Payment gateway integration options for startups in Greece

When talking about startups in Europe, you are not likely to hear of Greece in discussions. However, there is a resurgence of entrepreneurship in the country which has faced numerous economic challenges in recent times. In a country where entrepreneurs are regarded as outcasts, it is no surprise that online payment is only a tip of challenges that have to be overcome. What payment gateways are available to Greek startups?

Greece is quickly discovering that only entrepreneurship can save it from the economic mess it’s in. Despite the dire situation in the country, many people are taking a proactive part to create jobs and startups are springing fast thanks to the efforts of co-sharing space organizations like Co-Lab Athens. Here are some online payment gateways that Greek startups can use:

Wirecard

Wirecard has been around for some time and enables merchants to accept all major credit cards online. The company also offers online banking services, mobile payments, and enables merchants to accept alternative payments such as PayPal, Giropay, iDEAL among others.

Fees: Wirecard fees vary depending on the risk of your business, the volume of transactions processed among other things. A comprehensive fees list is available at Wirecard’s website.

Braintree

Braintree Payments has expanded into Europe and is a good online payment gateway for startups in Greece. The company offers everything that a startup would require to accept payments online. Businesses do not need a merchant account to accept payments. Braintree is PCI compliant, stores customers’ credit card data securely for businesses, enables credit card portability, and allows recurring billing.

Fees: Braintree’s fees are among the lowest charged by online payment gateways. The fees, however, differ from country to country based on the banks that the company is working with. Greek startups can get online payment quote from Braintree’s Europe team by calling 00.800.4005.4400.

WorldPay

WorldPay is one of the leading online payment gateways in Europe and has its headquarters in the UK. The company enables merchants to accept credit cards online, telephone and mail order payments, mobile payments, POS payments, among others. Businesses must have a merchant account to accept payments online through WorldPay. For small businesses, there is a Small Business Gateway package that comes bundled with a merchant account.

Fees: WorldPay fees are custom set for every merchant. Some of the things that determine the fees include the risk of a business, credit history and volume of transactions processed. Contact the company for a quote.

CertoDIrect

CertoDirect is another option that Greek startups have when they want to accept payments online. The company charges low rates and offers a variety of services including merchant account, credit card processing, ACH and eCheck services, alternative payments among others. CertoDirect does not charge setup or monthly fees for its merchant account.

Fees: Transaction fee for less than 1000 transactions is $0.10. The fee reduces as the volume of transactions processed increases. Check the company’s comprehensive merchant account fees.

2Checkout

2Checkout is one of the leading payment gateways in the world and is especially great for countries where other popular payment gateways are not functional. 2Checkout offers a merchant account and standard online gateway features including fraud protection, different payment methods, accept over 20 currencies, integrates with over 50 shopping carts, and allows recurring payments.

Fees: 2CO has an uncomplicated pricing structure. The company charges a flat rate of 5.5%, $0.45 per transaction and an application fee of $10.99.

Other payment gateways that work in Greece include PayPal, Skrill, Piraeus Bank and others. Before you choose a payment gateway, check its fees, merchant account agreement, support and reputation of the company to determine whether it will be good for your business.

Which payment gateways do you recommend for Greece start-ups or businesses that wish to accept credit card payments? Share your thoughts below.