Shopify Payments: The Definitive Guide (2026)

Wondering how to actually get paid on Shopify, and keep more of your profits?

Shopify Payments makes it easier than ever, but there are a few things you'll want to know before you jump in.

Getting started with Shopify Payments can feel tricky at first. That's why we put a lot of effort into this guide to make sure you have a clear, beginner-friendly path to setting everything up correctly.

Quick Answer: What is Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments is Shopify's built-in payment processor that lets merchants accept credit card payments directly in their Shopify store without using third-party gateways.

It simplifies payment setup, offers competitive transaction fees, and provides faster payouts, making it the easiest way to get paid on Shopify.

This article also includes tips on whether Shopify Payments is the right choice compared to options like Stripe or PayPal.

Let's get started!

Start your store on Shopify

Free 3-day trial + $1/month for 3 months

• Grows with you from first test product to full brand
• 8,000+ apps & themes to customize your store
• Beginner-friendly editor with pro features when you're ready

Start your Shopify trial →

No card to start. Cancel anytime.

What is Shopify Payments? And how does it work?

Shopify Payments is Shopify's in-house payment processing solution.

It streamlines payment processing for Shopify merchants by enabling them to accept credit card payments directly in their Shopify stores.

Shopify Payments is the easiest way to get paid on Shopify. It is automatically installed with every Shopify store and allows you to accept credit cards directly through Shopify without setting up a third-party payment gateway.

What countries is Shopify Payments available in?

Shopify Payments is available in the following countries:

• United States
• Canada
• Czechia
• Finland
• France
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Netherlands
• United Kingdom
• Switzerland
• Sweden
• Spain
• Singapore
• Ireland
• Germany
• Austria
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Hong Kong
• Italy
• Japan
• Portugal
• Romania

Note: Shopify Payments is not available to stores in any other country. If you're unsure if Shopify Payments is available in your country, contact Shopify support.

If Shopify Payments isn't available in your country or you want to use a different payment gateway, you can choose from over 100 Shopify-supported payment gateways.

Requirements to be accepted in Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is Shopify's own payment processor. To be accepted into Shopify Payments, you must:

• Be a Shopify merchant
• Live in one of the supported countries
• Use Shopify as your ecommerce platform
• Have proof of home address documents
• Meet Shopify's minimum age requirements

For more info, make sure to check the full list of requirements.

Fees associated with Shopify Payments

There are two fees: a Shopify transaction fee, which is a percentage of the total sale, and a payment processing fee. Shopify's transaction fees are as follows:

• Shopify Payments: Shopify's transaction fee is 0.15% on the first $ 2,000 of sales, then 0.05% on any sales over $ 2,000.
• Other Payment Gateways: Shopify charges a flat rate of 0.30% per transaction for all other payment gateways.

To learn more about Shopify Payments transaction fees, click here.

How often are Shopify Payments payouts?

Shopify Payments are paid out every 14 days, meaning you'll receive your Shopify Payments balance from two weeks ago on the 14th day of every month.

For example, if you had a Shopify Payments balance of $100 on January 31st, you would receive that $100 on February 14th.

How do I set up Shopify Payments?

If you're looking to set up Shopify Payments for your store, there are a few steps you'll need to take.

First, you'll need to create a Shopify account and sign in. Once you're signed in, you'll need to go to the Shopify Payments section of your admin panel:

From there, click Settings, then head to the payment section.

Now, you'll need to insert some tax information. This will depend strictly on the country you're living in.

You should consult a professional accountant to complete that form.

With that being said, let's continue.

Shopify allows you to accept all major credit and debit cards. However, you can enable and disable those who don't fit your business needs.

The remaining options are set by default. You don't need to do anything with that, except if you prefer to get paid daily or weekly.

This is up to you. Once you've done that, click on save, and you're done. Congratulations!

Note: If PayPal isn't available in your country, you can deactivate it. Just click Manage and disable the payment option.

Shopify Payments: Pros and cons

There are a few things to consider before signing up for Shopify Payments. Here are some of the pros and cons:

Pros

• Shopify Payments is the simplest way to get started selling online. You can be up and running in minutes without setting up a third-party payment processor.
• Shopify Payments integrates with Shopify, so you can manage your entire business from one central platform.
• Shopify Payments offers competitive transaction fees, with no setup or monthly fees.
• Shopify Payments is available in over 15 countries.

Cons

• Shopify Payments is not available in all countries.
• Fees associated with using Shopify Payments may be higher than those of some other payment processors.
• Shopify Payments may not be the best option for high-volume businesses.

Tip: If you want to win your Shopify Payment chargebacks, consider using Chargeflow. It's a company that uses AI to fight your chargebacks.

Chargeflow offers an industry-leading win rate, and you only pay when they successfully recover a chargeback, so it's worth checking out!

Alternatives to Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is not the only payment processor available to Shopify merchants.

