Payment gateway integration options: Germany

Update: We’ve come up with an interactive and comprehensive tool to compare and evaluate the payment gateway providers in Germany.

Germany has a lively and healthy start-up ecosystem. The main hubs include Munich and Hamburg, but it is Berlin where the start-up scene is most dominant.

*What payment gateways options are available to start-ups in Germany? Some of the successful start-ups from Germany include StepStone, WestWing, InternetStores, Delivery Hero among others.*

Germany is quickly becoming the European creative hotspots and start-ups there are increasingly targeting global markets with fresh concepts. Below are some of the payment gateways available to start-ups in the country.

Ogone

Ogone is an all-in-one payment solution provider that mainly focuses on the European market. The company offers payment processing, mobile payments, security and fraud protection, multi-currency services, risk management, merchant account facilitation and other services that enable businesses to accept credit card payments online.

Fees: The setup fee for an account is €299 while the monthly fee is €99. The transaction fee varies from €0.07 to €0.19 per transaction depending on the volume processed. Check the feature sheet for more information on pricing.

Wirecard

With a customer base of over 12,000 merchants, Wirecard is an attractive online payment gateway for companies in Germany. Businesses can accept over 20 payment methods including credit cards, PayPal, mobile payments, prepaid cards and bank transfers. The company’s services enable customers to shop online, companies can accept online, mail and phone orders, and point of sale payments

Fees: There is a setup fee of €49,90 and a monthly fee of €9,90. Other fees vary depending on your business. Contact the company for a comprehensive quote.

Braintree

Braintree Payments is a viable online payment solution for start-ups in Germany. Banking on its success in the US with companies like Angry Birds and Living Social, Braintree has expanded its operations to Europe, including Germany. The company enables merchants to accept online payments without the need for a merchant bank. Businesses can accept the Euro and have the money deposited in their accounts.

Fees: Braintree offers custom fees depending on the bank that businesses choose to work with. Contact the company at 00.800.4005.4400 for a quote.

WorldPay

WorldPay, one of the leading payment processors in Europe, is also available in Germany. The company offers small and medium-sized business solutions, as well as corporate solutions. Businesses need to apply for a merchant account to accept payments through WorldPay. Apart from the standard payment gateway options like fraud detection, local transfers, and others, WorldPay also offers banking services.

Fees: Pricing varies depending on the type of business and transactions processed. Check the example pricing schedule provided by the company.

Paymill

Paymill, popularly known as “The Samwer Stripe Clone” was founded in Munich, Germany. The company boasts of simple integration of familiar payment methods and believes it is the key to success. It has a very simple API like Stripe and developers will love it. You can check their API libraries or example scripts. Paymill also allows you to try their service through merchant cockpit.

Fees: Paymill charges 2.95% of the transaction amount + 0.28€ per successful transaction.

CertoDirect

CertoDirect is a great payment solution for merchants looking to save on costs. Businesses do not need a merchant account to work with CertoDirect. The company is PCI compliant and is integrated with multiple acquiring banks, partners and processors from around the world. Some of its partners include Barclays, SBM, MaxMind, PayVision, EMS Card, and Chase Paymentech. CertoDirect supports VirtueMart and osCommerce shopping carts.

Fees: CertoDirect rates start at 2.95% and vary depending on the amount of transactions processing, your processing history, and other factors. Check the pricing schedule for comprehensive information.

PayLane

PayLane recently started serving the German market and based on its performance in other European countries, can be a good option for start-ups  The company enables merchants to accept payments in 160 currencies and from over 50 countries. PayLane also supports wire transfers and Sofort banking, and is particularly friendly with start-ups with no processing history that may be denied with other providers:

Fees: PayLane fees range from 0.05 EUR to 0.12 EUR depending on the payment method you choose.

There are plenty of options available and you need to select the one which will suit your business needs. Check fees, merchant account agreement, support, and reputation of the company.

Which payment gateways do you recommend for Germany start-ups or businesses that wish to accept credit card payments? Share your thoughts below.