Braintree vs Trustly
Side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, ratings, use cases. Find which Payment Gateways fits you best.
🔍 Independently researched ·
📊 Data-driven
· ★ GitHub stars from public repos
67/100
Free tier
Merchants who need a single payment gateway to accept both card payments and PayPal/Venmo, especially e-commerce stores
★ Best
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
No monthly fee; no setup fee; $49 chargeback fee; per-transaction fees apply
Fee notes:
- Domestic cards: interchange + 0.30% per transaction (typical quote)
- International cards: additional 1.0% cross-border fee
- Chargeback fee: $25 per dispute
- ACH payments: 0.75% of transaction amount (up to $5)
- Payout: free to US bank account, $0.10 per transfer
⚠ Watch for:
- Chargeback fee is $25 per dispute, can be higher for certain card networks
- International and currency conversion fees add up
- Payout fees: $0.10 per transfer, but may be waived for larger monthly volumes
- Early termination fees if signing a multi-year contract
🔧 Features
✓ Free Tier✓ Paypal Owned✓ Drop In Ui✓ Multi Method✓ Recurring Billing✓ Fraud Protection
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Native integration with PayPal and Venmo: Braintree is the only major gateway that lets you accept both PayPal and Venmo payments directly from a single checkout. This is a significant advantage for US-focused businesses, as these digital wallets represent a substantial share of online transactions. By offering these options, you reduce friction for a large segment of shoppers who prefer to pay without entering card details.
- Developer-friendly Drop-in UI and SDKs: Braintree provides prebuilt Drop-in UI for web, iOS, and Android, which can be implemented with minimal code. This not only speeds up integration but also reduces PCI compliance scope because card data is tokenized and handled by Braintree. This is a major time and cost saver for smaller teams without dedicated security expertise.
- No monthly or setup fees: You only pay per transaction. This makes Braintree exceptionally accessible for startups and small businesses that haven't yet established steady revenue. You can test and launch without upfront costs, which is rare among major gateways.
- Advanced fraud protection: Braintree includes basic fraud tools, and you can upgrade to advanced protections like Kount or Fraud Protection Advanced. While some features cost extra, the availability of these tools helps you balance risk and conversion.
- Global payment methods: Beyond card and wallets, Braintree supports local payment methods like iDEAL, SEPA, and Alipay in certain regions. This helps you expand internationally without needing multiple gateways.
⚠ Watch out for
- Flat-rate transaction fees can be higher for high-volume processors: The standard card rate of 2.9% + $0.30 is the same as many competitors, but high-volume merchants (e.g., $100k+ monthly) can often negotiate interchange-plus pricing that undercuts Braintree. If your margins are tight and volume is high, you might leave money on the table.
- Account approval is not instant and can be challenging for high-risk businesses: Braintree reviews every application and may subject high-risk merchants (e.g., CBD, digital subscriptions) to rolling reserves, contract terms, or outright denial. If you're in a high-risk category, you might face delays or need to seek alternative processors.
- Advanced fraud tools and some local payment methods carry extra costs: Basic fraud protection is included, but advanced features like Kount require additional fees. Similarly, certain local payment methods may have separate setup or transaction costs. These extras can add up, especially for international businesses.
- PayPal's customer support can be inconsistent: While Braintree offers support via email and chat, response times vary, and some merchants report frustration with slow resolution for complex issues. Phone support is not always available, which can be a drawback if you need immediate help.
🎯 Best for
Merchants who need a single payment gateway to accept both card payments and PayPal/Venmo, especially e-commerce stores and apps selling in the US or globally without wanting to cobble together separate payment integrations.
🚫 Who should skip
Businesses looking for instant sign-up, extremely low transaction fees, or a developer ecosystem as large as Stripe's — or high-risk businesses that may not survive underwriting and rolling reserve requirements.
📚 Learning curve
Moderate — the drop-in UI makes basic integration quick, but understanding the vault, webhooks, and risk tools takes time and some reading of the API docs.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Braintree is best for startups and established businesses seeking a developer-friendly gateway with native PayPal and Venmo support. High-volume merchants or those in high-risk industries should weigh other options. Overall, it's a solid, transparent choice for most e-commerce and subscription busin
38/100
Free tier
Merchants in Europe and North America, particularly in iGaming, fintech, and high-ticket e-commerce, who want lower card
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
No setup or monthly fee; per-transaction fees apply.
Fee notes:
- Trustly does not publicly publish fixed transaction fee rates; fees are customized based on country, volume, and average transaction size.
- No monthly or setup fees are charged.
- Payouts are priced separately from payment acceptance.
- Chargeback fees are not published on the public website — contact Trustly sales for specific terms.
⚠ Watch for:
- Refund and reversal fees may apply
- A flat fee per transaction may be added on top of the percentage rate
- Cross-border conversion fees may apply if settling in a different currency than the customer's payment
🔧 Features
✓ Free Tier✓ Open Banking✓ Bank To Bank✓ No Card Needed✓ Eu Na Coverage
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Reduced transaction costs: Trustly eliminates card interchange and scheme fees, which can be substantial on high-value transactions. This cost structure can lead to significant savings for merchants processing large payments, such as iGaming operators or high-end retailers. By moving money directly between bank accounts, Trustly avoids the fee stack that comes with card networks.
