The verdict
For a small B2B team that sells software or services online, I'd pick Stripe. Most tools in your stack integrate with it, the API is well documented, and it grows from a payment link to subscriptions and tax without a switch. If you sell to consumers, run a shop or freelance and want to be paid fast, I'd offer PayPal, often as an extra method next to cards.
This does not have to be either or. Many online shops offer both. But I would not make PayPal the only layer for a software business that scales. Read the fee tables for your country, and for Dutch buyers compare iDEAL as well.
Side by side
| 6 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | ||
| Free plan | Yes | |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes |
| Dunning & churn recovery | Yes | Yes |
| Hosted self-serve checkout | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
PayPal
- Standard business accountFree
Stripe
Pricing not in our catalogue yet.
Who each is for
Choose PayPal if…
Pick PayPal if you want to be paid quickly with the least set-up. You can send a payment link or an invoice without a website, a storefront or hardware, and many customers will pay because they already trust their PayPal account.
It suits online shops, freelancers and small businesses that do not want to build a custom payment set-up. Fees depend on country, method, cross-border payments and volume, and small orders feel the fixed part most.
Seller protection has conditions, and PayPal is not built for complex billing or tax handling. If you sell subscriptions at scale, compare a billing specialist or a merchant of record.
Choose Stripe if…
Pick Stripe if you build software or sell online and have a developer, or access to one. It gives you checkout, subscriptions, invoicing, tax and fraud tools on one account, plus webhooks, a command-line tool and an official MCP server for AI assistants.
Dutch businesses can take iDEAL alongside cards. There is no plan fee, but you pay per transaction, and the add-ons are priced separately, so decide which you need on day one.
A non-technical founder will need help beyond basic payment links. Stripe is also not an accounting system, so you still need books. Once billing and tax sit there, leaving is slow.
Other options worth a look
Bills digital products as merchant of record, handling subscriptions, usage metering, tax compliance and payouts.
Handle global subscriptions, payments and tax compliance without managing VAT registration across 300+ markets.
Acts as merchant of record for software and digital product sales, handling global tax compliance.
Manages subscription billing, invoicing and revenue recognition for recurring businesses with your own payment gateways.
Send invoices, track expenses, reconcile banks and prepare VAT returns for Dutch small businesses.
Ties agency projects, time, budgets and profitability together in one place for managing client work.