B2B Payments: Methods, Costs and Collection Solutions for Companies
B2B payments are transactions between companies: in Italy the market is worth about €4,400 billion versus €1,100 billion in B2C, and bank transfers cover about 70% of transactions (source: Agenda Digitale, July 2026). The main collection methods are instant transfer, SEPA Direct Debit, cards and payment links.
B2B collections: method, times and real cost
| Method | Crediting times | Cost per 100 collections of €50 |
|---|---|---|
| RoxPay - Instant transfer (PIS) | Under 10 seconds, 24/7 | €18 (€0.13 + 0.10% per transaction) |
| RoxPay - SEPA Direct Debit (SDD B2B) | Scheme settlement, typically D+1 | €25-31.50 (€0.25 + 0-0.13%) |
| SEE cards | 1-3 days | €100 (1.5% + €0.25, public Stripe price list) |
| Ordinary SEPA transfer | 1-2 business days | Variable bank fees per price list |
Sources: RoxPay price list, public Stripe price list for SEE cards, SEPA scheme rules (EPC). Ordinary transfer bank costs depend on the bank contract.
What B2B payments are and why they are different
B2B (business-to-business) payments are transactions between two companies: term invoices, plans, recurring supplies. The scale is far greater than the consumer segment: according to market data reported by Agenda Digitale (July 2026), B2B is worth about €4,400 billion against €1,100 billion in B2C, with the average B2B invoice around €11,000.
The structure of methods differs from retail. According to the same data, bank transfers cover about 70% of B2B payments in Italy, with RiBa payment slips around 12%. Cards, the protagonists of B2C, carry less weight: percentage fees on high amounts become unsustainable, and manual reconciliation weighs on treasuries.
For a company collecting from business clients, the operational question is not only which method to use, but what it costs in time: checking statements, matching invoice and payment, chasing delays.
The B2B collection methods: advantages and limits
Instant transfer via open banking (PIS): funds credited in under 10 seconds, 24/7 (SEPA Instant rail). The payment is irrevocable, so no improper chargebacks, and the unique reference enables automatic reconciliation. In the RoxPay list it costs from €0.13 + 0.10% per transaction. The deep dive is in the [account-to-account transfers for B2B guide](/en/resources/account-to-account-b2b-bank-transfers).
SEPA Direct Debit (SDD B2B): the company debits the client's account with a signed mandate. Under the B2B scheme the mandate is irrevocable for the payer and typical settlement is D+1 (SEPA scheme rules). In the RoxPay list it costs €0.25 + 0-0.13%. Suited to recurring term billing; the [SEPA Direct Debit B2B guide](/en/resources/sepa-direct-debit-b2b) details the mandates.
Cards: familiar to clients, but with percentage fees (1.5% + €0.25 for SEE cards per the public Stripe price list) that do not hold on invoices of thousands of euros. The payment link is the ad-hoc route for one-off invoices sent by email: simple, with IC++ per-transaction pricing.
Real costs for a business: the table's math
On 100 collections of €50 (€5,000 of volume) the gap between methods is clear: €18 with RoxPay's instant transfer PIS, €25-31.50 with SEPA Direct Debit, €100 with SEE cards at Stripe's public list.
The reason is structural. On European cards interchange is capped by EU Regulation 2015/751 (0.2% debit, 0.3% consumer credit), so the live transaction cost is low; with blended rates the acquirer's markup stays invisible inside the percentage. With IC++ every item is separate: you pay the actual interchange, the scheme fees and a declared markup.
On transfers the structure is different: there is no interchange or chargeback, and the cost is a fixed amount per transaction. The [IC++ fee calculation guide](/en/resources/payment-gateway-fees-comparison) rebuilds the effective cost by card mix and amounts.
How to choose the right method by use case
The choice depends on the nature of the collection, not on the CFO's preference.
How RoxPay handles B2B collections
RoxPay is a payment gateway and is not a bank: it does not open bank accounts and does not issue cards. The collection is credited within 48 hours to the existing business account of your company, with no extra account to manage.
The platform covers the main B2B channels: instant transfer via open banking (PIS from €0.13 + 0.10%, with a €100,000 limit per A2A transaction), SEPA Direct Debit (SDD from €0.25 + 0-0.13%) and over 40 payment methods in one contract, PCI DSS Level 1. A2A transactions are authenticated under PSD2 (SCA) and irrevocable once executed.
Management runs from the dashboard: webhooks for confirmation, unique references for automatic reconciliation, monthly summaries for the tax credit filing. Activation happens with the VAT number with a Companies Register check and approval within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most used B2B payment methods?
Bank transfers (about 70% of B2B transactions in Italy per data reported by Agenda Digitale, July 2026), SEPA Direct Debit B2B, corporate cards and, for ad-hoc requests, payment links. The instant transfer via open banking combines speed and irrevocability.
How much do B2B collections cost a business?
It depends on the method: on 100 collections of €50, RoxPay's instant transfer PIS costs €18 (€0.13 + 0.10% per transaction), SEPA Direct Debit B2B €25-31.50 (€0.25 + 0-0.13%), SEE cards €100 (1.5% + €0.25 per the public Stripe price list).
What is the instant B2B transfer?
It is a transfer on the SEPA Instant (SCT Inst) rail: funds arrive in under 10 seconds, 24/7 including holidays, and the transfer is irrevocable once executed, so there are no chargebacks as with cards.
Is the SEPA Direct Debit B2B irrevocable?
Yes under the B2B scheme of SEPA Direct Debit: the mandate signed by the paying company is irrevocable for the payer and typical settlement is D+1. Disputes, when they arise, shift to the commercial relationship between the parties, not to the scheme.
Does RoxPay issue corporate credit cards?
No. RoxPay is a payment gateway, not a bank: it does not issue cards, does not open bank accounts and is not a business account. It collects through instant transfers (PIS), SEPA Direct Debit, cards and over 40 methods, crediting within 48 hours to the existing business account of your company.
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