Stripe Alternative
Your EU Debit Cards
Don't Cost 1.5%.
Why Are You Paying That?
Stripe's flat 1.5% + €0.25 blended rate treats every card the same — whether it costs 0.20% at interchange or 1.50%. Cost+ passes through the real interchange rate, so you keep the difference.
HIGH-RISK FRIENDLY
Stripe Says No.
We Say Yes.
is notorious for sudden
account freezes
and
fund holds
in industries they deem
'high-risk'
— often without
warning. As a licensed
ISO/TSP,
has direct banking
relationships
that let us
onboard and
support merchants in
CBD,
nutraceuticals,
gaming
SaaS trials,
and other specialized
verticals with
stable,
long-term processing
For Startups
For Scale
WHY COST+
Simple Doesn't Mean Cheap.
WHY COST+
At Scale, Blended Rates Bleed Your Margins.
Stripe's appeal is simplicity: one rate for everything. But that simplicity comes at a cost. An EU consumer debit card has an interchange of ~0.20%, yet Stripe charges you 1.5% + €0.25. That's a 7x markup on the actual cost.
With Cost+, you pay the real interchange plus our small 0.50% + €0.15 margin. Simple math, real savings.
Your total cost per transaction with Cost+ is transparent = Interchange (set by Visa/Mastercard) + Card Scheme Fee + our 0.50% margin + €0.15 authorization fee.
Stripe has no visible authorization fee — because it's buried inside their blended rate.
We show you every component.
Processing €500K/year through Stripe? You're paying ~€12,500 in fees.
With Cost+ IC++ pricing, the same volume on mostly EU debit cards could cost you under €6,000. That's €6,500 back in your pocket — every year.
Through direct acquirer partnerships, we pass through wholesale rates — no reseller markup.
Every Cost+ transaction is itemized: Interchange + Card Scheme Fee + 0.50% margin + €0.15 auth fee. No blended opacity. No hidden margins. Just the real cost.
FEE COMPARISON
Stripe vs. Cost+
Side by Side
EEA, commercial, and UK card rates, pricing transparency, and high-risk support compared.
Features
EEA Card Rate
Interchange + Scheme Fee + 0.50% + €0.15 auth fee
1.5% + €0.25 (blended)
Premium / Commercial Cards
Interchange + Scheme Fee + 0.50% + €0.15 auth fee
1.9% + €0.25 (blended)
UK Cards
Intercharge + Scheme + 0.50% Margin + €0.15 Auth fee
2.5% + €0.25 (blended)
Monthly Fee
€0.00
€0.00
Pricing Transparency
IC++ (full itemized breakdown)
Blended (opaque)
Refund Fee
€0.25
€0.25 (original fee not returned)
High-Risk Support
Specialized / High Acceptance
Limited / Account freezes
Get quick answers
Take the Short Way
Get to know how to saveup to 40% on payment processing by switching to Cost+’s IC++ model.
Leon Marti
Jul 29, 2025
“The team was exceptionally fast and responsive, even outside of regular office hours. The onboarding process went smoothly.”
IC++ BREAKDOWN
How Our Pricing Works
Every Cost+ transaction is broken down into four transparent components:
Interchange
Set by Visa/Mastercard
Card Scheme Fee
Network Cost
Your Total Cost
Nothing else
0.50% Margin
Our Markup
€0.15 Auth Fee
Authorization Cost
COST+ VS. STRIPE
Frequently Asked Questions
EU rates, account freezes, pricing transparency, and premium card fees compared.
How much cheaper is Cost+ compared to Stripe for EU transactions?
Stripe charges a flat 1.5% + EUR 0.25 for EEA cards, even though EU debit interchange is only about 0.20%. Cost+ passes through the actual interchange at cost plus a 0.50% margin and EUR 0.15 auth fee. On EUR 500,000 annual volume, Cost+ estimates savings of approximately EUR 6,500 per year versus Stripe.
Does Stripe freeze accounts for high-risk businesses?
Stripe is known for sudden account freezes and fund holds, particularly for merchants in high-risk categories like CBD, nutraceuticals, gaming, and SaaS with free trials. Cost+, as a licensed ISO/TSP, specifically supports these industries with dedicated Merchant IDs and stable processing, without the risk of surprise account terminations.
Why is IC++ pricing more transparent than Stripe's blended rate?
Stripe uses a blended rate (1.5% + EUR 0.25 for EEA) that treats every card type the same, hiding the actual interchange cost. Cost+ IC++ pricing itemizes each component — interchange, scheme fee, and margin — on every transaction, so merchants can verify exactly what the card networks charge versus what the processor keeps.
What does Stripe charge for premium and UK cards?
Stripe charges 1.9% + EUR 0.25 for premium and commercial EEA cards, and 2.5% + EUR 0.25 for UK cards. Cost+ applies the same IC++ formula regardless — interchange + scheme + 0.50% + EUR 0.15 — so the actual cost varies by card type but the margin stays flat and transparent.
Is Cost+ a good Stripe alternative for European merchants?
Yes. Cost+ is specifically designed for European merchants who want transparent pricing. Because EU debit interchange is regulated at low rates (around 0.20%), Stripe's 1.5% blended rate represents a significant markup. Cost+ passes through these low rates at cost, resulting in substantially lower total fees for most EU card transactions.
