Payment comparison
Bitcoin vs. WooCommerce Payments: An Ecommerce Comparison
WooCommerce Payments, now called WooPayments, is the built-in card processor for WooCommerce, the popular WordPress ecommerce plugin. Because WooCommerce is open-source, you are free to add Bitcoin acceptance alongside it with no penalty, unlike some closed platforms. Here is the honest comparison, and how the two fit together.
If you run a WooCommerce store, WooPayments is the path of least resistance for taking cards: it is first-party, built on Stripe's infrastructure, and priced pay-as-you-go. But the real advantage of WooCommerce for this comparison is that it is open-source.
That means you are not locked into WooPayments and not penalized for adding other options. You can install a Bitcoin or Lightning extension and offer crypto right beside your card checkout. So this is less Bitcoin versus WooPayments and more how to combine them well. This page covers both.
Quick comparison
A side-by-side look at the practical differences. WooPayments figures reflect its published US rates at the time of writing; confirm current pricing first.
| WooCommerce Payments | Accepting Bitcoin | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The native card processor for WooCommerce, built on Stripe | A payment over the Bitcoin network, held directly or via a processor |
| Processing fee | Online around 2.9% plus a fixed fee; in-person lower; surcharges for international and currency | Network fee only if self-custodied; often cents over Lightning. A processor typically charges around 1% |
| Gateway freedom | Open-source: use any gateway, no penalty for alternatives | Add it freely alongside WooPayments via an extension |
| Settlement | Rolling payouts after a short pending period | Minutes on-chain; seconds over Lightning. Final |
| Chargebacks | Card disputes possible; a dispute fee applies, refunded if you win | None. A confirmed payment cannot be reversed |
| Crypto support | No native crypto, but extensions add Bitcoin, Lightning, and stablecoins | You receive actual Bitcoin, to a wallet you control if you self-custody |
| Recurring | Supported via subscriptions, at an added surcharge | Weak; native recurring crypto billing is immature |
| Refunds | Issued from the dashboard; the original fee is not returned | Manual: you send funds back to a customer address |
| Best fit | WordPress and self-hosted ecommerce wanting an integrated processor | A low-fee, final, borderless option added beside the card checkout |
WooPayments is built on Stripe and priced pay-as-you-go. Because WooCommerce is open-source, crypto acceptance can be added via extensions with no gateway penalty. Bitcoin network fees are often cents over Lightning. Confirm current terms.
What WooCommerce Payments is
WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that turns a WordPress site into an online store. WooPayments is its first-party payment solution, built on Stripe's infrastructure, so you can accept cards without setting up a separate gateway account. It is pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee.
Published rates are around 2.9% plus a fixed fee for online card payments, lower for in-person, with surcharges for international cards and currency conversion, and an added percentage for subscriptions. Disputes carry a flat fee that is refunded if you win. These figures track Stripe's baseline closely.
The defining feature for this comparison is that WooCommerce is open-source. Unlike closed platforms that penalize you for using an outside gateway, WooCommerce lets you add any payment method, including crypto, without a penalty. That freedom is exactly what makes adding Bitcoin easy.
How to add Bitcoin to a WooCommerce store
Because WooCommerce is open-source, accepting Bitcoin is a matter of installing an extension. Options include processors like BitPay, Coinbase Commerce, OpenNode, and CoinGate, or the self-hosted, non-custodial BTCPay Server, which charges no processor fee beyond the network cost.
Some of these convert Bitcoin to dollars for you and settle to your bank; others send Bitcoin straight to a wallet you control. The choice mirrors the broader custody decision, which our guide to self-custody versus a payment processor covers. Either way, no gateway penalty applies.
On a closed platform, adding a non-native gateway can trigger an extra fee. On WooCommerce there is no such penalty, so running WooPayments for cards and a Bitcoin extension side by side is straightforward and cost-effective.
What actually separates them
Integrated cards versus an added rail. WooPayments is the convenient default for cards. Bitcoin is an additional option you enable via extension, freely.
Percentage fee versus low fee. WooPayments takes around 2.9% plus a fee online. A Lightning Bitcoin payment often costs cents, and self-custody avoids a processor percentage.
Reversible versus final. Card sales can be disputed, with a dispute fee. A confirmed Bitcoin payment cannot be reversed.