If you're not satisfied with Shopify Payments, or if it's not available in your country, you can choose from several other Shopify-supported payment providers.

Some of the most popular Shopify-supported payment providers include:

• PayPal
• Stripe
• Authorize.Net
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay

Among these providers, Stripe and PayPal are the most commonly used. Shopify has built-in integration with these payment providers, making it easy to set up and start using.

What is Stripe? And how does it work?

Stripe is a payment gateway that lets you accept payments directly in your Shopify store.

Stripe powers Shopify Payments, so when you set up Shopify Payments, you're automatically set up with Stripe.

Stripe lets you accept credit and debit card payments from customers in over 130 countries. It works with Shopify to allow Shopify merchants to accept payments from anywhere.

Stripe is one of the easiest Shopify payment gateways to set up and one of the most popular.

Note: If you are in a country where Stripe is available, you can't enable Shopify payments. You can only enable one of those two based on geolocation.

What countries is Stripe available in?

Stripe is currently available in 47 countries; to see if it is available in your country, check the list.

You can use Stripe as your payment gateway if you live in a country where Shopify Payments isn't available.

Requirements to be accepted in Stripe

To be eligible to use Stripe, you must:

• Be a resident of one of the listed countries.
• Have a business account in one of those countries.
• Be able to provide Shopify with the required banking and tax information.
• Be 18 years or older.

If you meet all of the above requirements, you can apply to Shopify Payments powered by Stripe.

How often are Stripe payouts?

Stripe payouts are typically made weekly.

However, if you have Shopify Payments enabled, your payouts will be processed more frequently, typically every two days.

This means you'll receive your payments faster and can keep your business running smoothly.

Pro tip: If you have the option to use more than one payment processor, go for it. Why?

Because if your store makes $1000 in a month and suddenly starts making thousands of dollars due to seasonality, some payment processors might block your account to verify that you are not a scammer. Meanwhile, you want cash flow in your account to keep your business up and running.

Fees associated with Stripe

Stripe charges a flat rate of $0.30 + 2,9% per transaction. For example, if you sell an item for $100 and the transaction fee is $0.03, your total fee would be $0.33.

How do I get started with Stripe?

The first step is to create a Shopify account and then add Shopify Payments as your payment gateway. You can do this by going to your Shopify admin, then selecting Settings > Payment providers.

As we mentioned above, Shopify track automatically your geolocation, so you will see an option to click if Stripe is available in your country.

Once you've added Stripe, you'll need to enter some basic information about your business, including your business name, address, and phone number. You will also need to provide your bank account details so that they can deposit your payments.

Stripe: Pros and cons

Pros

• You can be up and running in just a few minutes.
• Stripe has lower transaction fees than most other payment processors (including PayPal), so you can save money on every sale.
• Stripe doesn't charge any setup or monthly fees, so you can start processing payments right away without worrying about additional costs.
• Seamless integration with Shopify's checkout process.

Cons

• Not available in all countries.
• Customer service is not always helpful.

Related article: Dropshipping With Stripe: Everything You Need to Know

Shopify Payments vs. Stripe: What's the difference?

If you're running an online store, you know there are many payment options available.

Shopify Payments and Stripe are two of the most popular choices, but what's the difference between them?

Let's take a look:

Shopify Payments		Stripe
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
Fast and easy to use	Not available in all countries	User-friendly interface	Not supported in every country
Fraud detection feature	Restrictions on some products or services	Available in 47 countries	Transaction fees might be high
No setup fees		24/7 phone and chat support
PCI compliant

There are a few other countries that Shopify Payments supports, so if you're interested, check out the list here.

Stripe is a third-party payment processor. Stripe is available in many countries worldwide. Stripe is easy to set up and use, and it's often used by businesses that are expanding internationally.

So, what's the difference?

Well, Shopify Payments is integrated with Shopify's platform, which means it's easy to set up and use.

However, Shopify Payments is only available in certain countries. Stripe, on the other hand, is available in many countries worldwide.

If you're looking for an easy-to-use payment processor available in many countries, then Stripe is a good option.

However, if you're looking for a payment processor integrated with Shopify, Shopify Payments is a good option.

What is PayPal? And how does it work?

PayPal is one of the payment providers Shopify supports. You can use PayPal to accept payments for orders placed on your Shopify store.

To start using PayPal as a Shopify payment provider, you need to set up a PayPal Business account.

Once you have a Business account, you can connect it to your Shopify store and start accepting payments.

When customers complete an order on your Shopify store and choose PayPal as their payment method, they are redirected to the PayPal website to complete the payment.

In what countries is PayPal available?

PayPal is available in over 200 countries and regions. You can check if your country or region is supported by PayPal here.

Unfortunately, if you don't see your country or region listed, it isn't available there yet.

Requirements to be accepted into PayPal

If you're a Shopify merchant and want to start using PayPal for your Shopify payments, you'll need to:

• Have a PayPal account
• Have a Shopify merchant account
• Have a valid email address associated with your Shopify account

How often are PayPal payouts?

