When should I move away from PayPal to another payment gateway on my Shopify store? I’m tired if paying such high fees to PayPal.
We hear you. I get asked this question a lot, and it can be hard to say exactly when it’s worthwhile to open up other payment gateways for your shopify customers. This post will tell you when and why. I’ll be honest – it can be a complex topic, with some calculations required to figure out whether it’s worth it for you or not. Ready?
Why consider moving away from PayPal?
First up, let’s consider the advantages of PayPal:
- Relatively easy to set up
- Free accounts – no monthly fees
- Very easy to integrate with Shopify
- Widely accepted – can be used by customers in most countries
Now, the downsides:
- You pay the same in fees, regardless of how many transactions you do. (In some regions, the fees go down when you do more transactions, see here for an example).
- This means that, as you grow, PayPal becomes more expensive.
Example: PayPal Versus eWay (interchange with yours as needed)
Example: Typical PayPal rates are 2.4% + 30c per transaction.
If you make a sale of $100, PayPal will keep $2.70 and give you the rest. When you’re first starting out, this is fine.
However, if you do 100 times that amount: you make sales of $10,000, Paypal keeps $270. This can start to add up.
With other gateways like EWay in Australia and others around the world, the more transactions you do, the less you pay per transaction. More transactions, lower percentage.
A Free Tool You Can Use Right Now: Is it worth it for YOU to switch?
Using the spreadsheet below – which is available as a free download at the bottom of this post – is an example comparison. You will need to fill in some numbers of your own, based on your payment gateway, bank, and own setup.
For a store doing $30,000 per month, it no longer makes sense to use PayPal; it’s better to pay an annual fee and pay less per transaction.
Using the assumptions in the example spreadsheet (below): With PayPal, fees would be $810.00. If you applied for the discount and were accepted, it could be less. With eWay based on a 2% bank rate, $757.00. 
Want to compare your favorite gateway with PayPal?
- Check out the available Shopify compatible gateways in your country here.
- Go to their pricing page.
- Plug their pricing – and your country’s PayPal pricing – into the spreadsheet below. It will tell you whether it’s worthwhile or not.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the free comparison spreadsheet: PayPal VS Other Gateways On Shopify
Think this sounds convoluted or boring? I wouldn’t blame you – but spending a few minutes could save you thousands of dollars this year. Isn’t it worth it?
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Last updated: May 1, 2026
Quick Answer: PayPal vs other gateways on Shopify
Paypal Vs Other Gateways On Shopify becomes useful when it is tied to a real Shopify business decision: what the store owner is trying to improve, which risks or tradeoffs matter, and which action moves the store forward. For merchants working through shopify payments and checkout profitability, the practical value is clarity: understand the issue, protect the customer experience, and decide when expert Shopify help can turn the idea into measurable improvement.
Want a sharper Shopify growth plan?
If this article connects to a current store decision, use the calendar to book a strategy call and turn the idea into a practical plan.
Key Takeaways
- PayPal vs other gateways on Shopify matters when it changes customer trust, conversion, operations, store performance, or the cost of future rework.
- A strong decision starts by identifying the business goal, the customer-experience risk, and the fastest safe improvement.
- Related resources connect this topic to Blackbelt Commerce, Shopify experts, Shopify Plus agencies, and the most relevant service pages.
- This topic belongs in the Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability cluster because it affects how merchants plan, improve, and scale a Shopify store.
- The same-page Calendly CTA lets qualified readers book a strategy call without leaving the article.
How this connects to your Shopify growth strategy
Readers researching PayPal vs other gateways on Shopify usually want more than a definition; they want to know whether the idea can improve the store without creating new problems. For the Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability cluster, the business decision is practical: can the current Shopify setup support the desired experience, conversion path, and operational workflow? When the answer is uncertain, expert planning, design, development, CRO, and SEO support can turn the idea into safer, measurable store improvements.
Want a sharper Shopify growth plan?
Use this guide as a decision tool. Then book a strategy call when you want a practical roadmap for your store.
Related Shopify resources
These internal resources support the Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability topic cluster and help connect this guide to stronger commercial next steps:
- Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability
- Shopify experts
- Shopify Plus agencies
- Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability — Parent service page for the reader’s next commercial step
- Blackbelt Commerce — Home-page authority link for brand and core Shopify expertise
- Shopify experts — Money-page link requested for expert-hiring intent
- Shopify Plus agencies — Money-page link requested for high-growth and Plus-agency intent
- Shopify custom development — Development service page for implementation and technical help
- Shopify CRO — Conversion service page for readers focused on revenue and lead generation
Questions store owners ask before taking action
Why does PayPal vs other gateways on Shopify matter for Shopify merchants?
PayPal vs other gateways on Shopify matters when it affects customer trust, store performance, conversion, operations, or the ability to grow without avoidable rework.
What should the reader do first?
They should identify the business goal, review the current customer journey, and decide which improvement would have the clearest impact.
How do internal links help this article?
Internal links connect the educational topic to related service pages, Shopify experts, Shopify Plus agency support, and deeper resources.
When is expert help useful?
Expert help is useful when the decision affects revenue, SEO, conversion, integrations, technical implementation, or a high-risk store change.
How does this article support lead generation?
It educates first, then gives qualified readers a same-page option to book a strategy call when they need help applying the advice.
Future articles needed for topical dominance
To build deeper topical authority around this cluster, these supporting topics should be created later and linked back into this article:
- Paypal Vs Other Gateways On Shopify Checklist for Shopify Store Owners: Creates a practical support article that turns the Shopify Payments and Checkout Profitability topic into an actionable review tool.
- Common Paypal Vs Other Gateways On Shopify Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: Captures problem-aware searches and gives BBC a natural place to explain implementation risks without hard selling.
- When to Hire Shopify Experts for Paypal Vs Other Gateways On Shopify: Connects informational demand to the expert-hiring money page while preserving educational intent.
Want a sharper Shopify growth plan?
Ready to turn the advice in this article into an action plan? Open the calendar here and choose a time that works for you.
