Online credit card payments & payment gateway reviews in Australia

Find the best payment gateway in Australia

There are a lot of Payment Gateways in Australia, so it's getting harder to work out which one is the best value. This website has information on the major Payment Gateways in Australia. It helps merchants and start-up business owners work out which one suits their online business best.

Compare Payment Gateways →Australian Bank Comparisons

6Major providers covered

3Pricing models explained

8Gateway products compared

The market

Major Payment Gateways in Australia

The industry has changed a lot over the past few years. Check whether the provider you choose is Australian owned, because many providers have been sold to foreign corporations.

Merchant WarriorAustralian owned & operated — Brisbane, QLD
IP PaymentsAcquired by Bambora, who was acquired by Ingenico, who was acquired by Worldline (keep up!)
SecurePayOwned by Australia Post since 2010
SCNetPerth's largest payment gateway
Pin PaymentsOnline payments provider
StripeGlobal provider, headquartered in San Francisco

The basics

What is a Payment Gateway?

To understand what a Payment Gateway in Australia can do, and whether you need one, it helps to know the difference between a Payment Gateway and a Third Party Processor.

⚡ Third Party Processor

The world's largest Third Party Processor is PayPal. With a Third Party Processor such as PayPal or Stripe, merchants don't need their own merchant account. That brings some advantages and some disadvantages.

Without a merchant account to set up, merchants can start processing transactions much sooner, and the costs can look cheaper at first. The downsides are that funds are not settled daily (there is often a delay) and fees are often higher.

🏦 Payment Gateway + Merchant Account

In the past, a direct merchant account with a payment gateway usually worked out cheaper in the long run. Now many payment gateways offer 'all-in-one' solutions, with the merchant account and payment gateway bundled together. Some of these providers can compete directly with the Banks on rates.

Once you have a merchant account, you pass its details to a Payment Gateway in Australia. You can then accept payments online, get daily settlements into a merchant account you own, receive reports and usually pay low fees.

⛽

A simple analogy: think about paying for fuel at a service station with your credit card. You put your card into a physical terminal. The terminal's software processes the transaction for the service station and tells the attendant whether it went through. Online, the Payment Gateway is the software that processes the transaction for the merchant.

Merchant Warrior is a local Australian Payment Gateway that helps merchants set up a merchant account. Merchants can choose a merchant account with a Bank, or an 'all-in-one' solution that bundles a merchant account and payment gateway at competitive rates. If you're looking to set up a merchant account, give Merchant Warrior a call on (07) 3166 5489.

Know the lingo

Pricing Models

The payments industry moves fast, so comparing costs isn't as simple as "A vs. B". You need to understand the terms Banks and providers use, or you could end up paying more than you expected.

🧩 Blended Pricing

Many third party processors, such as PayPal or Stripe, bundle the merchant facility and payment gateway into one offering with "Blended" pricing. It's simple. For example, you can start accepting payments for 2.4% + 30c or 1.75% + 30c. All fees (interchange, gateway fees and scheme costs) are rolled into one rate. This model is aimed at small businesses and is a cost-effective way to start accepting payments in the short term.

➕ Interchange Plus

Interchange + (scheme fees and provider processing fees).

Example: Interchange + 0.5% + your gateway fees.

➕➕ Interchange Plus Plus

Interchange + provider processing fees + scheme fees.

Example: Interchange + 0.5% + 10c (scheme fees) + your gateway fees.

💡

What is "Interchange"? It's the fee the provider of your merchant facility pays the issuing bank (your customer's Bank) to process the transaction. VISA publishes its Australian interchange fees here. The interchange fee changes with the type of credit or debit card used. For example, a corporate card has a different fee from a standard card.

Interchange+ and Interchange++ pricing models are very transparent about the fees being charged, but they can be hard to reconcile. Merchant Warrior offers free rate reviews, so reach out to them if you have questions, are confused by a quote or want a comparison.

Side by side

3rd Party Processor vs. Payment Gateway

Paymate is an example of a third party processor. To show how fee structures differ between a Third Party Processor and a Payment Gateway in Australia, we'll compare the costs of Paymate and Merchant Warrior, a local Australian Payment Gateway.

Paymate

Third Party Processor · from paymate.com.au

Transaction fee2.6%
Foreign currency payments+2.75%

The extra foreign currency fee applies because funds are converted into AUD before they're settled to the merchant.

Merchant Warrior

Online merchant account

Establishment$0
Monthly$0
Merchant Service Fee (MSF)0.5% – 1.5%

Negotiable. Depends on your industry and business volume.

National Australia Bank

NAB online merchant account (with a third party gateway)

Establishment$0
Monthly$0
Per transactionInterchange + 0.74% + $0.10

Negotiable. Depends on your industry and business volume.

Merchant Warrior Gateway

Australian Payment Gateway fees

Establishment$0
Annual$400
Per transaction$0.04 – $0.45

Depends on how many transactions you process.

