13 best payment gateways for e-commerce owners in 2025

Choosing the right payment gateway is crucial for the successful operation of an online store. It not only affects customer convenience but also impacts your costs and expansion opportunities. To simplify your decision-making, we have prepared an overview of the 13 most popular payment gateways available on the Czech market – including a comparison of activation fees, monthly costs, and transaction fees.

1. GoPay

GoPay is one of the most well-known Czech payment gateways. It supports a wide range of payments – cards, bank transfers, QR payments, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or even mobile payments. It is popular due to its easy integration, clear interface, and fast customer support.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: 190 CZK/month
• Transaction fee: 2.2% + 3 CZK

2. PayU

PayU offers professional services and a robust system suitable for online stores with higher turnover. Its disadvantage is higher activation and monthly fees, but these are balanced by advanced features and fast payment processing. An added benefit is the possibility of connecting to installment systems.

• Activation: 1499 CZK
• Monthly fee: 499 CZK/month
• Transaction fee: 1.9% + 2 CZK

3. ThePay

ThePay is a Czech payment gateway with fair pricing that scales according to turnover. It offers easy integration, extensive bank support, and charges no monthly fees. It is ideal for both start-ups and medium-sized online stores.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: 0.79–0.99% depending on turnover

4. ComGate

ComGate is a highly competitive gateway in terms of pricing, popular among smaller and medium-sized merchants. It also offers the option of deferred payment. The gateway integrates easily with the most popular e-commerce platforms such as Shoptet, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, etc.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: 0–200 CZK/month
• Transaction fee: 0.65–0.9%

5. Pays

Pays is suitable for merchants looking for an alternative to traditional gateways. It also allows for anonymous registration (for specific purposes), cryptocurrency payments, or electronic wallet payments. Its downside is less transparent pricing – largely depending on individual settings.

• Activation: 600 CZK
• Monthly fee: based on individual agreement
• Transaction fee: 1% – 2.5% + 1 CZK

6. Barion

Originating from Hungary, Barion also operates in the Czech Republic. It is particularly interesting for start-ups and online stores that aim to pay as little as possible. Customers can also pay via an electronic wallet, speeding up the process. In terms of support and documentation, however, it falls a bit short.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: 0.5–0.9% + possible electronic wallet fee

7. PayPal

One of the most widespread payment methods in the world. It allows payments without entering card details, simply by logging into your account. Its advantage is the trust of end customers, particularly abroad. On the other hand, fees tend to be relatively high and payouts to the account may take longer.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: individual

8. Stripe

Stripe is an international payment gateway that has established itself thanks to its developer-friendly interface. It allows customization to suit your needs, supports subscriptions, marketplaces, as well as payouts to multiple countries. It is suitable for SaaS, technology companies, and ambitious online stores with bespoke development.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: 1.4% – 2.9% + 6.5 CZK

9. Authorize.net

Authorize.net is a traditional gateway primarily used in the USA. It is particularly suitable for companies selling to America because it supports local currencies and payment methods. Its drawbacks include higher fixed costs and slightly more complex integrations.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: $25
• Transaction fee: 10¢ + 2.9% + 30¢

10. TatraPay

TatraPay is the banking solution from Tatra Bank, ideal for Slovak merchants who want to integrate direct payments through a domestic bank. Its advantages are reliability and stability. However, the gateway is limited to the Slovak market.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: individual

11. CardPay

Another solution from Tatra Bank, focused mainly on card payments. It is suitable for online stores that want to stay within the banking environment and require less technical setup. Its advantage is stability, but it lacks advanced features like those offered by Stripe or GoPay.

• Activation: free
• Monthly fee: free
• Transaction fee: individual

12. ČSOB (Gateway)

ČSOB offers its own gateway with fixed pricing or a personalized setup. Thanks to its integration with banking services, it is suitable for larger merchants who value stability and bank support. The integration may be somewhat more complex.

• Activation: 1,890 CZK
• Monthly fee: 99 CZK/month
• Transaction fee: 0.37% + 0.50 CZK or negotiable

13. GP WebPay

One of the oldest payment gateways in our region, operating under Global Payments. It offers a very stable environment with an emphasis on security and close cooperation with banks. Pricing and terms are based on the specific bank's offer.

• Activation, monthly fee, transaction fees: available on request from the bank

How to choose the right payment gateway?

When selecting one, consider the following:

• Target Market: Are you selling only in the Czech Republic or also abroad?
• Monthly Turnover: Some gateways offer better terms for higher turnover.
• Technical Capabilities: Do you need easy integration or do you have a development team?
• Customer Trust: The familiarity of a brand can influence the order completion rate.

Conclusion

The right payment gateway is not just about the lowest fees. It’s about a combination of price, services, support, and trustworthiness. It is worth reaching out to several providers and comparing tailored offers. Nevertheless, this table provides a great starting point.

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