NOWPayments vs CoinGate 2026: Which Crypto Gateway Wins?
Head-to-head comparison of NOWPayments and CoinGate — fees, supported coins, KYC, affiliate programs, and which one to pick for your business.
Key Takeaways
- NOWPayments wins on coin selection (300+ vs ~70) and affiliate commission (25% lifetime)
- CoinGate wins on fiat settlement — it pays out in EUR/USD, NOWPayments does not
- Both charge 0.5% per transaction with no setup or monthly fees
- For WooCommerce/Shopify stores: both have official plugins — NOWPayments has more platform coverage
The Short Version
If you need fiat settlement (getting paid in EUR or USD), pick CoinGate. If you need the widest coin support, subscription billing, or the best affiliate program, pick NOWPayments. Both are legitimate, well-established gateways — this is a genuine trade-off, not a clear winner.
Fees
| Fee | NOWPayments | CoinGate |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 0.5% | 1% (0.5% with volume) |
| Setup fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free |
| Fiat settlement | No | Yes (EUR/USD via SEPA/SWIFT) |
| Withdrawal | Network fee only | Network fee + 1% conversion |
CoinGate's headline rate is 1%, but high-volume merchants can negotiate down to 0.5%. NOWPayments is 0.5% from day one.
Supported Cryptocurrencies
This is where the gap is biggest. NOWPayments supports 300+ cryptocurrencies including Monero (XMR), which most gateways refuse. CoinGate supports around 70 coins — solid, but nowhere near as broad.
If your customers pay in anything beyond the top 20 coins, NOWPayments is the only realistic choice.
KYC Requirements
Both require business KYC for merchant accounts — company registration documents, proof of address, and a business description. Neither is no-KYC. If you need a no-KYC gateway, see our no-KYC gateway guide.
E-Commerce Integrations
NOWPayments has official plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, WHMCS, OpenCart, and Zen Cart — 7 platforms. CoinGate covers WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, and OpenCart — 5 platforms. Both have REST APIs for custom integrations.
For WooCommerce specifically, both plugins are actively maintained. See our WooCommerce crypto gateway guide for setup details.
Affiliate Programs
Both have affiliate programs, but NOWPayments is significantly more generous:
- NOWPayments: 25% of transaction fees, 5-year lifetime per referred merchant. No earnings cap.
- CoinGate: 25% of transaction fees, but shorter referral window.
If you're building a content site or referring merchants at scale, the 5-year lifetime on NOWPayments is a meaningful difference. See our NOWPayments affiliate program guide for details.
Which Should You Choose?
Pick NOWPayments if…
- You need 100+ coin support
- You want subscription billing
- You need mass payouts
- You want the best affiliate commission
- You're on WHMCS or Zen Cart
Pick CoinGate if…
- You need EUR/USD fiat settlement
- You're in the EU and want SEPA payouts
- You only need the top 70 coins
- You want a slightly simpler dashboard
Ready to get started with NOWPayments?
Create Free NOWPayments Account →