Crypto Payment Gateway Comparison for Merchants

Crypto Payment Gateways: Overview

Crypto payment gateways allow merchants to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services. They handle invoice generation, payment detection, confirmation tracking, and (optionally) conversion to fiat currency. The market spans fully self-hosted open-source solutions like BTCPay Server to managed platforms like BitPay and Strike that handle compliance and fiat settlement on the merchant's behalf.

Choosing the right gateway depends on several factors: transaction fees, whether you need fiat settlement, Lightning Network support, custody model, KYC requirements, and which cryptocurrencies you want to accept. The table below provides a high-level comparison of six major gateways.

For a broader look at how crypto payment rails compare to traditional systems, see the payment gateway comparison tool and our research on merchant payment acceptance costs.

Gateway Profiles

BTCPay Server

BTCPay Server is an open-source, self-hosted payment processor with zero processing fees. Merchants pay only Bitcoin network fees (fractions of a cent via Lightning) and hosting costs, typically $10 to $30 per month for a VPS. The software supports Bitcoin on-chain, Lightning, Monero, Litecoin, and Liquid Network assets natively, with 120+ additional cryptocurrencies via community plugins.

Because BTCPay is self-hosted, there is no KYC requirement, no account creation, and no third-party custody: funds flow directly to the merchant's wallet. Integrations include WooCommerce, Shopify, PrestaShop, Magento, and 30+ other e-commerce platforms. Namecheap has processed over $73 million in Bitcoin revenue through BTCPay across 1.1 million transactions.

The tradeoff is operational responsibility. Merchants must manage their own server infrastructure, Lightning node, and channel liquidity. There is no built-in fiat conversion: merchants receive Bitcoin and must use an external exchange or off-ramp to convert to dollars. For a detailed guide on Lightning channel management, see our Lightning channel management guide.

OpenNode

OpenNode is a managed Bitcoin payment platform charging 1% per transaction with no setup or monthly fees. It supports both on-chain and Lightning payments, with fiat settlement available in USD, EUR, GBP, BRL, MXN, AUD, HKD, and CAD. Scheduled bank transfers are free; on-demand withdrawals incur an additional 1% fee.

OpenNode raised $20 million at a $220 million valuation and has partnerships with Stripe and Substack. It accepts Bitcoin only (no altcoins). KYC is required for all accounts. Lightning payment limits range from 1 satoshi to 5 BTC per transaction. The platform offers plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and a REST API for custom integrations.

Strike

Strike is a Lightning-first payment platform available in 65+ countries. It charges approximately 1% for merchant payment processing, though exact rates may vary by arrangement. Strike's core value proposition is instant fiat settlement: Bitcoin received via Lightning is converted to USD immediately, so merchants never hold crypto.

Strike offers a Shopify integration for US merchants and a developer API for custom builds. It supports Bitcoin (on-chain and Lightning) and USDT in select markets. KYC is mandatory, with weekly deposit limits of $10,000 and daily withdrawal limits of $2,000 for verified US accounts. Unlike BitPay or OpenNode, Strike's e-commerce integration options are more limited: primarily Shopify and custom API.

Coinbase Commerce (Shut Down)

Coinbase permanently shut down its Commerce platform for merchants outside the US and Singapore on March 31, 2026. The service previously charged 1% per transaction and accepted hundreds of cryptocurrencies via on-chain DEX swaps, settling to USDC. It did not support the Lightning Network.

US and Singapore merchants have been migrated to Coinbase Business, a custodial platform. Merchants previously using Coinbase Commerce should evaluate alternatives. The shutdown underscores a risk of relying on hosted, closed-source payment infrastructure: when the provider exits, merchants must scramble to migrate.

BitPay

BitPay, founded in 2011, is one of the oldest crypto payment processors. It charges tiered fees based on monthly volume: 2% + $0.25 per transaction for volumes under $500,000, dropping to 1% + $0.25 for volumes over $1 million. BitPay accepts 16+ cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE, XRP, USDC, and DAI.

BitPay provides daily fiat settlement in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, MXN, and NZD across 38 countries. It supports Lightning for Bitcoin payments. Full KYC is mandatory, with verification taking 1 to 7 days. BitPay offers plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, BigCommerce, and a REST API. Notable merchants include Microsoft and AMC Theatres.

