Published on October 21, 2026 · The mitza.es team
An online store without a good way to get paid is just a shop window. Choosing a payment gateway looks like a technical decision, but it affects the margin on every sale, how many customers complete their purchase and how easy it is for you to reconcile payments. This guide helps you decide with data and without jargon.
What a payment gateway is (and how it differs from a virtual POS)
The payment gateway is the service that connects your store to the card network and to the bank so you can get paid securely: it receives the payment details, requests authorization and returns the result to you. A virtual POS (TPV virtual) is the same thing seen from the bank's side: it's the online payment terminal your bank gives you. In practice, many businesses use the two terms as synonyms, and the difference that matters is who provides it and how much they charge.
The most common options in Spain
Your bank's virtual POS (Redsys)
Redsys is the platform that processes payments for most Spanish banks. You don't sign up online: you have to go through your bank, which sets the price (setup fee, maintenance and a fee per transaction) and gives you the integration credentials. The fee is negotiable and depends on your bank and your volume. It's also worth confirming whether the contract includes Bizum, because it doesn't always come as standard.
Stripe
It has public pricing and charges no setup or monthly fees on its standard rates. In October 2026, its published rate for Spain was 1.5% + €0.25 per transaction with standard European Economic Area (EEA) cards, 2.8% + €0.25 with premium EEA cards, 2.5% + €0.25 with UK cards and 3.15% + €0.25 with international cards, plus an extra 2% if there is currency conversion. These figures can change: confirm them on the official pricing page.
PayPal
Many people feel comfortable paying with PayPal without handing over their card details. Its standard rate for domestic commercial payments was, according to its official page updated in September 2026, 2.90% + €0.35 per transaction. It tends to be more expensive than the options above, but it can pay off thanks to the trust it builds.
Bizum
It's the preferred method for many Spanish shoppers. It's normally activated through your bank or your gateway, depending on the services you have contracted. If you sell mostly in Spain, it's worth offering. If you're interested in seeing it in a physical store, take a look at our overview of NFC payments and Bizum Pay.
The fee is not just a percentage
Notice that almost all rates have a variable part and a fixed part. That fixed fee weighs heavily on small sales. An example with a €50 sale: with Stripe's standard rate for EEA cards you would pay €1.00 (€0.75 from the variable part plus €0.25 fixed, 2%), and with PayPal's domestic rate, €1.80 (€1.45 plus €0.35, 3.6%). If your average order value is low, always compare the total cost per transaction and not just the percentage.
What to check before signing up
- Total cost: fee per transaction, fixed fee, setup or maintenance fees and the cost of refunds and chargebacks.
- Payment methods: card, Bizum, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, depending on what your customers use.
- Settlement: when the money reaches your account and how often.
- Integration with your store: a maintained module should exist for your platform (WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Shopify or another) so you don't depend on fragile custom development.
- Security and regulation: European regulation requires strong customer authentication on most online payments, and a good gateway handles it for you.
- Support: who you call if one day payments stop working.
How to integrate it into WooCommerce, PrestaShop or Shopify
Each gateway offers its own official module for the most widely used platforms: the usual approach is to install it, enter the credentials and test in the sandbox environment before turning on real payments. Two technical details prevent many problems: that the gateway can notify the store when a payment is confirmed, so the order doesn't get stuck as “pending”, and that the payment takes place on the gateway itself, without the card details passing through your server. Some platforms also charge an additional fee if you use a gateway other than their own, so check the terms.
When we build an online store, we leave the payment methods configured and tested before launch.
Common mistakes when choosing a gateway
- Choosing only by the lowest percentage, without adding up the fixed fees or looking at the integration.
- Not offering Bizum to Spanish customers and losing sales at the last step.
- Not testing the full flow, with successful payments, failed payments and refunds, before opening to the public.
- Forgetting that gateways fail too: it's wise to have a second payment method in case one goes down.
- Not checking payments before a big campaign; in our Black Friday guide we explain what to check.
Payments and invoicing
Every payment generates a sale that has to be invoiced. When the store and your invoicing program don't share data, duplicate invoices and gaps in the numbering appear, which is especially delicate with the new VeriFactu requirements. We explain it in our guide to VeriFactu software.
Frequently asked questions about payment gateways
What is the best payment gateway?
There isn't one best for everyone. For a shop that sells mostly in Spain, a virtual POS with Bizum can work out cheaper; to get started quickly and with clear pricing, Stripe is usually convenient; PayPal adds trust in exchange for a higher fee. Combining two methods is the usual approach.
Are there free payment gateways?
None charges zero per transaction. Some have no setup or monthly fee, but all of them charge a fee on every payment. Be wary of anyone who promises otherwise.
What is the difference between a payment gateway and a virtual POS?
The virtual POS is your bank's online payment terminal; the gateway is the service that connects your store to it or to another processor. In day-to-day use they are almost synonyms.
Can I have several gateways at the same time?
Yes. Many stores offer card, Bizum and PayPal at once, which reduces the risk of losing a sale if one method fails.