MerchantGuard™Why 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.