Online Payments for Business: The Complete Guide 2026
To accept online payments for business you need a gateway connected to a merchant account: in Italy fees start from €0.15 + 0.35% to 0.85% (IC++) with RoxPay, versus Stripe's 1.5% + €0.25 on European cards. Activation takes 24 hours with a VAT number alone.
Online payment costs for business: an example across four ticket sizes
| Ticket | RoxPay (IC++) | Stripe (SEE cards) | Mollie (SEE consumer cards) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket of €10 | 0.19-0.24€ | €0.40 | €0.43 |
| Ticket of €50 | 0.33-0.58€ | €1.00 | €1.15 |
| Ticket of €100 | 0.50-1.00€ | €1.75 | €2.05 |
| Ticket of €500 | 1.90-4.40€ | €7.75 | €9.25 |
Sources: public Stripe and Mollie price lists 2026, RoxPay commercial terms. IC++ rates depend on the card type: the interchange fee is set by law at 0.2% on consumer debit cards and 0.3% on consumer credit cards by Regulation (EU) 2023/1115.
How online collection works for a business
When a customer pays on a website, the flow is always the same: the payment gateway collects and encrypts the data, the processor authorises the transaction with the schemes (Visa, Mastercard), and the acquirer credits the amount to the business bank account. The three roles can be combined in a single provider or kept separate, and that separation determines what you pay.
In Italy, component-based rates are governed by Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (the Interchange Fee Regulation), which caps interchange at 0.2% on consumer debit cards and 0.3% on consumer credit cards. On top of those interbank costs come scheme fees and the processor's markup. A provider that exposes the individual components works on an IC++ model: if your customer pays with a European debit card, the percentage moves toward the minimum; if they pay with a business card or Amex, it rises. Providers applying a single percentage instead bundle all the real costs into the price, so you pay the same rate whether you collect on debit or credit.
The account should be in the company's name: funds must be credited directly to your business IBAN, without passing through an intermediate wallet that holds your money.
How much online payments cost an SME
The cost of online collection has three components: a variable percentage, a fixed fee per transaction, and fixed monthly costs. The most common public price lists on the Italian market in 2026 are: Stripe at 1.5% + €0.25 on European cards (2.5% + €0.25 UK, 2.9% + €0.25 international, according to the public Stripe price list), Mollie at 1.8% + €0.25 on SEE consumer cards (per Mollie's public terms), and RoxPay with €0.15 + 0.35% to 0.85% (IC++) pricing, where the variable component depends on the card type.
The gap is not driven by the percentage itself, but by the fixed fee and the card mapping. On a €10 ticket with a SEE card, Stripe keeps €0.40 (an effective 4%) and Mollie €0.43, against the IC++ model's 0.19-0.24€. For an e-commerce site with a €50 average ticket and €10,000 monthly volume, the monthly cost ranges from €65 (RoxPay, debit cards) to €200 (Stripe) and €230 (Mollie).
Add-ons apply on top: Stripe Billing adds an incremental percentage of roughly 0.7% for recurring payments (per the public Stripe price list), while RoxPay includes recurring payments with smart retrying and dunning management in its base plan (RoxPay commercial terms 2026). The item-by-item mechanism is explained in the [IC++ fee calculation guide](/en/resources/payment-gateway-fees-comparison).
The payment methods to offer your customers
An Italian merchant that wants to match how business and consumer customers actually pay needs at least four families:
- Major-scheme cards: Visa, Mastercard and Maestro, priced on IC++ (RoxPay: €0.15 + 0.35-0.85%); Amex carries a separate cost (2.90% per the RoxPay list, historically higher across all providers).
- Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, which in 2025 overtook physical cards in usage across several EU countries (Bank of Italy retail payment data 2024).
- Local methods: BANCOMAT Pay for Italian consumers, available through the gateway (RoxPay offers it in partnership with BANCOMAT, per its open banking channel).
- Transfers and debits: SEPA Instant with account-to-account payments (PIS from €0.13 + 0.10% in the RoxPay list, across 2,000+ PSD2 banks), SEPA Direct Debit for recurring collections (€0.25 + 0-0.13%), suited to subscriptions and B2B invoices.
- BNPL: native instalments (CRIF scoring and open banking), merchant costs of 5% and customer rates of 1-7%, minimum order €50, available in 17 European countries (RoxPay commercial terms).
