GoCardless Alternatives: Choose the Right Payment Provider

Note that the information about the payment providers found in this article was taken from their respective websites on 8 November 2024. This information is subject to change.

GoCardless is a leading open banking and payments provider focused primarily on Europe, with connections to over 2,300 banks across the UK and Europe, and offices in cities like London and Paris.

However, businesses considering alternatives may want a provider that offers more robust e-commerce plugin options, as GoCardless has limited integration with popular platforms. Additionally, as GoCardless is heavily focused on the UK and European markets – companies with global operations may find its coverage limited.

In this guide, we’ll explore the top four GoCardless alternatives to help you find a payment provider that meets your unique business needs.

Best GoCardless Alternatives 2024

Noda

Noda is a smart GoCardless alternative for e-commerce payments and open banking. We offer a full range of payment and data solutions.

Accept card and pay-by-bank payments with ease, all through our Open Banking API. This means a smoother experience, lower fees, and no chargebacks. We partner with over 2,020 banks across 28 countries beyond the UK and Europe and support multiple currencies.

Noda offers plugins for top ecommerce platforms like OpenCart, WooCommerce, Magento, and PrestaShop — giving you better options than GoCardless. We provide streamlined checkout form with AI-driven routing. Plus, our no-code payment links and QR codes make setup easy for those businesses who have limited development resources.

Noda’s data tools add value with secure bank login and Know Your Whales insights, letting you predict and understand customer behavior. With transaction-based pricing, Noda helps you simplify payments and grow faster.

Plaid

Plaid is a US-based alternative to GoCardless payments. It’s an American open banking and payments provider based in San Francisco, offering a mix of data and payment services.

Their focus is mainly on open banking data, which includes transaction history, real-time balance checks, assets snapshots, and identity verification. They also provide anti-money laundering (AML) and politically exposed person (PEP) screening, making them a potential option for those primarily interested in data insights rather than payments.

Plaid operates in the US, Canada, and 16 European countries. They support basic payment initiation and variable recurring payments in select regions, but their features vary significantly by country. For example, they offer payments and basic data services in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and several other European nations, but lack a unified approach across the EU.

Key Takeaway

Unlike Noda, Plaid doesn’t provide a dedicated checkout gateway, no-code payment options, or direct e-commerce integrations. For businesses needing plug-and-play solutions with broader payment flexibility, Noda stands out as a stronger alternative.

Stripe

Stripe is an Irish-American fintech giant and popular payment provider known for its extensive suite of e-commerce and mobile payment tools. It offers a payment gateway like GoCardless for merchants who want a truly global coverage.

Stripe offers a highly customisable platform with features ranging from APIs and pre-built UIs to no-code options for straightforward integration. Businesses can use Stripe Checkout for a plug-and-play payment gateway or opt for Stripe Elements to build custom payment flows.

Stripe Connect also allows for seamless integration with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and DoorDash. Merchants can enable pay-by-bank payments within Stripe Dashboard. Additionally, Stripe supports comprehensive billing, accounting, and reporting tools, including subscription management and automated tax calculations.

For global businesses, Stripe stands out with its presence in 46 countries, including the UK, US, Canada, and major European and Asian markets, making it one of the most widely supported open banking providers.

Key Takeaway

While Stripe is a powerful and versatile tool that offers payment options like GoCardless, its complexity and pricing may be a drawback for smaller merchants. Plus, Stripe’s standard UK fees are 1.5% + 20p for domestic cards and 2.5% + 20p for international cards, which can add up quickly for businesses without a high transaction volume.

For smaller businesses or those with limited technical resources, the platform may feel overwhelming compared to more straightforward options.

TrueLayer

TrueLayer is a London-based open banking provider focused solely on open banking services in Europe. They offer payment initiation and payouts via API integration and were the first UK provider to support non-sweeping Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs), in partnership with NatWest—a key feature that sets them apart.

TrueLayer’s services also include streamlined onboarding, data access, and verification, all leveraging open banking infrastructure. However, they don’t provide broader payment gateway options or no-code solutions, and bank coverage details are not disclosed.TrueLayer operates in 21 European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and Spain, but does not currently serve the US market.

Key Takeaways

While strong in open banking, TrueLayer may not be the best fit for businesses needing wider payment support or global reach. They are primarily focussed on Europe, and don’t offer services such as payment gateway or no-code payments.

Alternatives to GoCardless for Business: Conclusion

Choosing the right GoCardless competitor depends on your business’s needs, from geographic coverage to e-commerce flexibility and open banking data services.

Noda stands out for e-commerce businesses needing flexible payment options, including open banking. With plugins for popular platforms like WooCommerce and OpenCart, Noda offers a smoother setup for merchants in Europe and beyond. Noda’s pay-by-bank payments and no-code options, like payment links and QR codes, provide simplicity, especially for small to medium-sized businesses looking to reduce fees and eliminate chargebacks.

Plaid is a good fit for businesses mainly interested in data services. While it provides strong open banking data solutions—like transaction history and identity verification—it lacks robust e-commerce integrations or no-code payment options. Plaid works best for companies in the US and Canada but has some services available across Europe.

Stripe is ideal for global businesses needing extensive customisation. With payment support in 46 countries and a range of tools, Stripe offers both plug-and-play options and highly customisable solutions. However, its complexity and higher fees may be challenging for smaller businesses or those just starting out.

TrueLayer is a strong choice for businesses focused solely on open banking in Europe. They lead in payment initiation and VRP services, especially in the UK, but they lack the broader payment gateway support and e-commerce plugins needed for comprehensive payment solutions.