Now, when it comes to crypto payment gateways, your options may not be as diversified, but it is still difficult to make a decision. You do have options out there. However, you have to avoid diving in without any research at all. Indeed, more and more merchants accept digital coin payments these days, but different solutions are suitable for different businesses.
While there are a few crypto payment gateways that stand out in the crowd, it pays off understanding everything about what they truly are and how they actually work first. Now, what do you need to know about crypto payment gateways? How do they work? What are the top rated options on the market and why?
The concept of a crypto payment gateway
So, what is a crypto payment gateway? To keep it simple, this gateway allows a business or individual to take payments in cryptocurrencies. If you sell stuff over the Internet or provide online services, you probably offer a few different payment solutions. You normally try to cover the most common ones, only to keep most customers happy.Customers who are ready to spend money with you will most likely stick to fiat currencies and whatever gateways you provide access to. Bringing in a crypto payment gateway will give your customers even more choice. You can take all sorts of digital coins, including the major ones – Bitcoin, Ethereum or Litecoin. You can also take stable coins, tethered coins and others.
How crypto payment gateways work
If you have ever made an online payment, you probably know already how such things work. It makes no difference if you have paid by credit or debit card or perhaps an online payment platform – such as Neteller or Skrill. Crypto payment gateways follow the same operating principles and allow customers to pay over more coins.When it comes to fiat currencies, you can often choose what currency you want to pay in. When it comes to cryptocurrencies, customers can often choose what coins they want to pay with. It normally depends on what the gateway has to offer. In some cases, customers may have access to more than 1,000 coins – obviously, most exchanges will stick to the most popular ones.
There are crypto payment gateways out there that will give you a noncustodial wallet. Some others will accept different coins, meaning they will also provide an exchange or conversion service. Such services are normally built in. If you have different wallets for different coins, you might as well be able to link these wallets to the gateway – in other words, forget about exchanges and some money overtime.
The payments you accept will also define the perfect crypto payment gateway for you. For example, you can accept more types of digital coins for your products or services. Purchases are made in different coins. They are then stored in noncustodial wallets until you want to convert everything in a fiat currency and transfer or use the money.
On the other hand, you can also stick to one or two cryptocurrencies only. It is entirely up to you. For instance, assuming you only want Bitcoin for your products or services, you can connect your wallet to the crypto payment wallet. At this point, the Bitcoin will automatically be transferred to your wallet with every new purchase.
Now that you understand how crypto payment gateways work, a simple search over the Internet will give you plenty of results. There are a few reputable choices out there, as well as less known alternatives that may provide an even better service. At the end of the day, it depends on your needs and requirements. Here are some of the best rated options and why.
Top 10 Crypto Payment Gateways
Coinbase
Coinbase is a solid player on the cryptocurrency market, providing access to a bunch of different services. One of these services is the crypto payment processing solution – not just popular because of the company’s reputation, but because of its efficiency as well. Coinbase is also known for supporting a wide variety of digital coins.
Coinbase is available over its official website, but it also has its own application. Once registered and set, you can use it to receive instant cryptocurrency payments. Furthermore, Coinbase also allows almost instant conversions into different fiat currencies. You can enable such features or decide yourself when you want to make the conversion.
Quick conversions ensure you have high security against price volatility, so most merchants keep it enabled. Other than that, it is worth noting that Coinbase is compatible with pretty much every major CMS platform for online commerce. It is widely used in a plethora of solid markets, especially around Europe – the Netherlands, Spain or Italy, just to name a few.
Just like any other crypto payment gateway out there, Coinbase comes with some fees too – quite affordable, as they start at 0.5% and may include flat fees as well.
BTC Pay Server
BTC Pay Server is an open-source crypto payment processor that stands out in the crowd with its fees. Practically, the gateway is free. With all these, it is also private and highly secure. It is self-hosted and provides simplicity. Simply put, it does what it is supposed to do, without any random bells and whistles that will only add to fees.
The way it works is fairly simple to understand. Launch a server or use a host. Connect the online store or use an application to get payments. Funds will be sent directly to the wallet you connect. There are no conversions involved. However, while it excels with cryptocurrencies, keep in mind that it does not support fiat currencies.
BTC Pay Server comes with a few built-in applications. For instance, you can create point of sale applications for the store, but also come up with a tipping button. You can send payment links to clients or launch campaigns for various causes. It has the right features for invoices, as well as accounting capabilities.
There is not too much experience required, as it brings in automation via the API. It also provides native wallet management.
