Payment gateways: which one to choose for your online store and what to check first

Of the whole purchase process, the payment step is the most delicate. It's the moment the customer enters sensitive details and decides, in the final seconds, whether they truly trust the store. A poorly chosen or poorly configured payment gateway can undo all the work of attracting and convincing that customer.

What a payment gateway actually does

It's the system that processes the charge securely, communicating with the bank or card issuer, without the store ever storing card details in its own systems (key to complying with PCI DSS security standards).

The most common options, and how they differ

Stripe and Redsys stand out for reliability and direct integration into the site, ideal for keeping the customer inside the store to pay. PayPal brings the trust of a widely recognised brand, though with a somewhat higher fee. And "buy now, pay later" options (Klarna, Scalapay) can increase average order value, especially for higher-priced products.

What actually matters before choosing

Per-transaction fees (they can vary significantly between providers). The payment methods your audience actually uses (card, local wallets, PayPal...). How quickly payments are received. And above all, whether the payment flow keeps the customer inside the store or redirects them to an external site, which usually causes more abandonment.

The mistake that costs the most sales

Offering a single payment method, or not offering the one your audience actually prefers. In many markets, skipping a popular local payment method makes a significant share of potential customers abandon the cart at the final step.

Frequently asked questions