NOWPayments

NOWPayments, part of the ChangeNOW ecosystem, supports the widest range of cryptocurrencies: 350+ tokens including major stablecoins across multiple networks. Base fees are 0.5% for single-currency payments and approximately 1% when auto-conversion is involved. Fiat withdrawals cost 1.5% to 2.3% depending on method.

KYC requirements are minimal for basic crypto-only accounts, with verification required at higher volumes or for fiat services. The platform offers plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, and a sandbox API. NOWPayments operates in 175+ countries with fiat settlement in 25+ currencies via SEPA and partner integrations. Lightning Network support is available for Bitcoin, though it is less deeply integrated than OpenNode or Strike.

Fee Comparison

Processing fees are the most immediate cost factor for merchants. The following table breaks down the full cost structure of each gateway. For context, traditional card networks charge 1.5% to 3.5% per transaction: see our merchant savings calculator to estimate potential savings from switching to crypto rails.

BTCPay Server is the clear winner on fees at 0%, but that advantage only holds if the merchant can handle self-hosting and does not need automatic fiat conversion. For merchants who need fiat settlement, OpenNode and Strike offer the simplest all-in pricing at approximately 1%. BitPay's tiered model penalizes small merchants with a 2% rate plus per-transaction fixed fee. NOWPayments has the lowest managed service base rate at 0.5%, but fiat withdrawal fees can bring the effective cost above 2%.

Lightning Network Support

The Lightning Network enables near-instant Bitcoin payments with fees typically below $0.01. For merchants, Lightning eliminates the 10-minute confirmation wait of on-chain transactions, making Bitcoin practical for point-of-sale and e-commerce checkout. Five of the six gateways compared here support Lightning, though implementation depth varies.

Strike and OpenNode treat Lightning as the primary payment rail: both route payments over Lightning by default and fall back to on-chain for larger amounts. BTCPay Server provides full Lightning node management, giving merchants complete control over channel capacity and routing fees. BitPay added Lightning support to reduce confirmation times. NOWPayments offers Lightning for Bitcoin but does not emphasize it as a primary rail.

Coinbase Commerce never supported Lightning, relying exclusively on on-chain transactions across Ethereum, Base, Polygon, and Solana. This was a significant limitation for Bitcoin-focused merchants, as on-chain fees and confirmation times made small Bitcoin payments impractical.

Settlement and Custody

How a gateway handles funds after a customer pays determines both the merchant's risk exposure and operational complexity. Custody models fall into three categories:

• Non-custodial: funds flow directly to the merchant's wallet. BTCPay Server is the only fully non-custodial option. The merchant controls keys at all times.
• Custodial: the gateway holds funds temporarily before settling to the merchant. BitPay and Strike use this model for fiat settlement. Merchants trust the gateway to process conversions and transfer funds.
• Semi-custodial: funds transit through the gateway's addresses before forwarding. OpenNode and NOWPayments use this approach: payments land in the provider's infrastructure first, then move to the merchant's wallet.

For a deeper analysis of self-custody versus custodial tradeoffs in payments, see our self-custodial vs custodial wallets research.

How to Choose a Crypto Payment Gateway

The right gateway depends on your business requirements. Here are the key decision factors:

If you want zero fees and full control: BTCPay Server. Ideal for technically capable merchants or businesses with developer resources. You accept Bitcoin directly with no intermediary, but you handle infrastructure and fiat conversion yourself.

If you need simple fiat settlement with Lightning: OpenNode or Strike. Both offer approximately 1% all-in pricing with instant Lightning support and bank settlement. Strike is strongest for US Shopify merchants. OpenNode supports more fiat currencies and has broader e-commerce integrations.

If you need multi-cryptocurrency support: NOWPayments (350+ tokens) or BitPay (16+ tokens). NOWPayments has the widest crypto coverage with lower base fees. BitPay has stronger brand recognition and longer track record with enterprise merchants.

