Top 10 Payment Gateways in Italy That You Need to Know

Payment gateways have become an essential aspect of every online business. From running the show to empowering businesses to expand their products and services, there is a little bit of everything available with payment gateways. 

What happens when you want to trade out of your domestic market but can't do so due to government regulations and foreign currency payments? The answer is simple; you go to a payment gateway to facilitate smooth trade.

A good payment gateway can make or break your business model; for this very reason, it is prudent to select a gateway wisely and take all necessary steps to ensure you have the right one aligned with your organization. 

Payment Solution Landscape in Italy

Let's face it; the pandemic has changed the essence of payments and how businesses do business online and offline. The European nation, Italy, isn't far behind when accepting digital payments. 

Digital payments became a hot topic of discussion in 2022 simply because the importance of becoming a cashless economy gained immense support from the wider public. 

Italians feel that PayPal should feature on all e-commerce websites by default, given its popularity and ease of convenience. 

To usher in the digital era, the government has laid down some rules which make digital payments mandatory. For example, some standard rules include: 

1. Cash payments between individuals can be at most three thousand euros.
2. Enterprises and companies alike can pay salaries via digital methods only.
3. Local consumers can avail of tax benefits on digital payments. 

The shift from cash payments to digital payments has been significant. This shift has been made possible due to the improvements in network infrastructures, while new digital technologies such as instant payments have become the talk of the town. 

Finally, it's worth noting that the Italian cards and payments market was valued at $347.1 billion in 2022; it will achieve a CAGR of more than 8% during 2022-2026.

Criteria to Look Out for Payment Gateways in Italy 

Choosing a payment gateway solution is something other than what businesses do daily. Before integrating and regularizing a payment gateway system, companies in Italy must consider several factors. 

Reliability

One of the most critical considerations in selecting a reliable payment gateway solution is its reliability. Customers are less likely to depend on your brand if financial transactions are not safe and secure. 

As a result, choosing a payment gateway system that provides a reliable service is critical for enhancing customer experience and creating brand trustworthiness. 

Supported Currencies

The second factor is the number of currency types the payment gateway supports. Unless the payment gateway allows transactions in your market's local currency, you can avoid missing out on a substantial chunk of your conversion targets.

Payment Options 

Third, businesses in Italy must consider the scope of payment methods enabled by the payment gateway they choose. Payment gateways that accept various payment methods will undoubtedly gain market traction. 

Market Integrations

Firms must immediately integrate with new markets to implement an efficient omnichannel conversion strategy in modern eCommerce. The most technologically advanced payment gateway providers can provide a seamless eCommerce transaction experience across diverse marketplaces.

Security

In a world where the overall cost of eCommerce fraud will exceed $206.8 billion in 2023, businesses must comply with and support payment systems that provide several levels of protection. A good security model increases and creates consumer trust in the brand.

Pricing and Other Fees

Italian businesses must make the "cost of doing business" the final decision. Payment gateway services charge setup fees, transaction fees, and commissions. A reduced service fee indicates a lower cost of operation as a company's activities upscale over time.

Considering these factors, here are the top nine payment gateways servicing Italian e-commerce businesses.

Top 9 Payment Gateways for Businesses in Italy

1. 2Checkout

2Checkout is one of the most popular payment gateway options among Italian businesses. The payment gateway has established itself as a worldwide trusted name in the financial sector, with over 20,000 brands using it in 211 countries.

2Checkout offers numerous advantages, such as globalized payment facilitation, digital commerce, subscription billing, tax and financial services, risk management and compliance, multilingual support, and more.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: Businesses can choose from one of the following plans:

o   2Checkout 2 SELL: 3.5% + $0.35 per successful sale.

o   2Checkout 2 SUBSCRIBE: 4.5% + $0.45 per successful sale.

o   2Checkout 2 MONETIZE: 6% + $0.60 per successful sale. 

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: 

American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Neteller, PayPal, P.O., Skrill, and Visa.

Other accepted payments: 

Apple Pay, Google Pay, AliPay, and OPay

Supported Currencies: 87 major currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: N/A

eCommerce Platform Integration: 2Checkout supports all significant e-commerce CMS platforms.

2. Rapyd

Using the Rapyd API, businesses in Italy can integrate payment systems into any website or application. With the help of Rapyd Collect, a global payment processing platform, companies can accept cards and a wide choice of payment options local to over one hundred countries. 