⚖️

For the most cost-effective option, compare processor merchant fees (which include a merchant account and payment gateway) with a payment gateway's fees plus a Bank's merchant account fees. Fees were current at the time of writing and may have changed.

Reviews

Who is Australia's Best Payment Gateway?

The Best Payment Gateway or Payment Processor in Australia isn't always the cheapest. Weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of each major Payment Gateway in Australia to find the best solution for your online business. It can even come down to who you speak to when you call. Some staff are more helpful than others, some can offer special discounts, and some know the tricks of the trade to get you the best bang for your buck.

At a glance

Provider	Location	MSF	Annual	Txn Fee	EFTPOS LCR	Direct Debit	BPAY	NPP	EFT
Merchant Warrior	Brisbane, QLD	0.5–1.5%	$400 ($0 options)	$0.04–0.30	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
SecurePay	Melbourne, VIC	1.75%	$0	$0.30	Ask	Yes	Ask	Ask	Ask
Stripe	Melbourne, VIC	1.75%	$0	$0.30	No	Yes	No	No	No
SCNet	Perth, WA	1.3% + Interchange	$0	$0.10	No	No	No	No	No
Bambora (IP Payments)	Sydney, NSW	1.75%	$0	$0.30	Ask	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Prices may have changed since this was written, but they're a solid indication of what to expect from the major Payment Gateways in Australia. "Ask" = not listed, so you should ask. Links: Least Cost Routing · New Payments Platform.

Merchant Warrior

📍 Brisbane, Queensland

AUSTRALIAN OWNED

Merchant Warrior is one of the last remaining Australian owned and operated Payment Processors in the region. Prices are competitive and rate reviews are free.

MSF0.5–1.5%

Annual$400*

Per Txn$0.04–0.30

EFTPOS (LCR)Yes
Direct DebitYes
BPAYYes
NPPYes
EFT (Bank Transfer)Yes

*Rate depends on volume. $0 annual options are also available.

Other costs: None (if using the all-in-one package)
Application process: One short page. No costs or credit card/debit account details needed to apply. Apply here.
PCI compliance: Tier 1 Compliant Provider. Details here and here.
Referral program: Yes. Web Developers and Integrators can earn a 10% commission for integrating or referring customers through the Referral Program.
Phone: (07) 3166 5489 or 1300 22 55 69 (CALL MW)

Impressive: Free rate reviews and free consultations on anything payments related. Discounted pricing for charities.

SecurePay

📍 Melbourne, Victoria

AUSTRALIA POST

The SecurePay Group owns several Australian Payment Gateways (SecurePay, DirectOne and Camtech). The pricing below is for SecurePay, another long-running, large Payment Gateway. It was acquired by Australia Post in 2010.

MSF1.75%

Annual$0

Per Txn$0.30

EFTPOS (LCR)Ask
Direct DebitYes
BPAYAsk
NPPAsk
EFT (Bank Transfer)Ask

Other costs: None
Application process: Simple signup. No costs or credit card/debit account details needed to apply. Apply here.
PCI compliance: Tier 1 certified provider. Details here.
Referral program: None listed.
Phone: 13 POST (13 7678)

Impressive: SecurePay is Australian owned, operated by Australia Post, and has served Australian businesses for many years.

Stripe

📍 Melbourne, Victoria

GLOBAL

Stripe is one of the largest small business payments providers in the world, headquartered in San Francisco, California. If you're looking for a payment gateway, you've almost certainly heard the name Stripe come up.

MSF1.75%

Annual$0

Per Txn$0.30

EFTPOS (LCR)No
Direct DebitYes
BPAYNo
NPPNo
EFT (Bank Transfer)No

Other costs: Fraud prevention costs extra.
Application process: Simple signup. No costs or credit card/debit account details needed to apply. Apply here.
PCI compliance: Tier 1 certified provider. Details here.
Referral program: None listed.
Phone: No phone number is listed.

Impressive: Few payment providers list as many integrated platforms as Stripe. Plug and play, and easy.

SCNet

📍 Perth, Western Australia

SCNet is Perth's largest payment gateway.

MSF1.3% + IC

Annual$0

Per Txn$0.10

EFTPOS (LCR)No
Direct DebitNo
BPAYNo
NPPNo
EFT (Bank Transfer)No

Other costs: Fraud prevention costs extra.
Application process: Simple signup. No costs or credit card/debit account details needed to apply. You'll need to choose a package before you can sign up here.
PCI compliance: Tier 1 PCI DSS status isn't listed anywhere.
Referral program: None listed.
Phone: (08) 6381 0001

Impressive: SCNet has the only out-of-the-box solution in Australia for Oracle Payments (iPayments) for Oracle eBusiness Suite.

Bambora (IP Payments)

📍 Sydney, New South Wales

WORLDLINE

Bambora, formerly IP Payments, is now a Worldline company. Worldline is a large French payments and transactional services company.

