Choosing the right payment gateway is crucial for any web hosting provider. It affects customer trust, conversion rates, recurring billing reliability, and overall operational efficiency. With e-commerce and subscription services booming, your payment system must be secure, global, and frictionless.
In this post, we'll break down the best payment gateways for web hosts — covering pricing, features, integrations, and ideal use cases.
🔍 What to Look for in a Payment GatewayBefore diving into the top options, here are key factors web hosts should evaluate:
- Security & Compliance — PCI DSS compliance is a must.
- Recurring Billing Support — Vital for subscription-based hosting.
- Global Payments & Currency Support — To serve international customers.
- Integration Flexibility — API, plugins, and compatibility with billing systems like WHMCS, Blesta, or custom dashboards.
- Fees & Pricing Structure — Interchange-plus vs flat rate vs custom enterprise models.
- User Experience — Fast checkout, mobile optimized, and saved payment methods.
Best for: Developers & customizable billing
Stripe is a favorite because of its robust API, developer-friendly tools, and instant support for subscriptions and usage-based pricing.
Key Features
✔ Supports 135+ currencies
✔ Billing & subscriptions engine
✔ Seamless API with custom hooks
✔ Advanced fraud protection (Radar)
✔ Excellent documentation
Why Web Hosts Love It
Stripe's recurring billing and webhook system make managing hosting subscriptions a breeze. You can automate upgrades, downgrades, prorations, and even metered billing for add-ons.
Considerations
- Transaction fees apply per charge
- Requires some technical setup
Best for: Wide customer recognition & flexibility
PayPal remains one of the most trusted global payment brands, and PayPal Payments Pro lets you accept card payments directly on your site.
Key Features
✔ Accepts PayPal & card payments
✔ Recurring billing support
✔ PCI compliance built-in
✔ Multiple integrations
Why Web Hosts Choose It
Brand trust helps reduce cart abandonment, especially from users familiar with PayPal. Recurring billing also supports managed hosting subscriptions.
Considerations
- Slightly higher fees in some regions
- Customer support can vary
Best for: Established businesses and enterprise hosts
A long-standing payment gateway with robust fraud tools, recurring billing, and strong support for gateways + merchant accounts.
Key Features
✔ Easy hosted payment forms
✔ Automated recurring billing
✔ Advanced fraud detection
✔ 24/7 support
Why Web Hosts Choose It
Reliable transaction processing and rich billing rules make this a great fit for larger hosting providers running subscription portfolios.
Considerations
- Not as modern or developer-centric as Stripe
- Separate merchant account may be required
Best for: Unified PayPal + card processing
Owned by PayPal but distinct from classic PayPal gateway, Braintree combines card processing with PayPal, Venmo (in the U.S.), and digital wallets.
Key Features
✔ Unified payment methods
✔ Recurring billing
✔ Advanced fraud tools
✔ Seamless mobile experience
Why Web Hosts Choose It
Great for hosts who want to offer flexible payment options beyond just cards — including wallets — without managing multiple processors.
Considerations
- Slightly more complex fee structure in some markets
Best for: Simple setup & U.S./Canada-centric businesses
Square started with POS systems and has grown into online payments and subscription tools.
Key Features
✔ Simple pricing
✔ Flexible checkout tools
✔ Recurring billing available
✔ Built-in invoicing
Why Web Hosts Choose It
An easy option for smaller hosts or those that also sell services beyond hosting (maintenance plans, SEO services, etc).
Considerations
- Not as global as Stripe or PayPal
Best for: Global sales & international tax handling
2Checkout offers multicurrency, multilingual checkout with VAT and tax automation — ideal when serving global customers.
Key Features
✔ Global payment acceptance
✔ Local currencies & languages
✔ Built-in tax & compliance
✔ Subscription billing
Why Web Hosts Choose It
Handles cross-border complexity, which is useful if a host targets multiple countries without wanting to manage local accounts.
Considerations
- Fee structure can be higher for international sales
Many web hosts don't rely on gateways alone — they integrate them into billing automation platforms:
- WHMCS
- Blesta
- HostBill
- ClientExec
- Paid Memberships Pro (for WordPress-centric hosts)
Gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree integrate directly with these platforms to automate invoices, renewals, and failed-payment retries.
📊 Quick Comparison| Gateway | Recurring Billing | Global Support | Ease of Integration | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Developers & scalable hosts |
| PayPal Pro | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Trust-focused audiences |
| Authorize.NET | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Enterprise hosts |
| Braintree | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Multi-method payments |
| Square | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Smaller/North American hosts |
| 2Checkout | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | Global sales |
- Ensure PCI DSS certification for your checkout flows.
- Use tokenization to handle card details securely.
- Activate fraud filters and 3D Secure where available.
- Regularly update security certificates and SDKs.
There's no one-size-fits-all payment gateway — the best choice depends on your hosting business model, customer base, and technical resources.
➡️ For developer control and global reach — Stripe is tough to beat.
➡️ For brand trust and ease of use — PayPal and Braintree shine.
➡️ For traditional enterprise needs — Authorize.NET is reliable.
➡️ For global markets — 2Checkout simplifies taxes and compliance.