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Stripe vs Airwallex: card fees, currency conversion, product suite and who can open each from Egypt or the Gulf

Stripe and Airwallex compared for a US company selling abroad: published US rates as of 27 September 2026, worked fee examples, where Airwallex's multi-currency accounts and lower FX help, where Stripe's Billing, Tax and integrations matter, and account eligibility from Egypt and the Gulf.

September 27, 2026 StripeAirwallexpayment gatewaypayment feesmulti-currency accountcomparison
Foundlie article cover: Payments

The short answer

Stripe and Airwallex both process card payments, and on price they are close: 2.9% + $0.30 on Stripe and 2.8% + $0.30 on Airwallex for a US card, as published on 27 September 2026. On a $100 sale that is $3.20 against $3.10. Both add 1.5% for cards issued outside the US.

The difference is in what surrounds the payment. Airwallex is also a multi-currency business account: you can hold balances in several currencies, convert at a small margin above the interbank rate, and pay out locally in many countries. Stripe offers a wider set of payment products (Billing for subscriptions, Tax, hosted Checkout) and connects to more platforms.

The deciding factor is usually what you do with the money after the sale. If you mainly need a checkout, subscriptions and integrations, Stripe fits. If you hold, convert and pay out in several currencies, Airwallex fits. A common setup uses Stripe for checkout and Airwallex for holding and converting currencies.

How they differ at a glance

A merchant of record is the business that legally sells to the buyer and carries the duty to collect sales tax or VAT, handle refunds and answer chargebacks. With both Stripe and Airwallex, that business is you.

Stripe Airwallex
Type Payment processor; you are the merchant of record Payment processor and multi-currency business account; you are the merchant of record
Standard card rate (US account) 2.9% + $0.30 2.8% + $0.30 for US cards
International cards +1.5% 4.3% + $0.30 (+1.5%)
Currency conversion +1% 0.5% above interbank for major currencies (such as GBP); 1% for others (including SAR, AED, EGP)
Subscriptions Stripe Billing, +0.7% Billing product not priced in this article
Sales tax / VAT You; Stripe Tax can calculate it for 0.5% where you are registered You
Disputes $15, plus $15 if you counter; refunded if you win $15 chargeback
Payouts Standard free; Instant Payouts 1.5% (min $0.50) Held in the account; local transfers free to many countries; SWIFT transfers carry a fee
Monthly fee None Explore plan $0; paid plans add features
Who can open Businesses registered in a supported country; UAE yes, Egypt and Saudi Arabia no Businesses registered in an eligible country; the US entity onboards US-registered companies

Fees on the same sale

These examples use each provider's standard online card rate on a US account. "Intl" means a card issued outside the US; "+ FX" means the buyer pays in another currency and the processor converts it.

Scenario Stripe Airwallex
$100 US card fee $3.20 / net $96.80 fee $3.10 / net $96.90
$100 intl card fee $4.70 / net $95.30 fee $4.60 / net $95.40
$100 intl card + FX fee $5.70 / net $94.30 fee $5.60 / net $94.40
$100 intl subscription fee $5.40 / net $94.60 fee $4.60 / net $95.40
$29 US subscription fee $1.34 / net $27.66 fee $1.11 / net $27.89
$29 intl subscription fee $1.78 / net $27.22 fee $1.55 / net $27.45
$1000 intl card fee $44.30 / net $955.70 fee $43.30 / net $956.70
Charge needed to net $100 (US card) $103.30 $103.19

On one-off card sales the gap is the 0.1 percentage point between 2.9% and 2.8%: ten cents on $100 and one dollar on $1,000. The "+ FX" row uses a 1% conversion for both, which is Airwallex's rate for currencies outside its major group, such as SAR, AED and EGP. For a major currency such as GBP, Airwallex publishes 0.5% above interbank, so its figure would be lower than the one shown.

The subscription rows show a larger gap, and it needs a caveat. Stripe's figures include Stripe Billing at 0.7%; the Airwallex figures include no subscription surcharge because its billing product is not priced here. If you plan to run recurring billing on Airwallex, check its pricing page for that product before comparing. To test your own prices, use the Stripe fee calculator, the Airwallex fee calculator, or the all-gateways fee comparison.

Stripe in practice

Stripe is a payment processor built around a set of connected products. Checkout gives you a hosted payment page, Billing handles subscriptions and invoices (priced on its Billing pricing page at 0.7% in our figures), and Tax calculates sales tax and VAT for 0.5% where you are registered. Many e-commerce, membership and software platforms connect to Stripe directly, which often decides the question before price does.

