How to Choose the Best Payment Gateway for Online Bookstores

Globally, the online book industry is worth over $23 billion and continues to grow each year. But selling books online comes with unique challenges, especially chargebacks. Because physical books are delivered before a payment dispute is raised, some customers abuse the system and claim they never received the item. This type of friendly fraud is common in book sales and can be costly, especially when you're selling lower-priced items with thin margins.

Unsurprisingly, the payment gateway you choose can have a real impact on your profits. Books usually have smaller margins, so even small transaction fees can add up. On top of that, customers expect a fast, secure checkout, just like they get on Amazon.

This guide looks at the best payment gateways for online bookstores, including options that can help you lower costs and improve the payment experience.

What To Consider When Taking Payments For Books

Selling books online comes with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to payments. Knowing what makes book sales different can help you choose a payment system that actually fits your business.

Lower average order values
For example, a gateway charging 3% + 50p will cost 86p on a £12 book—more than 7% of the total—while that same fee on a £200 item is just over 3%. This makes cost-effective payment options especially important for online bookstore sites that sell low-ticket items in high volumes.

Customer expectations around shipping
If you're selling physical books, delivery expectations are high, largely thanks to Amazon. In fact, 48% of shoppers abandon their cart when they see unexpected costs, especially shipping. Your payment setup needs to handle discount codes, delivery options, and shipping promotions without causing confusion at checkout.

Trust and payment security
The Payments Association reports that “consumers overwhelmingly cited speed (46%), convenience (44%) and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method”, with UK shoppers being the least forgiving of poor checkout experiences, and that 48% would use one-click options only if backed by a trusted brand.

Independent bookstore websites don’t have Amazon’s brand recognition, so offering secure, familiar payment methods or mobile wallets can help build confidence and boost sales.

Card payments also come with the risk of chargebacks and friendly fraud, where customers dispute legitimate purchases. This can be costly and time-consuming, especially for smaller sellers. Using payment methods like Open Banking (e.g. via Noda) helps avoid this, since payments are authorised directly by the customer’s bank and can’t be reversed.

For bookstores that operate more like marketplaces, trust also applies behind the scenes. You’ll need a payment system that supports payouts to multiple sellers, whether that’s individual authors, independent sellers, or publishers. Choosing a provider with reliable, fast payouts and support for splitting payments can make managing these setups much smoother.

Mobile-first behaviour
Many shoppers browse books on their phones after seeing a title on social media or a blog. But mobile checkout has the highest drop-off rate—around 75%. A good payment gateway should be mobile-friendly and make it quick and easy to complete the purchase on a small screen.

Seasonal spikes in sales
Academic bookstores get busy around the start of term, and general booksellers see a surge at Christmas and during holidays. Your payment system needs to handle these busy periods without slowing down or breaking.

Best Payment Gateway Solutions for Bookstores

We've evaluated online payment services for bookstores based on their suitability for bookstore businesses, considering transaction costs, features, and checkout experience:

Noda

Noda helps bookstores reduce payment costs by using Open Banking, which allows customers to pay directly through their banking app. For businesses with lower-priced items and tight margins, this can lead to much lower fees compared to traditional card payments.

It’s a good fit for stores that:

• Process a high number of transactions
• Want fast payment confirmation and quicker access to funds
• Serve mainly UK and EU customers
• Need a simple, low-hassle setup
• Want direct payouts to simplify cash flow
• Run marketplace-style models (e.g. multiple authors or sellers) and need a flexible way to collect payments

Noda charges from 0.1% per transaction, offers instant bank payments, and avoids chargebacks. The checkout is optimised for mobile and works directly with the customer’s banking app.

It also integrates smoothly with platforms like WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart and Magento, or via API for custom e-commerce book sites. You can send payment links for special orders, academic bulk purchases, or rare book sales, making it flexible for different bookstore setups.

Stripe

Stripe is a powerful payment platform that works well for bookstores with plans to grow or that need more advanced features. It offers strong developer tools, which make it a good choice if you need to connect your payments to stock systems, academic pricing, or other custom setups.

It supports a wide range of payment methods, manages subscriptions, and provides detailed reporting. In the UK, Stripe charges 1.5% + 20p per transaction for domestic cards, with higher fees for international payments and currency conversion.

