PostFinance vs Stripe
Swiss financial institution vs. international developer PSP
As a well-known Swiss financial institution, PostFinance offers its own payment solution with a direct connection to the Swiss banking system. Stripe is an internationally known payment solution with a strong focus on developers and API flexibility. Both providers cover the Swiss market – but there are important differences when it comes to costs, payment methods, and setup.
Total monthly costs of PostFinance and Stripe based on a turnover of EUR 20,000
Total monthly costs of PostFinance and Stripe at a turnover of EUR 100.000
What are the advantages and disadvantages of PostFinance and Stripe?
PostFinance convinces with a high level of brand awareness, all Swiss payment methods including PostFinance Pay, cheaper overall costs and personal support. Disadvantages are the one-time setup costs of up to 249 EUR, missing e-commerce tools, no Samsung Pay and the low Google rating (2.2 stars).
Stripe points with high API flexibility, no monthly fixed costs, many customization options and omnichannel support. Disadvantages are the significantly higher transaction fees, no PostFinance Pay, no personal support and a complex setup.
Comparison table advantages and disadvantages PostFinance vs Stripe
PostFinance
Advantages
Numerous payment methods (including TWINT and PostFinance Pay)
Free plugins
Low transaction fees
Free trial available
Swiss company
High recognition in Switzerland
Personal support
Disadvantages
Samsung Pay not supported
No e-commerce tools
High setup costs (one-time)
Low Google rating
Stripe
Advantages
Numerous payment methods (including TWINT)
Free plugins
No monthly fixed costs
Ideal for international payments
Many customization options
Support for omnichannel payments (POS)
Disadvantages
No support for
PostFinance PayComplex setup
No e-commerce tools
High transaction fees
Only email and chat support
Average Google rating
Which payment methods do PostFinance and Stripe offer?
Both providers support credit cards, TWINT, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. PostFinance additionally offers PostFinance Pay, WIR Pay, and Reka – three payment methods that are completely missing from Stripe. Stripe supports neither PostFinance Pay nor WIR Pay. With 14 compared to 10 payment methods, PostFinance has a clear advantage for Swiss online shops with a local customer base.
Comparison table payment methods PostFinance vs Stripe
PostFinance
Stripe
How do the integrations of PostFinance and Stripe differ?
Stripe offers free plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Shopware, JTL, Ecwid, Drupal, Magento and Prestashop as well as automation tools such as Make and Zapier. PostFinance offers free plugins for WooCommerce, Shopware, JTL, Ecwid, Drupal, Magento and Prestashop, but does not support Shopify. Neither offers e-commerce tools. Stripe has the broader integration landscape with Shopify and automations.
Comparison table plugins and integrations PostFinance vs Stripe
PostFinance
Stripe
What is the status of the support at PostFinance and Stripe?
PostFinance offers personal support in Switzerland. Stripe offers exclusively email and chat support without personal assistance. Google reviews: Stripe 3.1 stars (8 reviews), PostFinance 2.2 stars (178 reviews). Stripe has a slightly higher rating, but on a very narrow basis. PostFinance offers the advantage of direct contact with Swiss contact partners.
For whom is PostFinance suitable and for whom Stripe?
PostFinance is the better choice for Swiss companies looking for a cost-effective solution with all Swiss payment methods and personal support. Stripe is suitable for companies with their own developer team, an international focus and the need for highly flexible API integrations. For the Swiss market, PostFinance offers the stronger overall package.
How easy is the setup with PostFinance and Stripe?
PostFinance charges one-time setup fees of 199–249 EUR, but offers a 30-day simulation mode and requires no programming knowledge. Stripe requires developer knowledge and offers a developer-centric integration process. For Comerciantes without technical know-how, PostFinance is the more accessible entry, while Stripe offers more flexibility for developer teams.
What does PostFinance cost compared to Stripe?
With a monthly turnover of 20'000 EUR, PostFinance costs 365.90 EUR, Stripe 640 EUR. PostFinance is thus 274.10 EUR cheaper per month or 43% lower in price. With a turnover of 100'000 EUR, the difference grows: PostFinance 1'749.90 EUR, Stripe 3'200 EUR – a savings of 1'450.10 EUR monthly. Stripe waives monthly fixed costs, but compensates for this with significantly higher transaction fees (2.9% + 0.30 EUR).
Comparison table of PostFinance vs Stripe costs
Provider
Subscription
Setup costs
Monthly costs
Transaction fees
PostFinance
Checkout All-in-One
CHF 199.00
CHF 14.90
2.50%
+
CHF 0.00
PostFinance
E-Commerce Bundle
CHF 0.00
CHF 19.90
1.55%
+
CHF 0.18
PostFinance
Checkout Flex
CHF 19.90
1.55%
+
CHF 0.18
Stripe
Stripe
CHF 0.00
CHF 0.00
2.90%
+
CHF 0.30
Additional Remarks
PostFinance
To use PostFinance Checkout, a PostFinance business account or a credit card for fee billing is required. Additionally, one-time setup costs from 199 EUR (Checkout All-in-One) to 249 EUR (Checkout Flex) apply. A free simulation mode enables merchants to test the integration in advance.
Stripe
For the implementation of Stripe, merchants should have developer knowledge. For verification, a valid photo ID and a commercial register number are required. For large companies, Stripe offers special conditions, which can be requested from sales.
Conclusion: PostFinance or Stripe – which provider is a better fit?
PostFinance offers personal support in Switzerland. Stripe offers exclusively email and chat support without personal assistance. Google reviews: Stripe 3.1 stars (8 reviews), PostFinance 2.2 stars (178 reviews). Stripe has a slightly higher rating, but on a very narrow basis. PostFinance offers the advantage of direct contact with Swiss contact partners.