On a US account, as listed on the pricing page on 27 September 2026, an online card costs 2.9% + $0.30, a manually entered card 3.4% + $0.30, and ACH Direct Debit 0.8% capped at $5. International cards add 1.5%, conversion adds 1%, and there is no monthly fee. Disputes cost $15, plus $15 if you counter. Stripe does not return the processing fee when you refund a sale.

Stripe pays out to a bank account on a standard schedule for free, or instantly for 1.5% (minimum $0.50). What it does not do is act as a multi-currency account for spending and paying suppliers. That is the gap Airwallex fills for many sellers.

Airwallex in practice

Airwallex combines card acceptance with a multi-currency business account. You collect payments, hold the proceeds in several currencies, convert between them, and send local transfers without routing every payment through US dollars.

Its US pricing page, as published on 27 September 2026, lists online card payments at 2.8% + $0.30 for US cards and 4.3% + $0.30 for international cards. Conversion is 0.5% above the interbank rate for major currencies such as GBP and 1% for others; SAR, AED and EGP fall in the "others" group. Local transfers are free to many countries, SWIFT transfers carry a fee, and a chargeback costs $15. The Explore plan is $0 a month; paid plans add features.

The limits are product breadth and eligibility. Airwallex is not as widely integrated with store builders and software platforms as Stripe, so check your platform's supported gateways before you choose. And its eligibility page requires an active, registered business in an eligible country, outside its unsupported industries, and within its risk appetite.

Who can use each one from Egypt or the Gulf

Stripe. As of 27 September 2026, Stripe's supported-countries list includes the UAE and does not include Egypt or Saudi Arabia. The list is about where the business is registered. A UAE-licensed business can apply for a UAE Stripe account; a founder in Egypt or Saudi Arabia usually applies through a company registered in a supported country. A US LLC can apply for a US Stripe account under Stripe's US account requirements, and Stripe reviews every application.

Airwallex. Airwallex opens accounts for businesses registered in its eligible countries, and its US entity onboards US-registered companies. Whether a company registered in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or the UAE can open an account depends on Airwallex's eligible countries and territories page; check it for your company's country before you apply rather than relying on a summary.

A US LLC opens the US-priced accounts described in this article with both providers. Foundlie forms the US LLC and prepares the documents both applications ask for; Stripe and Airwallex each decide after their own review, and neither approval is guaranteed.

Which one to choose

Choose Stripe if:

  • you need subscriptions, invoices or tax calculation alongside card payments;
  • your store builder or software platform connects to Stripe and not to Airwallex;
  • you mainly sell in US dollars and pay out to one bank account.

Choose Airwallex if:

  • you hold money in several currencies or pay suppliers and contractors abroad;
  • your buyers pay in GBP or other major currencies, where 0.5% above interbank is lower than Stripe's 1%;
  • you want card acceptance and a multi-currency account in one place, and your platform supports it.

Use both when checkout and treasury are separate jobs. A common setup is Stripe for checkout and subscriptions, with an Airwallex account to hold, convert and pay out currencies. Before relying on it, confirm in Stripe's payout settings that it accepts your Airwallex account details as a payout destination.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper for a $100 sale from a US card?

Airwallex, by ten cents: $3.10 against Stripe's $3.20, at the rates published on 27 September 2026. On a $1,000 international card sale the difference is one dollar ($43.30 against $44.30).

Which is cheaper when the customer pays in GBP?

Airwallex publishes 0.5% above interbank for major currencies such as GBP, against Stripe's 1% conversion, so Airwallex costs less on the conversion. For SAR, AED and EGP, Airwallex charges 1%, the same as Stripe's conversion fee.

Can I use Stripe or Airwallex without a US company?

For Stripe, only if your business is registered in a supported country such as the UAE; there is no Stripe account for a business registered in Egypt or Saudi Arabia. For Airwallex, check its eligible-countries page for your company's country of registration. Either way, the account is opened for a company, not for you personally.

Can Stripe pay out into an Airwallex account?

It can, and it is a common setup, but it depends on Stripe accepting the Airwallex account details for your account's country and currency. Confirm it in the Stripe dashboard before you build your cash flow around it.

Which is better for subscriptions?

Stripe, if you need a full billing product: Billing adds 0.7% and handles plans and invoices. Airwallex's billing product is not priced in this article, so compare it on Airwallex's own pricing page.

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