The best payment gateway for marketplaces depends on how your money moves.
The best payment gateway for marketplaces is the one that can split a payment between you and your sellers, check who those sellers are and pay them where they live. This guide explains what marketplace payment solutions have to do, compares the main platforms in general terms, and lists which gateways a Yclas marketplace can use today.
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A marketplace payment platform does more than take cards.
A shop takes money for itself. A marketplace takes money for other people, which brings five extra jobs:
- Split payments: one payment from the buyer, shared between the seller and you.
- Seller checks: providers have to know who they pay out to, so sellers go through identity and bank checks.
- Payouts to sellers' bank accounts, in their country and currency.
- Holding money until the buyer has what they paid for, where the rules allow it.
- Refunds and disputes that take money back from the right seller.
Collecting money for others and paying it out later can need a licence in some countries. Marketplace products from the big providers exist largely so that you do not have to hold sellers' money yourself.
The best payment gateway for marketplaces, compared in general terms.
All four below are built for platforms that pay other people. They differ in who they are aimed at and how you sign up. We leave fees out on purpose: they change, and differ by country and volume. Read each provider's current pricing.
| Provider | Aimed at | Split and payouts | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Connect | Platforms of every size | Yes; sellers onboard on Stripe's pages | Self-serve sign-up in many countries; widely supported by software |
| PayPal for platforms | Marketplaces whose buyers prefer PayPal | Yes, through PayPal's platform programme | Buyers know the brand; platform access is reviewed by PayPal |
| Adyen for Platforms | Larger platforms with high volume | Yes, with sellers onboarded by Adyen | Usually set up through Adyen's sales team |
| Mangopay | Marketplaces, many of them in Europe | Yes, through a wallet for each user | Wallets suit holding money until delivery |
Regional providers have their own split products too, such as Razorpay Route in India and Mercado Pago's marketplace payments in Latin America. Names are trademarks of their owners.
Split at payment, or collect and pay out later.
There are two ways for money to reach sellers. In the first, the provider splits each payment as it happens and pays the seller from it. In the second, the platform collects everything and pays sellers later, by hand or in batches.
| Question | Split at payment | Collect, then pay out |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds sellers' money | The payment provider | You |
| Seller checks | Done by the provider | Yours to arrange |
| Gateways you can use | Ones with a marketplace product | Almost any |
| Work for you | Low once set up | Paying out and record keeping |
| On Yclas | Stripe Connect, Marketplace plan | Seller balances and withdrawals, Marketplace plan |
The gateways a Yclas marketplace can use.
Every Yclas site can take payments for its own products, such as featured listings, seller plans and pay to post, through about 20 providers: the list beside this text. Paying sellers is narrower:
- Stripe Connect (Marketplace): one payment split between sellers and you, for Buy now, the cart and paid bookings.
- The seller's own PayPal: Buy now paid straight to the seller, with no split for a commission.
- Escrow.com: Buy now through an escrow transaction, for high-value items.
- Seller balances (Marketplace): buyers pay you through any of your gateways, and sellers withdraw their balance by PayPal or bank transfer.
PayPal's platform programme, Adyen and Mangopay are not connected to Yclas. If your marketplace needs one of them, talk to us before you start.
See all integrations →- Stripe
- PayPal
- 2Checkout
- BitPay crypto
- Escrow.com
- Authorize.net
- Mollie
- Payline
- Paymill
- Robokassa Russia
- Mercado Pago
- PagueloFacil Panama
- Serfinsa El Salvador
- PayFast South Africa
- Zenith GlobalPay Nigeria
- PayTabs
- Razorpay India
- Paysbuy Thailand
- SecurePay Australia
How to choose a marketplace payment gateway.
Start from your sellers and buyers, not from the provider's feature list.
| If | Look at |
|---|---|
| Deals happen in person; you sell upgrades | Any gateway for your own products. No split needed |
| Sellers sell online and you take a cut | A provider with split payments, such as Stripe Connect |
| Items are expensive and buyers need protection | Payment held until delivery, or an escrow service |
| Buyers in your country pay with a local method | A regional provider, for your own products at least |
| Sellers cannot open accounts with a provider | Collect and pay out, after checking the rules |
Keep records your accountant can use.
Whatever the gateway, keep an order for every sale, the commission you took, and refunds. Yclas records your commission as orders in the Orders report, with a CSV export. In the EU, platforms must collect sellers' tax details and report what they were paid under DAC7: Yclas has the seller tax form and the yearly figures, off until you switch them on. Filing stays with you.
Picking a gateway in four steps.
- Decide the modelUpgrades only, split at payment, or collect and pay out.
- Check your countriesWhere you and your sellers are, and what the provider supports there.
- Read current pricingCard fees, payout fees and currency conversion, on the provider's site.
- Test a full salePayment, payout, refund and a dispute, with test keys.
What is the best payment gateway for marketplaces?
There is no single best one. For most new marketplaces a provider with split payments and hosted seller onboarding, such as Stripe Connect, is the simplest start. Larger platforms often compare Adyen and Mangopay; buyers who prefer PayPal may favour it.
Can I use PayPal for a marketplace?
PayPal has a programme for platforms, which it reviews before you join. On Yclas, PayPal takes payments for your own products and can pay a seller directly for Buy now, without a split.
Do I need a split payment provider?
Only if buyers pay sellers on your site and you take a cut. If deals happen in person, any gateway will do for the upgrades you sell.
Which gateways does Yclas support?
Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, 2Checkout, Mollie, Mercado Pago, Razorpay, PayFast, PayTabs, BitPay, Escrow.com and more regional providers. Split payments with your commission use Stripe Connect on the Marketplace plan.
Does Yclas add a fee to payments?
No. Providers charge their own fees; Yclas charges only the plan price.
Can sellers be paid without Stripe?
Yes, on Marketplace: buyers pay you, sellers build a balance and ask to withdraw it, and you pay them by PayPal or bank transfer and mark it paid.
Are Adyen or Mangopay available on Yclas?
No, not today. Tell us if your marketplace depends on one.
Related pages.
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