PayPal vs Braintree
A side-by-side look at PayPal and Braintree: pricing, payment methods, integrations, features, and company facts. Add up to 4 processors to widen the comparison.
Comparing 2 of 4.
| Compare |  PayPalNo reviews |  BraintreeNo reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Online card rate | 2.99% + $0.49 | 2.89% + $0.29 |
| In-person rate | 2.29% + $0.09 | N/A |
| Keyed-in rate | 3.49% + $0.09 | N/A |
| International | +1.5% | +1% (currency) +1% (non-US card) |
| ACH / bank | 0.8% (cap $5) | 0.75% (cap $5) |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Setup fee | N/A | N/A |
| Monthly minimum | N/A | N/A |
| Chargeback fee | $20 | $15 |
| Pricing model | Flat rate | Flat rate |
| Contract | No contract | No contract |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Payout time | Instant | 2-day |
| Payment methods | ||
| Visa | Yes | Yes |
| Mastercard | Yes | Yes |
| Amex | Yes | Yes |
| Discover | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal | Yes | Yes |
| BNPL | Yes | No |
| Wallets | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Pay | No | Yes |
| Google Pay | No | Yes |
| ACH | No | Yes |
| Integrations | ||
| Hosted checkout | Yes | No |
| Shopify | Yes | No |
| WooCommerce | Yes | Yes |
| BigCommerce | Yes | No |
| Payment links | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing | Yes | No |
| API | No | Yes |
| Drop-in UI | No | Yes |
| Mobile SDK | No | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Fraud protection | Yes | Yes |
| Chargeback protection | Yes | No |
| Reporting dashboard | Yes | No |
| Recurring billing | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| 3D Secure | No | Yes |
| Tokenization | No | Yes |
| Developer-friendly | No | Yes |
| Company | ||
| Founded | 1998 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, CA, USA | Chicago, IL, USA |
| Company size | 1000+ staff | 251-1000 staff |
| Regions | US, CA, EU, UK, Global | US, CA, EU, UK, Global |
| PCI level | Level 1 | Level 1 |
| Currencies | 100+ currencies | 130+ currencies |
| High-risk friendly | No | No |
| Get started | ||
| Visit / profile | ||
PayPal vs Braintree beyond the rate card
| Name | Setup | Checkout experience | PayPal and Venmo acceptance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal | Fast, minimal integration | Uses the recognizable PayPal button | Native (it is the source) | Fast setup, consumer trust, simple stores |
| Braintree | Requires developer integration | Fully customizable, embedded checkout | Native (shared infrastructure) | Custom checkout flows, SaaS, marketplaces |
PayPal vs Braintree: which payment processor is right for you?
This is a comparison with a twist: Braintree is owned by PayPal. They are not really competitors so much as two different products aimed at two different kinds of businesses within the same company. PayPal is the consumer-facing wallet and checkout button; Braintree is the developer-facing processing platform underneath it, built for businesses that want more control over the payment experience.
Where PayPal wins
PayPal is the faster path to accepting payments with no development work: add a button, and you are live. It also carries the most consumer recognition of any checkout option, and many shoppers trust and prefer paying with an account they already have rather than entering card details on a new site. For simple stores, freelancers, or businesses that do not need a fully custom checkout, PayPal is the lower-effort option.
Where Braintree wins
Braintree is built for businesses that want a fully custom checkout experience rather than a PayPal-branded button, while still being able to accept PayPal and Venmo alongside cards, all through one integration. It is the better choice for SaaS products, marketplaces, and any business that needs recurring billing, split payments, or a checkout flow that does not visibly hand off to PayPal. Braintree's per-transaction rate is also lower than PayPal's standard rate.
Pricing in practice
Braintree's rate (2.89% + $0.29) is lower than PayPal's standard online rate (2.99% + $0.49), and that gap is more noticeable on smaller transactions because of the higher fixed fee on PayPal's side. On a $15 order the fixed fee alone is worth more than a full percentage point of the basket.
The trade-off is integration effort. PayPal's button can be live in minutes, while Braintree requires actual development work to set up, so the saving only starts paying for itself once you are processing enough volume for the rate difference to outweigh the build.
Who should choose which
Choose PayPal if you want to start accepting payments immediately with no engineering involved, and you are comfortable with customers checking out through a visibly PayPal-branded flow.
Choose Braintree if you have development resources, want a fully custom checkout, and want PayPal and Venmo acceptance built in without sacrificing control over the customer experience.
For merchant feedback on holds, reserves and support, read the PayPal reviews and the Braintree reviews. If you are weighing Braintree against the other developer-first default rather than against its own parent, see Stripe vs Braintree.
Fees and terms change frequently. Confirm current rates directly with each provider before signing up.
Frequently asked questions
- If Braintree is owned by PayPal, why would I choose one over the other?
- They are aimed at different technical needs. PayPal is a ready-made checkout product; Braintree is infrastructure you build your own checkout on top of, with PayPal and Venmo support included.
- Can I accept PayPal payments through Braintree?
- Yes. Braintree natively supports PayPal and Venmo as payment methods alongside standard card processing, since both share the same parent company.
- Which is better for a small store just starting out?
- PayPal, in most cases: the setup is simpler and does not require a developer. Businesses that outgrow PayPal's checkout limitations often migrate to Braintree as they scale.