BitPay vs Stripe for Crypto Payments 2026 — Full Comparison
BitPay processes crypto natively at 1%. Stripe added crypto with a 1.5% surcharge. We compare both for merchants who want to accept cryptocurrency payments.
Key Takeaways
- Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for fiat + 1.5% surcharge for crypto — totaling 4.4% for crypto payments
- BitPay charges 1% flat for crypto — but only processes crypto, not fiat cards
- For crypto-only: BitPay is 4x cheaper than Stripe. For fiat + crypto: Stripe is more convenient
- For even lower fees: NOWPayments (0.5%) or BTCPay Server (0%) beat both
Table of Contents
Stripe and BitPay serve fundamentally different purposes. Stripe is a fiat payment processor that added crypto as an add-on. BitPay is a crypto-native payment processor. Comparing them directly is like comparing a car with a bike rack (Stripe) to a dedicated bicycle (BitPay) — the right choice depends on what you're carrying.
Quick Overview
Stripe processes $1T+ annually in fiat payments. In 2024, they added crypto support via USDC on select chains. It's an add-on to their existing fiat infrastructure — you still need Stripe for card processing, and crypto adds a 1.5% surcharge on top.
BitPay processes crypto exclusively. Founded in 2011, it's the oldest crypto payment processor with enterprise features (POS, mass payouts, fiat settlement). 1% flat fee. Doesn't process fiat cards.
Fee Comparison
| Fee Type | Stripe | BitPay |
|---|---|---|
| Fiat (cards) | 2.9% + $0.30 | N/A |
| Crypto surcharge | +1.5% | — |
| Crypto total | ~4.4% | 1% |
| At $10K/mo crypto | $440 | $100 |
| At $50K/mo crypto | $2,200 | $500 |
At $50K/month in crypto transactions, Stripe costs $2,200/month vs BitPay's $500/month. That's $20,400/year in savings by switching to BitPay for crypto. And NOWPayments at 0.5% saves even more: $250/month.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Stripe | BitPay |
|---|---|---|
| Fiat cards | Yes | No |
| Crypto coins | USDC only | 16 coins |
| POS terminal | Yes | Yes |
| Subscriptions | Yes | Yes |
| Lightning Network | No | Yes |
| Mass payouts | Yes (fiat) | Yes (crypto) |
When to Use Which
Use Stripe If:
- You primarily accept fiat cards
- Crypto is a small add-on (< 10%)
- You want one dashboard for everything
- USDC-only is sufficient
Use BitPay If:
- Crypto is a significant revenue channel
- You need multiple coins (BTC, ETH, etc.)
- You want 4x lower crypto fees
- You need Lightning Network
Better Alternatives to Both
For crypto payments specifically, both Stripe (4.4%) and BitPay (1%) are expensive compared to modern alternatives. See our full Stripe vs crypto gateway comparison or check these options:
- BTCPay Server — 0% fees, self-hosted, open source
- NOWPayments — 0.5%, 300+ coins, 7 plugins
- BlockBee — 0.25%, 7 plugins, no KYC
- Binance Pay — 0% fees within Binance ecosystem
FAQ
Can I use Stripe and BitPay together?
Yes — use Stripe for fiat card payments and BitPay (or NOWPayments) for crypto. They install as separate payment methods. This gives you the best of both worlds: Stripe's card processing and a dedicated crypto processor at lower fees.
Does Stripe support Bitcoin?
Not directly. Stripe's crypto support is limited to USDC on select chains. For Bitcoin acceptance, you need BitPay, NOWPayments, or BTCPay Server.