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Stripe vs PayPal for creators: fees, payouts, disputes and subscriptions compared

Stripe vs PayPal for creators: UK, US and EU fees, payout timing, disputes, subscriptions and buyer trust, and how WithMe uses each. Checked 11 Nov 2026.

WithMe Team·11 November 2026

For most creators selling courses, coaching and memberships, Stripe is the better main processor: its standard card fees are lower than PayPal's checkout rate in the UK, the US and the EU, it handles subscriptions and payment plans well, and it powers the checkout of most creator platforms. PayPal's strength is buyer trust: some people would rather pay with their PayPal account than type in a card. If you sell to those buyers, PayPal is worth adding as an extra option, not as your only one.

WithMe is $25 per month billed annually (UK £25), with a 14-day trial and 0% WithMe commission. Stripe and PayPal fees still apply. More than 8,000 creators use it. Stripe and PayPal fees below are from stripe.com and paypal.com, checked on 11 November 2026.

What is the short answer?

Fees: Stripe's standard card rates are lower than PayPal's checkout rates in the UK, the US and Ireland.
Payouts: Stripe pays out to your bank on a schedule. PayPal holds money in your PayPal balance until you transfer it.
Recurring payments: both support subscriptions. Stripe is what most creator platforms build their memberships and payment plans on.
Buyer trust: PayPal is a familiar brand, and buyers can pay without sharing card details. Stripe checkouts offer Apple Pay, Google Pay and Link instead.

How do Stripe and PayPal fees compare?

These are the standard published rates for online payments. Both offer lower custom pricing at high volume, and both charge more for international payments and currency conversion. Stripe's standard rates:

UK: 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 2.8% + 20p for premium UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p for international cards, plus 2% for currency conversion.
US: 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% for currency conversion.
Ireland: 1.5% + €0.25 for standard EEA cards, 2.8% + €0.25 for premium EEA cards, 2.5% + €0.25 for UK cards and 3.15% + €0.25 for international cards, plus 2% for currency conversion.

PayPal UK: 2.9% + £0.30 for PayPal checkout payments, plus 1.29% for buyers in the EEA and 1.99% for buyers elsewhere. Card payments without a PayPal account start at 1.2% + £0.30.
PayPal US: 3.49% + $0.49 for PayPal checkout payments, plus 1.5% for international payments. Standard card payments are 2.99% + $0.49.
PayPal Ireland: 3.40% + €0.35 for PayPal checkout payments, with no surcharge for EEA buyers, 1.29% for UK buyers and 1.99% for buyers elsewhere. Card payments without a PayPal account start at 1.20% + €0.35.

An example, not a quote: on a £100 coaching session paid with a standard UK card, Stripe's fee is £1.70. The same £100 paid through PayPal checkout costs £3.20. On a $100 sale in the US, Stripe's fee is $3.20 and PayPal checkout's is $3.98. Neither returns its original fee when you refund a payment.

How fast do you get paid?

Stripe pays your balance out to your bank on a schedule you set in Stripe, such as daily, weekly or monthly. Stripe says the first payout typically arrives 7 to 14 days after your first live payment. After that, Stripe's standard timing is 2 business days in the US and 3 business days in the UK and the EU, though Stripe can keep some accounts on longer timing.

PayPal keeps money in your PayPal balance until you move it. A standard transfer to your bank is free and typically takes 1 to 3 business days, according to PayPal's US help centre. An Instant Transfer usually arrives within minutes and costs extra: 1.5%, minimum $0.50, in the US. New sellers on either service can see funds held while the account builds a history.

What happens when a buyer disputes a payment?

Stripe charges a fee for each dispute received: £20 in the UK, $15 in the US and €20 in Ireland. If you counter the dispute, Stripe charges the same again, and refunds that second fee if you win. You respond with evidence from your Stripe dashboard.

PayPal charges a dispute fee on claims raised through PayPal: £12 in the UK, $15 in the US and €14 in Ireland, doubled for sellers with a high dispute rate, and a chargeback fee of £14, $20 or €16 on card payments. PayPal Seller Protection can cover digital goods, but only with conditions such as proof of delivery, and it never covers a claim that an item was significantly not as described.

Which is better for subscriptions and payment plans?