MSF1.75%

Annual$0

Per Txn$0.30

EFTPOS (LCR)Ask
Direct DebitYes
BPAYYes
NPPYes
EFT (Bank Transfer)Yes

Other costs: None
Application process: You need to fill out a contact form and wait for a salesperson to contact you before you can apply.
PCI compliance: Tier 1 certified provider. Details here.
Referral program: None listed.
Phone: 1300 721 163

Impressive: Bambora was acquired by Worldline, one of the world's largest payment processors, and offers its merchants a wide range of services.

📋

Summary: This information should help with the daunting task of choosing the best payment gateway or payment processor in Australia. Every Payment Gateway in Australia has strengths and weaknesses. Prepare a full list of your requirements before you choose. It's always best to call and talk through your requirements with the gateway's sales staff, so they can point you in the right direction for your business.

Australian Bank Comparisons

Which Bank has the Cheapest Merchant Account?

In the past, using a Payment Gateway in Australia meant opening a merchant account with an Australian Bank. That's no longer required. Many Payment Gateways now offer "All in one" solutions that bundle the Payment Gateway and merchant account, so you don't need a separate merchant account.

Some Payment Gateways in Australia that offer a bundled Payment Gateway and merchant account include (but are not limited to):

Sometimes a Bank in Australia still offers a competitive rate on a merchant account. In those rare cases, it's often cheaper to use your Bank's merchant facility and link it to an external third party Payment Gateway. You get a cost-effective merchant facility plus all the features of a third party Payment Gateway. Always show your Bank quotes to your Payment Gateway, because they can often match or beat them.

The Australian Banking Royal Commission put the Banks in Australia under a lot of pressure. At the same time, the Payments industry has been moving faster than ever, so the Banks' offerings have fallen far behind. Merchants want Scheme Tokenization, 3DS 2.0, BNPL schemes (e.g. Afterpay) and EFTPOS eDAF in their offering, and the Banks are often slow to provide them.

🔀

EFTPOS eDAF lets merchants route debit card transactions over an EFTPOS link instead of through the schemes (VISA, Mastercard). It's another way for Australian merchants to reduce merchant service fees. If you're considering an eCommerce solution from your Bank, ask whether it supports eDAF.

Why Do I Need A Third Party Payment Gateway?

Australian Banks such as ANZ and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) resell a Payment Gateway called "MIGS", or its newer version "MPGS" (MasterCard Internet Gateway Service). These Banks often say they have their own Australian Payment Gateway for merchants. ANZ's product is called eGate and CBA's is called CommWeb. Both are white-labelled versions of the MIGS/MPGS platform, which MasterCard owns and operates.

In short, MIGS and the other Payment Gateway products offered by Australian Banks can't do what a Third Party Payment Gateway such as Merchant Warrior, Stripe or SecurePay can. If you just want to process transactions and you're happy with limited support, a Bank's Payment Gateway may be enough. But you'll want a Third Party Payment Gateway in Australia if you value:

customised solutions
advanced reporting
fraud prevention
up-to-date industry products
a support team that actually answers the phone and helps diagnose issues
help staying PCI compliant and integrating smoothly with your applications

An Australian Third Party Payment Gateway is an Australian Bank's Payment Gateway on steroids. A Payment Gateway in Australia can usually offer the following products:

🔗 Pay By Link

Want to accept payments with zero effort and zero development? You get a link to send to customers, and you're notified as soon as they pay.

🖥️ Virtual Terminal

Lets merchants process transactions manually, one by one, through a web interface or application.

🧾 Hosted Payment Page

The best option if you don't have a Web Developer to integrate your system, or you want to start processing transactions automatically without any hassle.

🧑‍💻 API

Lets Web Developers connect an application or website directly to the Australian Payment Gateway, so transactions are processed automatically.

🔐 Token Payments

Built to help merchants stay PCI compliant. Ask your Payment Gateway in Australia about it.

📂 Batch Processing

Lets merchants upload a CSV file (yes, like an Excel spreadsheet) to the Australian Payment Gateway, which then processes the credit card transactions.

🔁 Recurring Transactions

Have a subscription model? The Australian Payment Gateway can process your recurring transactions daily, weekly or monthly.

📞 IVR

An automated way to take payments over the phone. Customers call a toll-free number and enter their details, and you're notified as soon as the payment is made.

The verdict

The Best Payment Gateway in Australia?

Each of the Payment Gateways in Australia listed above has strengths and weaknesses. Which Bank and Payment Gateway suit you best depends entirely on your industry and your online business's requirements. Use the Australian Bank Comparisons and Australian Payment Gateway Reviews to find the best option for your needs.

Need someone who speaks "Bank"?

It often helps to have someone who can speak "Bank" with the Australian Banks to get you the best solution and pricing on an online merchant account or bundled solution. Merchant Warrior, a local Australian Payment Gateway, can discuss your requirements with several Australian Banks and find the most cost-effective online merchant account for you.

(07) 3166 5489 Get a free rate review →