Home » Find the Best Payment Gateway for Your SaaS Platform

Choosing the right SaaS payment gateway is a crucial step for any software provider looking to scale, streamline billing, and serve customers around the world. From handling recurring subscriptions to preventing fraud and managing chargebacks, the right gateway can make or break your user experience and revenue flow.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know — including how payment gateways work, what features to look for, and how to compare top providers.

The role of a payment gateway SaaS payment processing

A payment gateway is the technology that allows your SaaS platform to accept payments online. It acts as the middleman between your customer, their bank, and your business — securely transmitting payment data and authorizing transactions in real time.

For a SaaS platform, payment gateways are essential for handling recurring billing, managing different pricing tiers, and supporting customers across regions. They work seamlessly in the background while offering a smooth checkout experience for your users.

To clear up some confusion, here’s the difference between gateways, processors, and accounts:

Many modern merchant services providers bundle all three into one solution, but it’s important to understand the role each piece plays — especially as your SaaS business grows and your payment needs become more complex.

Key criteria for choosing a SaaS payment gateway

Whether you need a simple solution to process payments or want to partner with a processor to build integrated solutions, below are the essential features to look for when searching for a gateway for your SaaS.

Subscription management and recurring billing

SaaS businesses live and die by recurring revenue. Look for a gateway with built-in tools for managing subscriptions, trials, upgrades, downgrades, and dunning (failed payment recovery). Automation here is key — you don’t want to manually chase payments or manage renewals.

If you already have a standalone billing solution (like Chargebee, Recurly, etc.), your payment gateway of choice should be able to integrate with that solution seamlessly. 

Look for: Built-in tools for trials, tiered plans, proration, and automatic dunning (retries for failed payments).

Watch out for: Limited support for custom billing logic or inflexible billing intervals — these can become deal killers as your pricing model evolves.

Global payments and currency support

Saas platforms are generally not bound by borders. If you’re aiming for international growth, your gateway must be able to handle multiple currencies and payment methods — including local options like SEPA, iDEAL, or UPI, depending on your target regions. The more frictionless the experience for global users, the easier it will be to scale.

Look for: Multi-currency support, localized payment methods (like iDEAL or Alipay), and automatic currency conversion.

Watch out for: Gateways that require a separate account for each currency or region — this adds unnecessary complexity as you scale.

Developer-friendliness and API documentation

Your developers will be integrating and maintaining the payment system — make their lives easier. Look for gateway providers that have clean, well-documented APIs, SDKs, and webhooks, as these are essential for a smooth integration and fast troubleshooting down the road. Give bonus points for a solid sandbox/testing environment.

Look for: Clean RESTful APIs, robust sandbox environments, webhooks, and SDKs for your stack.

Watch out for: Outdated documentation, limited test tools, or poor error handling — all signs of long-term dev headaches.

Integrations with your existing tech stack

Your payment gateway should play nicely with the tools you already use — whether that’s your CRM, accounting software, analytics platforms, or customer support system. Pre-built integrations save time and reduce complexity, especially as your team scales.

Look for: Native integrations with tools like Stripe, QuickBooks, HubSpot, or Zapier.

Watch out for: Over-reliance on third-party connectors that break often or require constant workarounds.

Pricing and transaction fees

Cost always matters. Look at transaction fees, monthly charges, setup costs, and any add-on fees for things like chargebacks, cross-border transactions, or currency conversion. Transparent, predictable pricing is ideal — especially for early-stage SaaS businesses watching their margins.

Look for: Transparent, flat-rate pricing or interchange-plus models with no hidden fees.

Watch out for: Extra costs for chargebacks, cross-border transactions, batch processing, or monthly minimums that add up fast.

Bulit-in chargeback management and fraud prevention

Chargebacks can eat into your profits and damage your reputation. A good gateway offers basic built-in tools to prevent fraud, flag suspicious activity, and manage disputes effectively. However, they should also allow for integration with dedicated chargeback management software like Kount. 

Furthermore, modern gateways, like the one we offer, come equipped with advanced machine learning tools and real-time alerts to help you catch and address suspicious activity.

Look for: Real-time fraud detection, customizable risk rules, and chargeback dispute tools.

Watch out for: Gateways that put all the burden on you to respond to disputes — or offer minimal protection from bad actors.

Compliance and security (PCI-DSS, SCA, etc.)

Handling sensitive payment data means staying compliant with industry standards like PCI-DSS and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for European customers. The right provider should help you stay secure without adding unnecessary friction for your users.

Look for: Automatic PCI-DSS compliance support, SCA-ready flows for EU customers, and tokenization to reduce your liability.

Watch out for: Gateways that make you responsible for full PCI compliance without offering any tools or guidance.