- Instant payment confirmation and fast settlement: Transactions are confirmed in real-time, and funds settle quickly—often within 30 seconds to a few minutes. This speed is crucial for merchants that need to authorize transactions immediately or offer same-day withdrawals, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
- Enhanced security and fraud reduction: Trustly uses bank-level authentication and adheres to SCA regulations, reducing the risk of chargebacks and fraud. Since payments are initiated from the customer's bank account with their own credentials, the chances of unauthorized transactions are minimized. This is particularly valuable for high-risk industries like iGaming, where chargeback fraud is common.
- Wide bank coverage: With over 8,300 connected banks across Europe and North America, Trustly covers a broad geographic area. This extensive network ensures that a majority of customers in supported regions can use Trustly, making it a viable alternative to cards for many transactions.
- No app downloads or card details: Customers pay directly from their online bank account, eliminating the need to enter card details or download a separate app. This streamlined checkout process can reduce friction and increase conversion, especially for customers who prefer not to share card information online.
⚠ Watch out for
- Opaque pricing model: Trustly does not publish its pricing, and merchants must contact sales for a customized quote. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for small businesses to compare costs with other gateways and plan their budgets. The absence of self-serve pricing may also deter potential users who prefer painless onboarding.
- Inconsistent coverage by country and bank: While Trustly connects to many banks, coverage varies significantly by country. In some regions, smaller or regional banks may not be integrated, causing checkout options to disappear for customers banking with those institutions. This can lead to lost sales and a fragmented user experience.
- Excludes unbanked and card-first customers: Trustly requires customers to have online banking access. This excludes unbanked individuals and those who rely primarily on credit or debit cards. In markets where card usage is dominant, this limitation could reduce the total addressable audience, making Trustly less suitable for mass-market e-commerce.
- No immediate integration with all platforms: Although Trustly offers plugins for major e-commerce platforms like Magento and WooCommerce, some custom or enterprise systems may require additional development effort. This could be a hurdle for merchants with bespoke infrastructure, potentially leading to longer setup times and extra costs.
- Limited to certain high-value use cases: Trustly is best suited for high-value transactions, but for small-ticket items, the advantages (like low fees) are less pronounced. Additionally, the target audience is often specific—such as iGaming players or fintech users—meaning the payment method may not be ideal for general e-commerce stores with diverse consumer bases.
🎯 Best for
Merchants in Europe and North America, particularly in iGaming, fintech, and high-ticket e-commerce, who want lower card costs, instant bank payments, and fast payouts.
🚫 Who should skip
Businesses targeting customers who strongly prefer cards, digital wallets, or BNPL, or those operating in countries with limited Trustly bank coverage.
📚 Learning curve
Moderate — the customer flow is simple, but merchant integration, authentication testing, and compliance review require technical effort.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Trustly is a solid choice for businesses processing high-value transactions in iGaming, fintech, and e-commerce, offering reduced costs and speed. However, its opaque pricing and bank coverage limitations make it less suitable for small businesses or those with a broad consumer base. If you need fas
📊 Use Case Suitability
Higher score = better fit. Scores from editorial review.
Use CaseBraintreeTrustly
E-commerce checkouts with PayPal/Venmo95—
Braintree is one of the few gateways that natively supports PayPal, Venmo, and c
Subscription and membership billing85—
Built-in recurring billing and a payment vault let you store customers' payment
Mobile app payments88—
Braintree provides native SDKs for iOS and Android with drop-in tokenization, re
Cross-border e-commerce80—
With support for 130+ currencies and multiple local payment methods, Braintree c
Marketplaces and platforms70—
Braintree's platform features allow split payments and marketplace payouts, but
iGaming Deposits and Payouts—95
Trustly has strong gaming industry adoption, instant deposits, and fast withdraw
Fintech Account Funding—90
Trading apps, wallets, and digital banks use Trustly to let users push money fro
E-commerce Checkout for High-Value Orders—85
Bank-to-bank payments remove card limits and reduce fraud risk for expensive pur
🧭 Which One Should You Pick?
Choose Braintree if...
- You are: Merchants who need a single payment gateway to accept both card payments and PayPal/Venmo, especially e-commerce stores
- 👍 Native integration with PayPal and Venmo, letting you accept the most popular US digital wallets fro
- 👍 Drop-in UI and prebuilt SDKs reduce PCI compliance scope and speed up integration for web and mobile
- 👍 No monthly or setup fees — you only pay per transaction, which is attractive for startups and low-vo
- 💰 Free tier available
- ⚠ Trade-off: Transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30 for cards) can be higher than interchange-plus op
Choose Trustly if...
- You are: Merchants in Europe and North America, particularly in iGaming, fintech, and high-ticket e-commerce, who want lower card
- 👍 No card interchange or scheme fees, which reduces payment costs on high-value transactions.
- 👍 Instant payment confirmation and fast settlement improve merchant cash flow and enable same-day with
- 👍 Bank-level authentication and strong customer authentication reduce fraud and chargeback risk.
- 💰 Free tier available
- ⚠ Trade-off: Pricing is opaque; merchants must request a quote and there is no self-serve pri
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'free' mean for Braintree?
Braintree has no monthly or setup fees, but you pay per-transaction fees — typically around 2.9% + $0.30 for card payments. Chargebacks, currency conversion, and optional add-ons like advanced fraud tools can add extra costs.
How does Braintree compare to Stripe?
Braintree's biggest advantage is native PayPal and Venmo acceptance, while Stripe offers a broader ecosystem of add-ons, a more generous free tier for developer tools, and often stronger documentation. Both have similar card processing fees, but pricing can vary by volume and risk.
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