What's wrong with Stripe at scale
Stripe is one of the best products in the world for getting an online business off the ground. The flat 2.9% + 30¢ pricing makes the math simple, the API is gorgeous, and the dashboard is excellent. We use Stripe ourselves.
The problem is that the 2.9% bundles together everything — interchange (which the card networks charge), assessments (which the brands charge), and Stripe's margin. On a regulated debit card, the actual interchange is 0.05% + 22¢. Stripe charges you 2.9% + 30¢. The spread — on a $100 sale — is $2.63. Multiplied across thousands of transactions a month, that spread becomes serious money.
| Monthly volume | Stripe annual cost | Interchange Plus annual cost | Annual savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $5,580 | $4,900 | ~$680 (small win) |
| $30,000 | $11,160 | $9,000 | ~$2,160 |
| $60,000 | $22,320 | $16,800 | ~$5,520 |
| $120,000 | $44,640 | $31,200 | ~$13,440 |
Assumptions: 70% credit / 30% debit mix, average ticket $80, U.S. cards. Your actual numbers depend on card mix.
What we offer
Cart integrations
Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Wix, Squarespace. Custom carts via Authorize.Net, NMI, or Spreedly gateway APIs. Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, card networks.
Recurring billing
Subscription transactions priced under the dedicated CNP recurring categories — which are cheaper than Stripe's flat rate often surfaces. SaaS, memberships, subscription boxes.
3D Secure & fraud
3DS2 authentication included. Tokenization, chargeback alerts, dispute response. Per-incident chargeback fee capped at $15 (industry standard, half of what some processors charge).
International & cross-border
Pass-through cross-border fees (no padding). Multi-currency where supported by your cart. Surcharge optimization for international transactions.
Migration is easier than you think
Switching gateways used to mean tokenizing thousands of saved cards. Now most modern gateways support direct token import — your customers' saved cards move with you, no re-authorization required. We handle the technical migration end-to-end, including:
- Saved card vault export and import (Stripe → Authorize.Net, etc.)
- Webhook reconfiguration so your order systems keep working
- Subscription migration (active recurring charges transferred without lapse)
- Parallel running for the first 30 days so you can verify nothing breaks before fully cutting over
Important caveat for e-commerce: Stripe's simplicity is real value. If you're under $20k/month, you probably shouldn't switch. If you're a developer who loves the API and the savings don't matter much to you, you shouldn't switch. If you're past $20k/month and primarily want to retain margin, the audit will tell you the exact dollar difference.
FAQ — e-commerce gateway
Do I have to change my checkout?
No. The customer-facing checkout looks identical. Only the processing underneath changes. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal continue to work through the same wallet integration.
What about Shopify Payments?
Shopify charges a 2% fee if you use a non-Shopify-Payments processor. That fee is usually outweighed by the Interchange Plus savings past $30k/month — but not always. We calculate the exact crossover point for your business.
How long does the migration take?
Most stores: 5–10 business days end-to-end. Subscription businesses with complex billing logic: 2–4 weeks, including a parallel-run validation period.
What if it doesn't work out?
Month-to-month, no contract. If the new gateway doesn't fit, you switch back. We've never had a client want to.