Rapyd's customizable REST API, cloud-based infrastructure, and microservices design enable businesses to scale quickly, unlike traditional payment systems.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: $25.00

Commission per transaction: 

• European Cards- 0.25 EUR; All types (including non-European Cards)- 0.30 EUR
• Domestic Cards- 0.10 GBP; European Cards- 0.10 GBP; All types (including non-European cards)- 0.10 GBP; European Cards- 15 ISK; International Cards-15 ISK 

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard (Card Payments, Card Payment With 3DS Verification, Card on File, Card on File With 3DS Verification, Card to Card Payments).

Other accepted payments: Bank redirect, and eWallets

Supported Currencies: 25 different major currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Complete the KYB application to activate your Rapyd account.

eCommerce Platform Integration: Ecwid, Magento, Prestashop, Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce

3. Adyen

Adyen is an omnichannel payment processing company that provides several payment methods to businesses on a single platform. It is a payment gateway service with POS system integrations that permit in-person transactions. Businesses can also use it for in-app and mobile payment systems.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction:

• 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction for credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets.
• 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only), transactions in non-U.S. currency, or
• Transactions outside the U.S. are 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5).
• Discounts are available for enterprise businesses.

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards

Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments

ACH, Direct Debit, Affirm, PayPal, Afterpay, Zip, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Diners Club, Discover, Google Pay, JCB, Klarna, Paysafecard, and UnionPay.

Supported Currencies: Adyen supports 30+ significant currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Within minutes

eCommerce Platform Integration: Shopware, Magento, Prestashop, Salesforce, Oracle, and BigCommerce.

4. Checkout.com

Checkout.com offers a "full stack" collective of payment solutions to businesses of all kinds in Italy. Because of its customizable payment gateway, companies can scale and trade at breakneck speeds. 

It is used by several of the world's largest consumer brands; given its modular integration technology, organizations can swiftly implement a seamless, feature-rich payment system. 

Checkout.com has excellent I.T. support that further assists firms in addressing scalability and regulatory issues.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction:  

• 0.95% plus $0.20 for European cards
• 2.90% plus $0.20 for non-European cards

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments: Apple Pay, PayPal, and Alipay.

Supported Currencies: Checkout works well with all major currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Information Available on request

eCommerce Platform Integration: 

• Astound Commerce
• WooCommerce
• 5874
• Shopify
• Cabiri

5. Stripe

Stripe's API package provides online payment processing and commerce solutions for all sizes of online enterprises. You can use Stripe's software and APIs to process payments, distribute dividends, and manage online operations by millions of businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to established businesses.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free (Pay-as-you-go)  

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments: 

Alipay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay

Supported Currencies: Stripe supports 135+ significant currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: 7 days

eCommerce Platform Integration: 

WooCommerce, Shopify, and other leading CMSes.

6. Mollie

Mollie is an upcoming payment gateway solution that has already attracted many patrons across Italy. Currently, it's a favored choice of more than 130,000 businesses across the globe, including both start-ups and large-scale enterprises.

Mollie helps Italian businesses offer personalized checkout to customers, thus, boosting conversion and retention. You can manage your business transactions on Mollie from any device.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: 

For Visa 

o European Union consumer cards- € 0.25+1.8%

o Commercial & non-EU cards- € 0.25+2.9%

For MasterCard

European Union consumer cards- € 0.25+1.8%

Commercial & non-EU cards- € 0.25+2.9%

For American Express

Worldwide- € 0.25+2.9%

For Maestro

Netherlands- € 0.39

Apple Pay

Worldwide- Rate defined by card used

SOFORT Bank Transfer

Europe- € 0.25+0.9%

SEPA Direct Debit

Europe- € 0.25

SEPA Bank Transfer

Europe- € 0.25

Paysafecard

Worldwide- 15%

PayPal

Worldwide- € 0.10

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments: iDEAL, Bancontact/Mister Cash, PayPal, SCT, SDD, etc. 

Supported Currencies: EUR, GBP, DKK, NOK, PLN, SEK, CHF, and USD. 

Approvals and Onboarding Time: 2 weeks

eCommerce Platform Integration: 

• Wix
• WooCommerce
• Prestashop
• Magento 2

7. CyberSource

Cybersource is a flexible and hyper-secure eCommerce payment gateway solution. Embedded with 260+ fraud detection solutions, including biometrics and geolocation, Cybersource offers payment acceptance across 97% of the world's countries and territories. 

Cybersource allows users to store payment card data for swifter checkouts. It also features additional services like global tax calculation and recurring billing.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: Information Available on request

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Information Available on request

Other accepted payments: Information Available on request

Supported Currencies: AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NOK, NZD, SEK, SGD, THB, and USD.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Information Available on request

eCommerce Platform Integration

WooCommerce, Shopify, and other leading CMSes.