Recurring. WooPayments supports subscriptions; native recurring Bitcoin billing is immature, so Bitcoin suits one-off purchases.
Who each option is for
WooCommerce Payments is a good default if
- You run a WordPress or WooCommerce store and want an integrated card processor.
- You value pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee.
- You rely on subscriptions or want the simplest first-party setup.
Add Bitcoin if
- You have customers who prefer it, or higher-ticket items where card fees sting.
- You want final settlement and no chargebacks on some orders.
- You want a borderless option, which extensions make easy on WooCommerce.
When to hold off
If your store's customers pay happily by card and you have no crypto demand, there is no urgency to add Bitcoin. And if volatility is your only concern, choose a Bitcoin extension that auto-converts to dollars, or accept a stablecoin, rather than holding. Add crypto when there is real demand or a clear cost or reach case.
Typical costs
WooCommerce Payments. No monthly fee; around 2.9% plus a fixed fee online, with surcharges for international, currency conversion, and subscriptions, plus a dispute fee refunded on a win.
Bitcoin. Self-custody via a self-hosted extension has no monthly cost and no percentage, just the network fee. A custodial extension that converts to dollars typically charges around 1%. No gateway penalty either way.
The free credit card fee calculator helps you estimate what card processing costs your store across a year.
Operational considerations
Refunds. WooPayments refunds go back through the card. Crypto refunds are manual, handled through the extension or wallet; see how to refund a crypto payment.
Wrong amounts and networks. Online, customers can send the wrong amount or use the wrong network. Our guide on wrong-amount payments helps you plan.
Volatility. Choose an extension that converts to dollars, or accept a stablecoin, if you want predictable revenue. Decide the policy before enabling crypto.
Security and accounting
WooPayments handles card security and compliance through Stripe's infrastructure. If you add a self-custodied Bitcoin extension, you protect your wallet keys and back up your seed phrase offline; the Merchant Security Playbook covers it.
WooPayments gives you dollar-denominated reporting. Bitcoin requires recording the dollar value at receipt, which a converting extension keeps clean. Decide your approach up front and involve your accountant.
The easy combination
For a WooCommerce store, WooPayments is a sensible default for cards: integrated, pay-as-you-go, and built on solid infrastructure. Keep it as your primary checkout.
Because WooCommerce is open-source, adding Bitcoin is genuinely easy and penalty-free. Install an extension, choose whether it converts to dollars or sends to your wallet, and offer crypto beside your cards for the customers who want it.
This is one of the friendliest platforms for combining both. Run WooPayments for the many card customers, and add a low-fee, final Bitcoin option with no gateway penalty. Start small and let demand guide you.
The Merchant's Guide to Cryptocurrency Payments shows how to run a crypto option beside your existing system: keeping it independent of your processor contract, choosing between self-custody and a processor, handling refunds and conversion, and training your team. Written for busy owners.
Common questions
- Can I accept Bitcoin on WooCommerce?
- Yes, and easily. Because WooCommerce is open-source, you can install a crypto extension such as BitPay, Coinbase Commerce, OpenNode, CoinGate, or the self-hosted BTCPay Server to accept Bitcoin and Lightning. There is no gateway penalty for adding it alongside WooCommerce Payments.
- Does WooCommerce penalize me for using a non-native gateway?
- No. Unlike some closed platforms, WooCommerce is open-source and does not surcharge you for using a payment method other than WooPayments. You can run WooPayments for cards and a Bitcoin extension side by side without an extra fee.
- Is accepting Bitcoin cheaper than WooCommerce Payments?
- Per transaction, often yes, especially over Lightning or with a self-hosted, non-custodial extension that charges no processor fee. But WooPayments bundles an integrated card checkout and subscriptions. The savings are real on the orders that use Bitcoin.
- Should I let a Bitcoin extension convert to dollars?
- If you want predictable revenue and no price exposure, yes, choose an extension that converts to dollars, or accept a stablecoin. If you want to hold Bitcoin, use a non-custodial extension that sends to your wallet. Decide before enabling it.
- Do Bitcoin payments have chargebacks like WooCommerce card sales?
- No. Card sales through WooPayments can be disputed, with a dispute fee. A confirmed Bitcoin payment cannot be reversed, which removes chargeback risk but means you handle refunds manually through the extension or wallet.
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