As purchases in online stores become more relevant in the consumer’s daily life, having the ability to accept a wide variety of payment methods becomes increasingly important in an online store. Therefore, choosing your payment gateway well not only saves you headaches, but can also make the difference between a completed sale and an abandoned cart.
What is a payment gateway?
It is the bridge that guarantees the secure transfer from a bank account or cards to the e-commerce account. It must be efficient and, above all, have a promise of data confidentiality, so that it keeps the information of the consumer and the business safe.
Factors to consider when choosing a good payment gateway
Choosing a single tool that is so important for an online store becomes even more complex with all the options that exist in the market. Some points that you should keep in mind when choosing are:
Variety in payment methods
The goal is to offer the greatest possible flexibility in terms of payment types, even in some e-commerce platforms, it is also important to accept cash deposits in stores, which allow users who do not have a bank account to make their purchase online. The more options you accept, the easier it will be for the final buyer.
Transaction fees
The commission of the payment gateways is a key factor in its choice, especially so as not to affect the profit margin of your business. If you sell products with a low profit margin, the ideal is to opt for a gateway with low commissions so as not to eat into the profits. On the other hand, if you sell higher value products, you can afford to pay a slightly higher commission, as long as the gateway offers you extra advantages such as greater security, a top user experience or brand recognition that generates trust.
Security and integration
Your payment gateway must integrate seamlessly with your e-commerce platform, shopping cart, and any other tools you use in your online store. That integration has to be fluid and without friction. On the other hand, this process is expected to be secure and protect the financial data of the buyer. Some payment gateways even have integrated fraud detection tools for added security.
Promotions and brand recognition
There are payment gateways that are much more recognized by users than others, and having at least one of these in your online store always adds points because it gives the customer confidence. Another advantage of the most positioned payment gateways is that they are constantly making promotions to which they can invite you to participate. In some cases, they even assume the cost of the discount themselves, which is a great point because it does not affect your pricing strategy or your margins.
Choose the best payment gateway for your online store
Considering the above points, we share the 6 most used payment gateways in Spain and some of their benefits and commissions so you can choose the one that best suits your online store.
1. Redsys
✅ Benefits:
- It is the most used by Spanish banks (CaixaBank, BBVA, Santander, etc.).
- Allows payments by card (Visa, MasterCard, etc.).
- Very reliable and secure.
- Support in Spanish and good integration with virtual POS.
💸 Commissions:
- Negotiable directly with the bank.
- They usually range between 0.4% and 0.9% per operation.
- No fixed monthly fee in most cases.
Ideal for: businesses that work mainly with Spanish banks and want a local option.
2. Stripe
✅ Benefits:
- Easy integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop, etc.
- Very intuitive and modern.
- Supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, 1-click payments, etc.
- Very useful for international sales.
💸 Commissions:
- 1.4% + €0.25 per European card.
- 2.9% + €0.25 for cards outside the EEA (European Economic Area).
- No monthly fees or hidden costs.
Ideal for: more international e-commerce, international clients and teams with some technical knowledge.
3. PayPal
✅ Benefits:
- Ultra known by users, which generates trust.
- Fast, secure, and without the need to enter card details.
- Useful for those who also sell in marketplaces such as eBay or Etsy.
💸 Commissions:
- 2.9% + €0.35 per standard operation in Spain.
- There may be more charges for currency conversion or international payments.
Ideal for: stores that want to offer a fast and secure payment option, especially at the start of the business.
4. Bizum (integrated in Redsys and other POS)
✅ Benefits:
- Very popular in Spain, especially among young people.
- Fast: the customer pays from their mobile without entering a card.
- Secure and backed by Spanish banks.
💸 Commissions:
- Depending on the bank, but they usually range from €0.15 – €0.25 per operation.
- Some entities apply a monthly fee (check with your bank).
Ideal for: businesses that sell in Spain and want to facilitate immediate payments.
5. Shopify Payments
✅ Benefits:
- Native integration in Shopify stores (without third parties).
- Supports Stripe and multiple payment methods (cards, Apple Pay, etc.).
- There is no extra commission for using Stripe within Shopify.
💸 Commissions:
- 1.8% + €0.25 in Spain for the basic plan.
- Better rates in higher plans.
- No additional gateway fees if you use Shopify Payments.
Ideal for: stores built on Shopify that want simplicity and control.
6. Klarna
✅ Benefits:
- Allows you to pay in installments without interest for the customer.
- Increases the average ticket (customers buy more).
- Very popular in fashion and technology.
💸 Commissions:
- Between 2.49% and 5.99% + a fixed fee per transaction.
- Depends on the type of financing and country.
Ideal for: e-commerce with medium-high price products that want to offer fractional payment.
In conclusion, before deciding on one or the other, think about your target audience, your sales volume and how that gateway fits within your digital marketing strategy. For example:
- Is your audience young? Include Bizum.
- Do you have customers outside of Spain? Stripe or PayPal are suitable for you.
- Do you have a good relationship with your bank? Negotiate a competitive rate with Redsys.
And remember, the ideal is not to have only one option, but to combine several so that the customer chooses the one that suits them best. Do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with us to offer you the payment gateway that best suits your website and configure everything necessary for your online store to take off.