8. Braintree

Braintree is the only payment gateway that allows businesses in Italy to contact clients and enhance conversions using payment methods such as Venmo (U.S.), PayPal, credit and debit cards, eWallets such as Google Pay and Apple Pay, and others. 

Braintree assists in reducing transaction risks and safeguarding payment information.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: $349

Monthly fee: $15/month

Charges on refunds: There are no extra charges.

Commission per transaction: 3-4% of the total transaction fee.

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: 

American Express, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Maestro, MasterCard, and Visa

Other accepted payments: 

Apple Pay, and Android Pay

Supported Currencies: USD, SGD, SEK, PLN, NZD, NOK, JPY, HUF, HKD, GBP, EUR, DKK, CZK, CNY, CHF, CAD, AUD.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Immediate use after approval.

eCommerce Platform Integration: All major CMSes

9. Authorize.net

Authorize.Net, a payment gateway service provider, allows eCommerce brands in Italy to accept credit card and electronic cheque payments through their website and over an I.P. connection. 

Customers can enter their credit card and shipping information immediately on a website, unlike some systems requiring customer registration for a payment provider before making a transaction.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: $25 

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: 2.9% + 30¢ (all-in-one option); 10¢ (payment gateway only)    

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments: 

• Discover, 
• American Express, 
• JCB, 
• PayPal, 
• Apple Pay, 
• eCheck

Supported Currencies: USD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, GBP, NOK, PLN, SEK, AUD, NZD, USD

Approvals and Onboarding Time: 2 business days

eCommerce Platform Integration: 

• Magento
• Moolah
• eBay
• SurveyMonkey
• Shopify

10. Revolut

Revolut is a virtual banking option that allows you to have an account that is only accessible via the Internet and a related debit card. It provides several cost-effective options. 

Revolut's financial offerings include peer-to-peer payments, GBP and EUR bank accounts, debit cards, currency exchange, stock trading, and cryptocurrency exchange.

Pricing and Other Fees:

Setup fee: Free first, with chargeable 'Grow', Scale', and 'Enterprise' plans per your requirements.

Annual Fee: None

Monthly fee: None

Charges on refunds: Information Available on request

Commission per transaction: 1% + £0.20

Accepted Payment Methods:

Credit/Debit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Other accepted payments: 

Supported Currencies: Revolut offers support for 150 significant currencies.

Approvals and Onboarding Time: Information Available on request

eCommerce Platform Integration: 

• WooCommerce (WordPress)
• Prestashop (both 1.6 and 1.7) 
• Magento 2
• BigCommerce
• OpenCart
• Shopify

Local Payment Gateways and the Rising Complexities for the Businesses

The Italian market might seem digitally ready, but its progress still needs improvement, given the market entry restrictions and local requirements. Despite its shortcomings, the European market poses strict entry barriers for US entrants, while local European brands continue to thwart international brands.

Italian consumers prefer to buy from international brands via the Internet, but there isn’t much scope to invest in the economy when it comes to purchasing from local vendors.

Unfortunately, to add to the brunt of the ongoing situation, Italy has the lowest internet penetration amongst all its European counterparts. Despite the era of digitalization, small and medium-sized Italian businesses refrain from embracing the Internet, which poses many problems when it comes to maximizing outreach.

Add high levels of credit fraud, lack of trust in the postal system, and limited broadband connectivity to the list, and the market will suddenly seem less conducive to digitalization.

How Can inai Help You Integrate Multiple Payment Gateway Integrations in Italy?

At inai, we offer a low-code payment gateway integration platform that provides end-to-end digital transaction facilitation and bookkeeping. Our multi-faceted platform enables businesses to enjoy several advantages and helps them gain a competitive edge.

The primary advantage of our platform is its global reach. As a sublime FinTech service, we provide unrivaled value addition to eCommerce brands in Italy by accepting over 300 local and international payment methods. 

inai is a one-stop shop for eCommerce brands in Italy that want to cater to local and international clients. It also acts as a payment aggregation platform, offering businesses analytical data on conversion and the most effective payment methods for any given user for personalized service. 

Our platform has a few notable advantages, like:  

• Customers can purchase in their native currency, which is advantageous for eCommerce firms in Italy.
• You can align your payment and refund management requirements through our highly configurable dashboards.
• Our platform's in-built enterprise-grade security complies with PCI-DSS and GDPR.
• Extensive reporting standards to ensure your payment-gathering experience is seamless and hassle-free. 

We believe in providing a hassle-free transaction experience for our customers, especially when enhancing their payments and driving customer/merchant relationships.