MerchantGreatWhy Stripe Says "No" (And Who Says "Yes")
Stripe's risk model is optimized for low-risk SaaS. Here's what triggers rejections:
High-Risk Industry
❌ Stripe: Auto-rejects CBD, crypto, gaming, adult, nutra
✅ Alternatives: Checkout.com, PaymentCloud accept these
Stripe: 25% approval • Alternatives: 64-86%
Chargeback Rate > 0.65%
❌ Stripe: Terminates at 0.75%, flags at 0.65%
✅ Alternatives: High-risk PSPs tolerate up to 2-3%
Stripe: 0.65% max • Alts: 2-3% acceptable
LATAM/Emerging Markets
❌ Stripe: Limited Brazil/Mexico support
✅ Alternatives: Conekta, Mercado Pago specialize in LATAM
Stripe: Restricted • LATAM PSPs: Native
MATCH List Presence
❌ Stripe: Auto-rejects any MATCH history
✅ Alternatives: Some high-risk PSPs accept MATCH merchants
Stripe: 0% approval • Specialists: Case-by-case
New Business (< 6 months)
❌ Stripe: Requires 6+ months processing history
✅ Alternatives: Startup-friendly PSPs available
Stripe: Difficult • Alts: Startup programs
Rapid Volume Growth
❌ Stripe: Flags 3x monthly volume increases
✅ Alternatives: Growth-optimized processors scale faster
Stripe: Conservative • Alts: Growth-friendly
7 Stripe Alternatives Ranked by Your Approval Odds
Approval odds are ML-predicted based on 8,000+ real merchant outcomes. Your specific odds depend on industry, volume, and risk factors.
Checkout.com
High risk tolerance, global coverage, fast approval
Higher fees (2.9% + $0.30), setup complexity
Braintree (PayPal)
PayPal integration, fraud tools, scalable
Still rejects some high-risk, PayPal dependency
PaymentCloud
Accepts MATCH merchants, high-risk expertise
Higher rates (3.5-5%), rolling reserves
Durango Merchant Services
Fast approval, dedicated account manager
US-focused, higher fees for risky profiles
Square
Easy setup, flat 2.6% + $0.10 in-person
Rejects high-risk, frequent holds, poor support
Authorize.Net (Visa)
Reliable, widely integrated, fraud suite
Requires separate merchant account, complex
Conekta (LATAM)
OXXO, SPEI, local methods, Peso/Real support
LATAM only, Spanish/Portuguese support
Takes 8 questions • Get approval odds for all 7 processors • 100% free
Don't Rely on Just One Processor
High-risk merchants need payment redundancy. Here's how to build a multi-PSP backup strategy:
Primary Processor
Your best-match PSP based on approval odds and fees
Example: Checkout.com for gaming (86% approval)
Backup Processor
Secondary PSP with different risk model
Example: PaymentCloud as high-risk fallback
Regional Processor
LATAM/EU specialist for geographic redundancy
Example: Conekta for Mexico customers
Smart Routing
Automatically route transactions based on success rates
Example: Route LATAM → Conekta, US → Checkout.com
"Stripe rejected us for 'high chargeback risk' at 0.8%. MerchantGuard™ matched us with Checkout.com in 60 seconds. Approved in 4 days. Now processing $200K/month with zero holds. Game changer."
How to Choose Your Stripe Alternative
Your Industry
Match PSP to your vertical
CBD/Nutra → PaymentCloud Gaming/Crypto → Checkout.com LATAM → Conekta SaaS → Braintree
Chargeback Rate
Know your risk tolerance needs
< 0.5%: Try Stripe, Square 0.5-1.5%: Braintree, Authorize.Net 1.5-3%: Checkout.com, high-risk specialists > 3%: PaymentCloud, Durango
Pricing Model
Balance approval odds with cost
Interchange Plus: Best rates if approved Flat Rate: Predictable, higher total cost Risk-Based: Higher rates, but accepts risky profiles Consider total cost, not just rate
Geography
Match PSP to your customer base
US/Canada: Most PSPs EU: Checkout.com, Adyen LATAM: Conekta, Mercado Pago Global: Checkout.com, Braintree
Speed of Approval
Emergency? Choose fast-track PSPs
Fastest (1-3 days): Square, Stripe Standard (3-7 days): Checkout.com, Braintree High-Risk (7-14 days): PaymentCloud, specialists Expedite for fee: Some offer 24-48hr
Risk Tolerance
Don't waste applications on auto-rejects
Low Risk: Stripe, Square (but you're here, so...) Moderate: Braintree, Authorize.Net High Risk: Checkout.com, Durango Very High Risk: PaymentCloud, specialists
Stop Guessing. Get Matched in 60 Seconds.
Our ML model analyzes 8,000+ merchant outcomes to predict your approval odds at each PSP. Don't waste applications on processors that will reject you.
🚀 Start Free PSP Assessment →Disclaimer: Approval odds are ML predictions based on historical merchant outcomes and should not be considered guarantees. Actual approval depends on underwriting criteria, application quality, and processor risk appetite. MerchantGuard™ is an educational readiness tool and does not submit applications, negotiate terms, or guarantee approvals. We may earn referral fees from some payment processors.