WooCommerce Payment Gateways: Complete Guide
Published April 21, 2026
WooCommerce Payment Gateways Guide
Your payment gateway choice affects conversion rates, transaction fees, and which customers you can serve. WooCommerce supports dozens of gateways — here is how to choose the right one.
How WooCommerce Payment Gateways Work
A payment gateway securely transmits card data from your checkout to the payment processor and returns an approval or decline. Modern gateways use tokenization so your server never stores raw card numbers.
Top Gateway Comparison
| Gateway | Fee | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | Most stores — excellent API, Apple/Google Pay |
| PayPal | 3.49% + $0.49 | Stores with international buyers |
| Square | 2.6% + $0.10 | Brick-and-mortar + online hybrid |
| Authorize.net | 2.9% + $0.30 + $25/mo | High volume stores needing advanced fraud tools |
Stripe for WooCommerce
Stripe is the most developer-friendly and increasingly the most customer-friendly gateway. It supports one-click checkout via Link, Apple Pay, Google Pay, buy-now-pay-later options (Klarna, Afterpay), and subscriptions. The WooCommerce Stripe plugin is maintained by WooCommerce and receives regular updates.
Reducing Cart Abandonment
Offer multiple payment options to capture buyers who prefer specific methods. Enable express checkout (Apple Pay, Google Pay) for mobile shoppers — mobile stores see 40% higher conversion with express checkout enabled.
Test Mode
Always test your payment gateway in sandbox mode before going live. Use Stripe's test card numbers to simulate successful payments, declines, and 3D Secure challenges. SiteICO's staging environment lets you test payment flows without touching live transactions.