for businesses that also engage in brick-and-mortar retail. Also, keep in mind that 2Checkout is a third-party processor, so it’s not a good fit for high-risk merchants.
6. Authorize.Net: Best Standalone Payment Gateway For International Sales
Authorize.Net |
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Pros
- Can be used with many different merchant accounts providers
- Broad support for international transactions
- Month-to-month billing
Cons
- Usually cheaper when bundled with another service
- Currency support is regionally limited
eCommerce requires both a payment processor and a payment gateway. Many payment processors offer gateway support with their service or as an add-on. In the case of Authorize.Net, it’s the reverse. It’s a payment gateway that offers optional merchant account services through its partners.
Get Started With Authorize.Net
7. PayPal/Braintree: Best For Raw International Reach
PayPal |
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Pros
- Trusted by customers
- Incredible international reach
- Extensive payment platform infrastructure
Cons
- Account stability issues (PayPal)
- May require some technical knowledge (Braintree)
- Can be more expensive than competitors
When it comes to online payments, no brand has the name recognition and reach of PayPal. While it has few unique qualities, Braintree has been owned by PayPal since 2013, so we’re grouping the two branded services into one entry.
8. Adyen: Best For Large, Established Businesses
Adyen |
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Pros
- Excellent international support
- No setup or application fees
- No monthly fees
Cons
- Monthly minimums
- Not suitable for high-risk businesses
- Mixed customer reviews
Adyen powers the transactions of corporate giants, such as McDonald’s, Microsoft, and eBay. As you might guess, these companies have substantial international processing needs, which Adyen can accommodate.
9. GoCardless: Best For Recurring Bank-Based Payments
GoCardless |
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Pros
- Cost-effective credit card alternative
- Excellent for recurring billing
- Real-time currency conversion for international sales
Cons
- No credit card support
- On the pricey side for domestic ACH
GoCardless, as the name implies, is a direct debit payment solution focused on recurring and subscription payments rather than credit cards. Businesses can use ACH transactions within the US, or internationally through Wise to collect payments across borders.
Understanding International Payment Methods
As you might expect when dealing with the entire world, payment methods and systems have developed independently. That means that the international payments scene is largely fragmented, with narrow bridges connecting all of these systems. Traditionally the solution has been wire transfers, a fairly quick but expensive way of sending money long distances, and one generally not suited to high-volume payment processing.
So what about other payment methods?
Well, it’s complicated.
For example, the United States uses a system called the automated clearing house (ACH) to handle bank-to-bank transfers. Within the States, it’s a nearly ubiquitous part of settling transactions ranging from credit cards to moving money in and out of your digital wallet. And yet, ACH generally isn’t an option in much of the rest of the world. Much of Europe uses a system called SEPA, for example. In China, it’s a system called CNAPS. And that’s just bank-to-bank transfers.
Some payment processors and peer-to-peer payment methods (such as PayPal and Wise) can serve as a bridge between the underlying payment systems in different countries. You’ll often be charged a markup for international transactions and currency conversions, but this will usually be significantly less than the fee for wiring money.
Why You Need A Great International Payment Gateway
When you’re dealing with eCommerce, sooner or later, you’re going to run into the concept of a payment gateway. While they sound similar, they are not the same thing as payment processors.
Payment Processors
A payment processor is required for completing any card-based transaction. The processor transmits the sale and card information from the point of sale (you, the merchant) to and between the issuing bank (the cardholder’s bank) and the acquiring bank (your bank). The processor will provide a merchant account or aggregate you into a collective merchant account in the case of a third-party processor, which will temporarily hold the payment and deduct all applicable fees from it.
You never directly access your merchant account. Instead, funds will be transferred to your bank account from it automatically once all the background processing is complete.
Payment Gateways
A payment gateway adds another step to this process. It securely transmits data to the payment processor and communicates to the customer whether the transaction has been accepted or declined. Gateways can also do substantially more, such as provide support for multiple currencies and allow you to do business overseas. You can think of a gateway as being the “online” portion of your payment services. So while a gateway is optional for an in-person card transaction, it’s necessary for any online purchase.
If you’re doing business overseas without a physical retail location in that market, you’ll need a gateway with international capabilities.
Some payment services companies are “full-stack” service providers, meaning they combine the functionality of a payment processor and a payment gateway into a single service. This includes companies such as Square and Stripe. It also means you can’t mix and match your merchant account and your gateway; they’re joined at the hip.
10 Concerns For International Credit Card Processing & International Payment Gateways
Some additional things to keep in mind when you’re accepting international payments include:
How To Choose The Best International Payment Processing For Your Business
Choosing the best international payment processing provider for your business can be a pretty complicated decision. Many payment services specialize in handling a specific type of business, so you’ll want to pick one that matches your risk profile and operates in the markets you’re hoping to break into. Consider any other perks they offer that will make it easier for you to present and sell your particular product. And finally, pay as little as necessary for the features you need.
In the meantime, we can offer more information about specific topics we were only able to touch on in this post. Want to know more about what to expect from cross-border fees? Curious about what other payment types you might encounter out in the wild? We can teach you everything you need to know about alternative payment methods.
FAQS: International Payment Processors
In Summary: The 9 Best International Merchant Services Companies
- PaymentCloud:
- Best for high-risk eCommerce businesses
- 12 currencies supported
- Supports business in US, Australia, and Canada
- Stripe Payments:
- Best for handling multiple currencies
- 135 currencies supported
- Supports businesses in over 47 countries
- Helcim:
- Best for interchange-plus pricing
- Supports US and Canadian dollars
- Supports businesses in the US and Canada
- Durango Merchant Services:
- Best for high-risk merchants in supported markets
- Supports 5+ currencies
- Supports businesses in US, Canada, Europe, and Panama
- 2Checkout:
- Best for eCommerce tools
- Supports 100+ currencies
- Supports businesses in over 200 countries
- Authorize.Net:
- Best standalone gateway for international sales
- Supports 11 currencies
- Supports businesses in US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia
- PayPal:
- Best for raw international reach
- Supports 45+ currencies
- Supports businesses in 45 countries
- Adyen:
- Best for large, established businesses
- Supports 36 currencies
- Supports businesses in Europe, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, and the US
- GoCardless:
- Best for recurring bank-based payments
- Supports 8 currencies
- Supports businesses in the UK, Eurozone, Sweden, Denmark, US, Australia, and Canada
Chris Motola
Expert Analyst & Reviewer at Merchant Maverick
An expert in personal and business loans and financial health, Chris Motola has been writing about small business finance and payments for over 5 years. He has been cited in various industry publications, including Forbes Advisor, GoBankingRates, and Medium. Chris is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.
View Chris Motola's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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