Both handle recurring payments. Stripe runs subscriptions through Stripe Billing, which its pricing page lists at 0.7% of billing volume on pay-as-you-go, on top of card fees. PayPal supports subscriptions with daily, weekly, monthly or yearly billing through PayPal Subscriptions.

In practice, the choice is usually made by your platform. Memberships, retainers and payment plans with set instalments are built on Stripe in most creator platforms, because Stripe can charge the same card again on schedule and report a failed payment straight back to the platform, so access can follow.

Which do buyers trust more?

PayPal is one of the best-known names in online payments. Some buyers, especially for a first purchase from someone they found on social media, would rather pay with a PayPal account than type in a card number, and PayPal handles their claims if something goes wrong.

Stripe is mostly invisible to buyers: they see your checkout, not Stripe's brand. It makes up for that with wallets: Apple Pay and Google Pay let a buyer pay with a saved card in a tap, and Link remembers their details across Stripe checkouts. Klarna, where Stripe offers it, lets them split a one-off price into instalments.

How does WithMe use Stripe and PayPal?

Every WithMe checkout runs on Stripe. Creators who connect Stripe now get a Standard Stripe account, connected through Stripe Connect, and payments go straight into that account. WithMe takes 0% commission, so Stripe's fee is the only deduction, and Stripe pays out to your bank on your Stripe payout schedule.

Buyers pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. PayPal, Klarna and Link show up when you turn them on in your Stripe account, where Stripe offers them; the Payment methods tile in WithMe takes you there. Memberships, recurring 1:1 coaching and payment plans are all charged through Stripe.

You don't need a separate PayPal business account. Your WithMe checkout runs on your own Stripe account, so PayPal works as a Stripe payment method: turn it on under Payment methods in your Stripe dashboard and it shows at your checkout. Stripe offers PayPal to businesses in the UK and Europe, and charges 0.2% + 10p in the UK, or 0.2% + €0.10 in Ireland, on top of PayPal's own fees.

How do you set up payments on WithMe?

Start the 14-day trial and connect Stripe from the launch checklist or the Payouts page. You sign in to Stripe, or create an account, through Stripe Connect.
Set your main currency and your Default page currency, or Automatic. Prices show in GBP, USD, EUR, SEK, AUD, CAD and NZD.
Open the Payment methods tile and turn on Klarna and Link in Stripe, where Stripe offers them in your country.
If you need VAT or sales tax calculated, open the Tax tile and turn on Stripe Tax, which Stripe charges for separately.
Check your payout schedule in your Stripe settings, then open one of your products as a buyer would and check which payment methods its checkout shows.

What is not included?

WithMe does not connect a separate PayPal business account: PayPal works through your Stripe account. WithMe does not calculate or file tax. Fees on this page are standard published rates and change: check stripe.com and paypal.com for your country before you decide.

How much does WithMe cost?

WithMe is $25 per month billed annually (UK £25), with a 14-day trial and 0% WithMe commission. Stripe and PayPal fees still apply. Free migration of up to 10 GB of your courses and members comes with the yearly plan. One plan covers courses, memberships, community, coaching, webinars and digital products.

Stripe vs PayPal questions

Is Stripe or PayPal cheaper for creators?

On standard published rates, Stripe. A standard UK card on Stripe costs 1.5% + 20p, against 2.9% + £0.30 for a PayPal checkout payment. In the US it is 2.9% + 30¢ against 3.49% + $0.49 (checked 11 November 2026).

Should I offer both Stripe and PayPal?

If many of your buyers prefer PayPal and your platform supports it, offering both can help a first purchase. Keep Stripe as the main processor for subscriptions, payment plans and lower card fees.

Does WithMe support PayPal?

Yes, through Stripe. Your WithMe checkout runs on your own Stripe account, so turn PayPal on under Payment methods in your Stripe dashboard, along with Klarna and Link if you want them. Stripe offers PayPal to businesses in the UK and Europe.

How long do Stripe payouts take?

Stripe says the first payout typically takes 7 to 14 days. After that, standard timing is 2 business days in the US and 3 business days in the UK and the EU, on the schedule you set in Stripe.

What does WithMe cost?

$25 per month billed annually (UK £25), with a 14-day trial. WithMe takes 0% commission. Stripe and PayPal fees still apply.

Start your 14-day trial at https://www.withme.so/become-a-creator.