BitPay
BitPay is one of the first crypto payment gateways out there and unsurprisingly, it is still among the front runners. It was launched in 2011. You can use it over the official website, but you will find the mobile application to be more convenient. You will be able to take payments straight away. There are, however, some fees involved – they usually start from 1%.
BitPay has a bunch of features that can make your life easier – such as BitPay Debit Cards. The feature allows a convenient conversion from fiat currencies into cryptocurrencies. Other than that, you also have a bunch of different plugins. They are suitable for ecommerce and they are all open source – just a series of different ways to improve your website.
The API based platform is extremely interactive and intuitive. It asks for double authentication to ensure a high security system. You have multiple language support features, as well as multiple user facilities. Being around for such a long time, BitPay has gained notoriety with its stability and successful stories. It has also been used by some of the biggest players in the world – Amazon, Delta, MasterCard and so on.
Finally, BitPay is one of the pioneers behind crypto payment gateways. This gateway represents the reason wherefore many people turned to digital coins for transactions.
CoinGate
CoinGate is also among the leading crypto payment gateways on the market and has successfully improved over the past years, only to become one of the top choices out there. Unlike other gateways, it allows taking payments in both digital coins and fiat currencies. For instance, you can take payments in Bitcoin and altcoins, but you can also use EUR, USD and others.
Not sure how to implement it correctly or gain as much as possible from it? There is nothing to be concerned about. The gateway comes with a plethora of different ecommerce plugins for all kinds of platforms. In other words, not only do you get to enhance your website, but you can also ease the experience for your customers.
While Bitcoin is the most popular digital coin out there, the truth is CoinGate allows different options as well. Some of your customers may prefer different coins – perfectly doable due to the integration with Shapeshift. When it comes to fees, chances are you will pay about 1% for most transactions – double check all fees upfront though.
Given its longstanding reputation and great features, CoinGate is now widely used in various economies – Belgium, Japan and Brazil, just to name a few.
SpectroCoin
There are more reasons wherefore SpectroCoin is one of the most appreciated crypto payment gateways. One of them is the actual wallet. Unlike other alternatives, SpectroCoin provides access to a free wallet. Forget about fees and random expenses associated with your external wallet – try out SpectroCoin’s as well.
Second, SpectroCoin allows exchanging funds as soon as you get paid. Basically, the conversion is almost instant. What does it mean? You are less likely to be affected by the market volatility, which is a plus. Sure, you do not need this feature if you want to save in certain cryptocurrencies or you want to store your money digitally.
On another note, SpectroCoin is highly compatible with most major ecommerce platforms – OpenCart, VirtueMart, Magento, PrestaShop, WooCommerce and so on. For such reasons, it has been implemented in numerous economies – but especially in Australia, France and Italy. Apart from Bitcoin, you can integrate the APIs and get other currencies as well.
To top all these up, SpectroCoin offers a Bitcoin debit card too. As for fees, they are set to 1% for most transactions.
Cash withdrawals tend to be more expensive though.
CoinPayments
CoinPayments may not have the reputation of Coinbase or BitPay, but the past years brought it in the spotlight for a series of good reasons. The actual fees represent some of these reasons. In other words, most transactions will come with a low 0.5% fee – some of them could be higher, so check all the fees upfront.
Now, another plus over other crypto payment gateways is the fact that CoinPayments is specialized in most digital coins. Simply put, you can take payments in more than 2300 digital coins, which is a serious advantage over other alternatives. Accepting payments in more currencies provides more choice for customers.
In terms of conversion, CoinPayments allows quick exchanges from fiat currencies to digital coins and vice versa. Worried about the actual integration? Forget about it. The gateway is compatible with the most popular ecommerce platforms out there. For example, you can use it with WooCommerce, OSCommerce, Shopify or Magento, among others.
Plisio
Plisio is one of those simplistic crypto payment gateways that do not require any experience at all. If you have struggled with the design and features of your website, you will find Plisio a breeze. Setting it up to take cryptocurrency payments is a matter of a few minutes only – the integration is intuitive and straightforward.
Another good thing about Plisio is the fact that it works with almost every ecommerce platform out there. It has obviously been tested for the major names on the market – WooCommerce, Opencart, VirtueMart or WHMCS. But then, it has been reported to work with other platforms too, so there are no issues in terms of implementation.
All APIs are easy to integrate. In terms of fees, expect one of the least expensive solutions out there. The lowest fee goes down to 0.5%. Other than that, it is worth taking a look at Plisio’s mass payout feature, which can be quite handy at times.