PayPal payouts are typically every 24 hours, but may be delayed if there is a problem with your account or if you have a lot of transactions.

You can check the status of your payout in your Shopify admin.

Fees associated with PayPal

Shopify uses PayPal as an external Payment provider to send payments to your shop.

There is a small fee for using this service, which the merchant pays. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the total transaction amount, plus a fixed fee based on the currency you're using.

PayPal charges sellers a fee for each transaction. The fee is calculated as 2.9% of the total transaction amount, plus a $0.30 fixed fee.

Note: These numbers may change at the payment processor's discretion.

Shopify Payments vs. Stripe: What's the difference?

If you're running an online store, you know there are many payment options available.

Shopify Payments and Stripe are two of the most popular choices, but what's the difference between them? Let's take a look:

• Shopify Payments is Shopify's own payment processing system. Shopify Payments is available in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Shopify Payments is integrated with Shopify's platform, making it easy to set up and use.
• Stripe is a third-party payment processor. Stripe is available in many countries worldwide. Stripe is easy to set up and use, and it's often used by businesses that are expanding internationally.

How do I get started with PayPal?

Log in to your Shopify admin.

From the Shopify app, go to Store > Settings.

Under Store settings, tap Payments.

In the Shopify Payments section, tap Complete account setup.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the PayPal account setup.

After you finish the account setup process, your Shopify store will be connected to your PayPal account, and you can start accepting payments.

PayPal: Pros and cons

There are a few things to consider when looking at PayPal(or any other payment processor).

Here are some of the pros and cons:

Pros

• It is integrated with Shopify, so it's easy to set up and use
• No setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden fees
• Competitive transaction fees

Cons

• It might not be available in all countries
• It might not support all currencies
• Chargeback fees

How to calculate PayPal transaction fees

If you're selling products through Shopify, you may be wondering how to calculate PayPal seller fees. Here's a quick guide to help you out.

PayPal charges sellers a fee for each transaction. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the total transaction amount plus a fixed fee.

For example, you're charged 2,9% plus $0,30 per transaction.

The total PayPal fee for a $100 transaction would be $100 x 0,029 + $0,30 = $103,00.

Note: These numbers may change due to the payment processors.

Paypal vs. Stripe

The debate of PayPal vs. Stripe has been around for a while. Each has pros and cons, but ultimately it comes down to your needs.

PayPal is a good option if you're just getting started with Shopify because it's easy to set up and use.

However, keep in mind that as you scale your business, you might encounter issues with PayPal; I've seen many professional dropshippers have their PayPal accounts blocked due to suspicious activity.

The truth is: Oftentimes these dropshippers use Facebook ads to scale up their business, when transactions start doubling all of the sudden, they might trigger the PayPal algorithm to stop your account from accepting payments.

Even if you're doing a legit business you will still face these issues, so just use PayPal at the very beginning of your new store, and as you start making money switch to another payment processor.

Related article: Using PayPal for Dropshipping: How to Not Get Banned

Why might PayPal hold your funds?

There are a few key reasons why PayPal may hold your Shopify payments:

• You're new to Shopify. If you're new to Shopify, PayPal may hold your payments for up to 21 days. This gives them time to verify that you're a legitimate seller and won't fraudulently charge your customers' credit cards.
• You're selling high-risk items. Items that are considered high-risk, such as electronics or jewelry, may also be held by PayPal. This is because these items are more susceptible to fraud.
• You're selling from a highly fraudulent country. If you're selling from a country on PayPal's high-risk list, PayPal may hold your payments. This is because there is a higher risk of fraud when dealing with sellers from these countries.
• You have a high transaction volume. If you have a high transaction volume, PayPal may hold your payments for up to 21 days. This is to protect them from fraud and to ensure you won't have a chargeback from your customers.
• You have a high refund rate. If you have a high refund rate, PayPal may hold your payments for up to 21 days.

Action plan helper

Turn this guide into a simple checklist

Open this article in ChatGPT and get the next steps for your dropshipping store.

Create my checklist

Prefer another tool?

ChatGPTPerplexityGrokGoogle AIClaudeCopilot

Conclusion

So, there you have it!

Everything you need to know in order to start using Shopify Payments in your store.

It's really not as complicated as it may seem at first, and we hope this guide has helped to clear up any questions or concerns you may have had about getting started.

If you are still unsure whether Shopify Payments is the right payment gateway for your business, be sure to check out our list of the best payment gateways here!

Thanks for reading, and happy selling!

Want to learn more about Shopify?

Ready to move your Shopify store to the next level? Check out the articles below:

• How to Start a Shopify Store: The Definitive Guide
• How Do You Track Your Profit in Shopify? (7 Apps & Tips)
• Shopify Free Trial in 2026: How It Works (Length & Limits)