Customer support and service reliability

Choose a provider known for responsive support, high uptime, and clear service level agreements (SLAs). A live chat or a dedicated account rep can be a lifesaver, especially if you are processing large volumes.

Look for: Live chat, email, and phone support, uptime guarantees (SLAs), and access to a real account representative.

Watch out for: Email-only support, slow response times, or “self-serve only” options that leave you stuck during critical issues.

Comparison of top payment gateway options for SaaS in 2025

Choosing the right payment gateway depends on your business model, development resources, and customer base. Below are some of the leading providers in 2025, each suited for different needs and growth stages.

Top SaaS payment gateway options:

• SecureGlobalPay:  Tailored for SaaS businesses of all sizes — including those operating in high-risk industries. Offers recurring billing, chargeback management, and support for global payments. Ideal for start-ups and established platforms needing both flexibility and reliability.
• Stripe: Developer-friendly with powerful APIs, subscription features, and international capabilities. Great for modern SaaS companies that want fast deployment and deep customization.
• Braintree (by PayPal): Strong PayPal integration, good recurring billing features, and a solid choice for businesses focused on the U.S. market. Better suited for mid-sized SaaS companies and consumer-facing apps.
• Adyen:  Built for scale with advanced fraud protection, multi-currency support, and robust analytics. Best for enterprise SaaS platforms or those expanding into new markets.
• Authorize.net (by Visa): A long-established provider with reliable recurring billing, fraud detection, and simple integrations. A good fit for traditional SaaS businesses that want stability, straightforward pricing, and strong U.S. support.

Factors to consider based on the stage of your SaaS platform

Your priorities will shift as your user base grows, so it’s important to choose a solution that aligns with your current stage — and scales with you over time.

That said, if you have any custom needs, jump on a call with a provider and discuss them. It’s the best way to ensure you have access to all the features you’ll need. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for a free consultation.

Early-stage: Ease of integration, low fees, flexibility

When you’re just starting out, your focus should be on getting to market quickly and keeping costs low. Look for a gateway with:

• Simple, well-documented APIs or plug-and-play integrations.
• No setup fees and low monthly costs.
• Built-in subscription tools to avoid managing billing logic yourself.
• Flexible pricing plans that won’t penalize small volumes.

Scaling: Analytics, global reach, revenue recovery tools

Once you gain traction, it’s time to optimize operations and expand your reach. At this stage, prioritize gateways that offer:

• Robust reporting and customer insights.
• Support for multiple currencies and local payment methods.
• Smart dunning tools and automated retries for failed payments.
• Support for tax compliance (e.g. VAT, GST, sales tax).

Enterprise: Advanced reporting, dedicated support, SLAs

As a mature SaaS business, your needs become more complex — and the stakes get higher. Look for enterprise-ready features such as:

• Customizable billing and invoicing workflows.
• Dedicated account managers and guaranteed uptime SLAs.
• Advanced fraud prevention and dispute resolution tools.
• Ability to set up multiple merchant accounts using the same gateway.
• Deep integrations with your ERP, CRM, and analytics platforms.

Why choose SecureGlobalPay as your SaaS payment solution

SecureGlobalPay offers a flexible, scalable, and secure payment gateway designed to meet the needs of SaaS companies at every stage of growth. Whether you’re launching your first MVP or managing an enterprise-level platform, here’s why it stands out:

• Built for SaaS business models: SecureGlobalPay offers full support for recurring billing, subscription management, and automated invoicing. You can easily manage free trials, upgrades/downgrades, and custom billing cycles.
• Global payments, local compliance: Reach customers worldwide with multi-currency support, international card acceptance, and region-specific payment methods. SecureGlobalPay also helps you stay compliant with key regulations like PCI-DSS and SCA.
• Advanced fraud prevention & chargeback tools: High churn and fraud can destroy margins. SecureGlobalPay has built-in tools to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions and manage chargebacks.
• Developer-friendly integration: With easy-to-use APIs, detailed documentation, and fast onboarding, your development team can get up and running without delays. It’s designed to fit into modern tech stacks with support for RESTful APIs, webhooks, and third-party integrations.
• Responsive support: Unlike some big-box providers, SecureGlobalPay offers personalized service with responsive support teams who understand SaaS. Whether it’s help with integration or scaling your platform globally, you get more than just a ticket number.
• High-risk and niche-ready: If your SaaS product falls into a “high-risk” category — think fintech, healthtech, or marketplaces — SecureGlobalPay has the experience and infrastructure to support you.

SecureGlobalPay offers everything a SaaS business will need to start accepting and processing payments with minimal hassle and full compliance. Reach out to our team at partners@secureglobalpay.net and let’s learn more about each other.