Blockonomics
Blockonomics is designed for the more experienced. In theory, it is among the most sophisticated and overwhelming crypto payment gateways out there. However, if you do have a bit of experience, you will love the outcome. It does not have any permissions and will not require third party authentications to support transactions.
You can forget about integrating different APIs for different currencies. The good news is everything is built in, meaning security standards are taken to another level. Compared to other gateways, Blockonomics is clearly more innovative than other alternatives and chances are further updates will take it even further.
In order to make a cryptocurrency payment, users will need to scan a QR code. This code is given over your website or digital wallets. As for the actual digital coins, there is an impressive base of what you can take. After all, Blockonomics features a Shapeshift integration. As for fees, they normally range around 1% – quite standard.
While used all over the world, Blockonomics has mostly gained notoriety around the USA, UK, Canada, France and Germany.
NOWPayments
NOWPayments is among the best rated crypto payment gateways. It is simple to use, easy to integrate and comes with just the right features – no random bells and whistles. For these reasons, fees are also relatively low. Most importantly, this gateway is famous for the noncustodial gateway solutions – easy to implement and low fees.
In terms of digital coins, NOWPayments will allow you to take payments in more than 50 different cryptocurrencies. You have a highly convenient API, but take your time to explore the numerous plugins as well. They can be brought in within seconds and they add to the overall convenience. While launched in 2019, the gateway has become a star overnight for these reasons.
It is worth noting that NOWPayments also provides conversions to fiat currencies. You also have PoS solutions and a feature for mass payments. As for compatibility, there is nothing to be concerned about – OpenCart and WooCommerce are just some of the most popular names that can take the gateway. Pretty much every major platform is supported.
Fees are less likely to exceed 1%. Most commonly, you will pay around 0.5% for transactions or exchanges.
CoinsBank
CoinsBank has a self explanatory name. It is one of the most popular crypto payment gateways because it works like a bank – without the bad parts like high fees though. Basically, this gateway is specialized in easing cryptocurrency payment. It has a simple purpose, but it does things perfectly. It is often introduced as a solid all in one blockchain payment solution.
Synchronizing the gateway with a debit card is a matter of seconds. A few clicks will get the job done, so it is relatively simple. You can use the gateway over its official website, but most users agree that the mobile application is more convenient. The application has the same features and is available to iOS and Android users.
In terms of what it can do, CoinsBank will allow instant withdrawals and deposits. Its debit cards work all over the world. Moreover, apart from the gateway solutions, CoinsBank also has an exchange platform where people can trade and exchange coins based on their needs – low risks and higher profits in the long run.
A few other options
These top runners are more likely to meet your needs without too much hassle – sure, small considerations are still required. While they tend to dominate the market, there are a few other options that should also be considered. You would have to check fees, features and reviews yourself. All in all, here are some decent alternatives:What to look for in crypto payment gateways
Now you are aware of the top-rated crypto payment gateways out there. However, choosing the right one can be daunting with so many options. The actual necessities of your business should lead you in the right direction. Other than that, there are a few general things to understand before making a decision and signing up.Most importantly, you have to ask yourself – is this crypto payment gateway suitable for my business? Is this the optimal option to serve my needs? For instance, you will need to ensure that the gateway has all the coins you want to take payments in. More is better – after all, different users may store different digital coins.
Fees represent another major consideration. Different crypto payment gateways have different fees and costs. Some gateways may have low fees for transactions, but conversion fees could be high. If you need both of these services, you will need to find a middle solution based on what you deal with. Besides, you will notice major differences in fees.
Finally, make sure the reputation is high. You may run into a crypto payment gateway that no one has ever heard of. There are no reviews, yet fees are almost nonexistent and everything seems perfect. Such things are too good to be true. A company with a good reputation and many years on the market represents your safest choice.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, crypto payment gateways come with a bunch of benefits. Most importantly, they provide access to digital coin payments in a world where cryptocurrencies gain more and more notoriety. People actually use them to buy and pay for services, so providing access to this payment solution is a must these days.From many points of view, such payment solutions are actually required. Fees are much lower compared to classic banking solutions. The system is secure and money goes straight to your account. Furthermore, many transactions are almost instant. The money is there straight away, so there are no unpleasant delays. Plus, think about the simplicity.
With so many crypto payment gateways out there, deciding on one can be tricky, but it is definitely not impossible. Assess your business needs before anything else. Think about the future growth and things you may need in the future as well. Once you have these covered, you can see what different gateways can offer you.
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