Payment processor · reference
Stripe
Stripe is the default payment processor for independent hotels globally. The platform offers a developer-friendly API, broad international card-network coverage, and native support for auth-then-capture flows used in pre-arrival authorisation.
Target segment
Independent hotels (any size) wanting modern payment processing with strong developer ecosystem and broad geographic coverage.
Pricing
European cards: 1.4% + EUR 0.25 per transaction. Non-European cards: 2.9% + USD 0.30. Volume discounts available for over USD 1M monthly volume.
Source: Stripe pricing
Strengths
Developer-friendly API
Most-mature payment API in the category; integrations with PMSes and booking engines are standard.
Auth-then-capture native
Pre-arrival authorisation hold flows are first-class operations.
Broad geographic coverage
Supported in 40+ countries with local card-network support.
Trade-offs
Standard interchange-plus expensive for high-volume hotels
For properties over EUR 500K monthly volume, Adyen Interchange++ typically becomes cheaper.
Less hospitality-specific tooling
Stripe is industry-agnostic; hospitality-native processors offer features like virtual card handling for OTA bookings.
When to choose
Choose Stripe for most independent hotels in 2026 as the default starting point. Particularly strong for European and US properties under EUR 500K monthly volume.
When to avoid
Avoid Stripe when monthly card volume exceeds EUR 500K (Adyen wins on price) or when hospitality-specific virtual card handling is operationally critical.
Common integrations
Mews, Cloudbeds, Apaleo, RoomRaccoon, Hotelogix, Little Hotelier, SiteMinder, Duve, Canary, Guestivo.
Editorial disclosure
This site is operated by Maciej Dudziak, founder of Guestivo. Guestivo is guest-journey software (not a payment processor) and is intentionally absent from /payment-processors/ recommendations.