Head to head
Stripe vs Airwallex
Which payment gateway keeps more in your pocket? We rank both purely on total monthly cost — then weigh contract, settlement and reviews. Independent, with no paid placements.
The Compayr verdict
Weighing cost, contract and reviews together, Stripe edges out Airwallex as the stronger all-round choice for most merchants.
At a sample $20,000 in monthly card sales, the two finish neck-and-neck on total monthly cost — so the decision really rides on the finer details below.
Choose Stripe if you want…
- stronger independent merchant reviews
Choose Airwallex if you want…
- a payments partner built for businesses selling internationally that want multi-currency accounts and FX savings.
Side by side
| Feature | Stripe | Airwallex |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost / month | $440/mo | $440/mo |
| Card rate (ex-GST) | 1.70% | 1.70% |
| Fixed monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Hardware from | — | — |
| Chargeback fee | $25 | $25 |
| Settlement speed | Standard payouts (2–3 days) | Varies by currency |
| Contract | No lock-in | No lock-in |
| Merchant rating | 4.6/5 | 4.2/5 |
Figures as advertised, estimated at a sample $20,000 in monthly card sales. A highlighted cell marks the better result on that row.
Stripe
Best for: Online-first businesses, SaaS and marketplaces needing powerful APIs.
Airwallex
Best for: Businesses selling internationally that want multi-currency accounts and FX savings.
Leaning towards Stripe?
Run your own numbers by sector in our free calculator — or let us audit and negotiate for you.
Compayr may earn a referral fee when a merchant switches via our links. This never affects rankings, which are based purely on lowest total monthly cost. Quote-only providers are never ranked as cheapest while a complete-cost option exists. Rates last verified 2026-07-19. This head-to-head is generated from published pricing and independent review scores — always confirm current pricing with each provider before switching.