While Stripe is flexible and full of features, it can be expensive for smaller bookstores or those without technical support. The setup and ongoing management may be more than some sellers need or want to handle.

PayPal

PayPal is one of the most recognised payment options worldwide, which can be a big advantage for independent bookstore merchants, especially when competing with Amazon. Its name alone helps build trust, which can boost conversions.

With over 400 million active users, PayPal helps reduce checkout hesitation. It also includes buyer protection, which can prevent disputes, and handles international payments without needing extra setup for currency conversion.

But the convenience comes at a cost. PayPal fees typically start from 1.2% + fixed fee for UK transactions, and can go to over 3% for international sales. For stores selling lower-priced books in high volumes, these fees can seriously cut into profits over time. Additionally, PayPal’s checkout flow offers limited customisation, which can make it harder to create a seamless, on-brand experience for your customers.

Worldpay

Worldpay is built for larger retailers that need to take payments both online and in-store. It’s ideal for bookstores with physical shops and ecommerce sites, offering a full omnichannel setup.

It mainly focuses on card payments, which are easy to accept but can come with high fees, especially for international or premium cards. Worldpay has recently added more digital payment options, but cards are still the core service.

Worldpay offers custom pricing based on transaction volume, detailed analytics, and strong fraud prevention tools. But it’s not the right fit for everyone. The setup process is more involved, and the monthly fees can be difficult to justify for smaller independent bookstores with lower turnover or simpler requirements.

Payment Processing for Online Bookstores - Comparison Table

Choosing the Right Payment Gateway for Selling Books

The best payment gateway depends on how your bookstore operates, who your customers are, and what your future plans look like.

If your store mainly sells individual books, you’ll want to keep processing costs as low as possible. In that case, affordable options like Noda, which charges fees starting from just 0.1%, can make a big difference to your bottom line.

Your audience also plays a big role. Independent bookstores often benefit from offering PayPal at checkout, since customers already trust the brand. Academic retailers may prioritise tools that support subscription models or campus-wide billing. And if you sell internationally, pick a gateway with multi-currency support and fast payouts. Stripe and PayPal support global currencies, but payouts can take a few days. Noda uses Open Banking for instant or same-day bank payments, helping you access funds faster. For a marketplace-style bookstore, Stripe and PayPal support split payments, ideal for multi-seller setups.

Don’t forget seasonality either. Academic bookstores often see sharp spikes at the start of the term, while general retailers get busier around the holidays. Make sure your payment system can handle those peaks smoothly.

It’s also important to consider the total cost, not just the transaction fee. Setup charges, monthly fees, chargebacks, and currency conversion can all add up. And think about your technical capacity. Stripe offers the most flexibility but needs development support. Simpler tools like PayPal or Noda are easier to set up and manage.

In practice, most bookstores use a combination—an affordable gateway for day-to-day sales, plus a well-known option like payment cards or PayPal to support customers who prefer familiar brands. But juggling multiple systems can also create more complexity behind the scenes.

Cut Payment Costs And Simplify Checkout With Noda

If you run a bookstore and want to keep more of what you earn, Noda offers a smart, modern way to take payments. It uses Open Banking, so customers pay straight from their banking app, which means there are no cards, no middlemen, and no hidden costs.

With Noda you get:

• Lower transaction costs – from just 0.1% per payment
• Instant payment confirmation – no waiting days for funds to clear
• No chargebacks – payments are securely approved by the customer’s bank
• Smooth mobile checkout – great for readers browsing on phones
• Simple setup – works with WooCommerce, OpenCart, PrestaShop, Magento, and custom sites via API
• Flexible payment links – ideal for custom orders or bulk academic sales
• Built for UK and EU banking systems, with local support available

Noda is ideal for independent shops, academic bookstores, and publishers, offering lower fees and giving your customers a faster, more trusted way to pay. Behind the scenes, Noda connects to over 2,000 banks in 28 countries, and you’ll have access to local support and a personal account manager to help you make the most of the platform.

Want to see the difference Noda can make for your store?
Setup is quick, and there’s no long-term commitment, just smarter payments that help your margins go further.

Book a demo without our team to find out more.