Offering A2A and SEPA has a direct economic benefit: instant transfers generate no chargebacks and rates stay below card fees. The full list of methods with costs is in the [payment methods guide](/en/resources/metodi-di-pagamento).
Activation and settlement times
Two clocks define the experience: when you can start collecting and when the money arrives.
- Activation: modern onboarding starts from the VAT number. RoxPay activates the merchant account via the Companies Register with approval within 24 hours (RoxPay activation terms 2026), versus the 3-5 business days Stripe's onboarding typically takes in Italy. Integration via WooCommerce, Magento and PrestaShop plugins or via REST API makes collection operational within days.
- Settlement: the Italian banking standard for legacy POS remains 2-5 days; gateway solutions typically settle within 48 hours, and with RoxPay's T+0 service funds arrive the same day (from 0.25% per payout, per RoxPay commercial terms). To compare operator settlement times, see the [settlement times guide](/en/resources/pos-settlement-times-how-long-to-receive-funds).
Beware of providers that hold funds in intermediate wallets: tied-up liquidity is a hidden cost rarely disclosed at quotation stage.
Which business sectors can collect online
E-commerce serves every B2C and B2B vertical, but every provider maintains a matrix of accepted categories. RoxPay serves traditional verticals with dedicated solutions: restaurants (POS with order management and fiscal receipt), hotels (PMS integration), retail, pharmacies, consulting and professionals, workshops, plus e-commerce in the strict sense. On POS channels, funds reach the business account within 48 hours.
Some categories require additional documentation: travel agencies, dropshipping, crypto exchanges, legal gambling and casinos, private healthcare operators, jewellers, insurers. Others are off-policy altogether, such as adult content and pyramid schemes. The full list with conditions is in the [accepted business verticals guide](/en/resources/business-verticals-accepted-guide).
A fiscal detail relevant for Italian SMEs: the 30% tax credit on electronic payment fees (Italian Decree-Law 124/2019, art. 22) applies to businesses with revenue up to €400,000; the amount is reported on the F24 form under tax code 6916, section RU.
How to choose the gateway: a 5-point checklist
If you are choosing between providers for online payments for business, assess in this order: rate structure, contractual constraints, channel coverage, support quality and compliance. The grid below summarises the five checks that eliminate most surprises at quotation stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do online payments cost an SME collecting €5,000 per month?
With a €50 average ticket (100 transactions): Stripe €100 (1.5% + €0.25 per transaction, public SEE price list), Mollie €115 (1.8% + €0.25), RoxPay between €65 and €115 (€0.15 + 0.35-0.85% IC++). The result depends on the share of debit cards, which in IC++ lowers the cost toward the minimum.
How long does it take to activate an online merchant account?
With RoxPay, registration starts from the VAT number with a Companies Register check and approval within 24 hours; funds collection starts with settlements within 48 hours. Foreign providers such as Stripe indicate 3-5 business days of onboarding before the first collection.
Which payment methods should an Italian business accept?
At minimum: Visa/Mastercard and Maestro, Apple Pay and Google Pay, BANCOMAT Pay for the domestic market, Amex if you sell B2B (dedicated rate, 2.90% RoxPay), SEPA Instant for instant transfers and SEPA Direct Debit for subscriptions. RoxPay declares over 40 methods on a single integration.
Are there fixed costs beyond per-transaction fees?
It depends on the provider: Stripe and Mollie charge no monthly fee (Mollie adds a €0.25 payout fee below €500,000 annual volume, per its public terms). RoxPay applies a €0 monthly fee with €15 charged only in case of inactivity, a €25/month minimum billing and a 12-month contract. In the RoxPay list, Amex (2.90%), non-SEE currency payments and T+0 from 0.25% are priced separately.
Do online payments qualify for a tax credit?
Yes: Article 22 of Italian Decree-Law 124/2019 grants businesses with revenue up to €400,000 a 30% tax credit on fees for electronic transactions. The tax code is 6916, to be reported in section RU of the F24 form. RoxPay provides the monthly summary needed for the filing from its dashboard.
Can every sector open an online account?
No. Banned categories (adult content, counterfeit goods, pyramid schemes) are always excluded. Other verticals such as travel agencies, dropshipping, crypto exchanges, private healthcare operators and jewellers require additional documentation. RoxPay evaluates these requests case by case and requires additional documentation. Contact the team to check eligibility.
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