If you operate in the Bitcoin ecosystem: merchants already using Bitcoin infrastructure should evaluate BTCPay Server for zero-fee processing or OpenNode and Strike for managed Lightning. For stablecoin payments on Bitcoin, Spark enables instant, near-zero-fee transfers of USDB without bridging to other chains: a path to dollar-denominated Bitcoin payments without the volatility.

Integration and E-Commerce Support

Most merchants integrate payment gateways through e-commerce platform plugins. BTCPay Server has the broadest plugin ecosystem with 30+ integrations. BitPay covers the major platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, BigCommerce). OpenNode and NOWPayments support Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento with REST APIs for custom builds. Strike's integrations are more limited: Shopify (US only) and a developer API.

All gateways offer API access for custom integrations. BTCPay Server's Greenfield API is fully open-source. For developers building custom payment flows, the guide to building a Bitcoin payment app covers architecture patterns and best practices.

Compliance and KYC

KYC/AML requirements vary significantly across gateways. BTCPay Server requires no KYC because there is no third-party intermediary: the merchant runs the software directly. This makes it the only option for merchants in jurisdictions with restrictive banking relationships or those who prioritize privacy.

All hosted gateways require some level of identity verification. BitPay has the most stringent requirements, with full KYC mandatory and verification taking up to 7 days. Strike and OpenNode require standard KYC (government ID, proof of address). NOWPayments uses a graduated approach: basic crypto-only accounts have minimal requirements, with full KYC triggered at higher volumes or for fiat withdrawals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest crypto payment gateway?

BTCPay Server charges 0% processing fees, making it the cheapest option if you can self-host. Among managed services, NOWPayments offers the lowest rate at 0.5% for single-currency payments. OpenNode and Strike charge approximately 1%. BitPay charges 1% to 2% plus $0.25 per transaction depending on monthly volume. Traditional card processors charge 1.5% to 3.5%, so even the most expensive crypto gateways undercut card network fees.

Do I need KYC to accept crypto payments?

Not if you use BTCPay Server. Because it is self-hosted with no third-party intermediary, no identity verification is required. All managed gateways (OpenNode, Strike, BitPay, NOWPayments) require at least basic KYC. NOWPayments has the lightest initial requirements for crypto-only accounts, with stricter verification for fiat withdrawals or higher volumes.

Can merchants receive dollars instead of crypto?

Yes. OpenNode, Strike, BitPay, and NOWPayments all offer fiat settlement. Strike provides the fastest path: Lightning payments are converted to USD instantly. OpenNode settles to banks in 1 to 2 business days. BitPay offers daily settlements. BTCPay Server does not include built-in fiat conversion: merchants must use an external exchange or off-ramp service.

What is the difference between custodial and non-custodial payment gateways?

A non-custodial gateway like BTCPay Server sends funds directly to the merchant's own wallet. The merchant controls private keys at all times. A custodial gateway like BitPay holds funds temporarily, processes conversions, and then settles to the merchant's bank account. Custodial gateways are simpler to operate but introduce counterparty risk: if the gateway is hacked or goes bankrupt, merchant funds may be at risk.

Is Coinbase Commerce still available?

No. Coinbase shut down its Commerce platform for merchants outside the US and Singapore on March 31, 2026. Remaining US and Singapore merchants were migrated to Coinbase Business, a custodial service with different terms. Merchants previously using Coinbase Commerce should evaluate alternatives like BTCPay Server, OpenNode, or NOWPayments.

Which crypto payment gateway supports the most cryptocurrencies?

NOWPayments supports 350+ cryptocurrencies and 30+ stablecoins, making it the broadest option. BitPay supports 16+ tokens. BTCPay Server natively supports Bitcoin, Monero, and Litecoin, with 120+ additional tokens via community plugins. OpenNode and Strike are Bitcoin-only.

Are crypto payments reversible?

No. Once confirmed on the blockchain, crypto payments cannot be reversed by the customer. This eliminates chargeback fraud, which costs merchants an estimated 1% to 2% of revenue with traditional card payments. However, merchants should still have a clear refund policy and process voluntary refunds when appropriate.

This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Fee structures, features, and availability change frequently. Always verify current pricing and terms on each provider's website before making business decisions. Data is based on publicly available information as of May 2026.