The Belgian online payment market is unique in Europe. Unlike France, where the Visa/Mastercard card dominates, Belgium has its own payment system: Bancontact. Used by more than 85% of Belgian consumers, Bancontact is essential for any online retailer targeting the Belgian market. Not offering Bancontact on your online shop can mean losing the majority of your potential customers.
In 2026, the Belgian online payment landscape has grown with the arrival of Payconiq (merged with Bancontact), the rise of mobile payments via the Bancontact/Payconiq app, and the growing adoption of solutions such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. This article compares the main online payment solutions available to Belgian businesses, focusing on real costs, supported payment methods and ease of integration.
The payment landscape in Belgium in 2026
The payment methods Belgians prefer
Understanding Belgian consumers' payment habits is essential for optimising your conversion rate:
| Payment method | Online market share | User profile |
|---|---|---|
| Bancontact | ~45% | All profiles, especially ages 30-60 |
| Credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) | ~25% | International purchases, travel, ages 25-50 |
| Bank transfer | ~10% | B2B, large purchases |
| PayPal | ~8% | International purchases, marketplaces |
| Payconiq by Bancontact (QR) | ~5% | Mobile-first, ages 18-40 |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | ~4% | Early adopters, mobile |
| Klarna / Buy Now Pay Later | ~3% | Younger consumers, fashion |
Bancontact: Belgium's number one payment method
Bancontact is the Belgian electronic payment network, run by Bancontact Payconiq Company. A few key figures:
- More than 17 million Bancontact cards in circulation in Belgium
- More than 2 billion transactions per year
- Accepted by more than 250,000 merchants, both physical and online
- The Bancontact/Payconiq app is installed on more than 5 million Belgian smartphones
Why this matters: a Belgian online retailer that does not offer Bancontact for online payment can see their conversion rate drop by 30 to 50%. It is the equivalent of not accepting bank cards in France.
The regulatory framework
Online payments in Belgium are governed by:
- The European PSD2 directive (Payment Services Directive 2), transposed into Belgian law, which requires strong customer authentication (SCA) for online payments above EUR 30
- The BNB (National Bank of Belgium), which supervises payment institutions
- The FSMA (Financial Services and Markets Authority) for consumer protection
- The GDPR for payment data protection
- The Act of 11 March 2018 on payment services
Detailed comparison of payment solutions
1. Mollie
Origin: the Netherlands Belgian office: present in Brussels Sign-up: online, activation in 1-2 business days
Mollie is the most popular payment solution in the Benelux region. Founded in the Netherlands, it is particularly well suited to the Belgian market.
Supported payment methods:
- Bancontact
- Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- PayPal
- Apple Pay, Google Pay
- Klarna (Buy Now Pay Later)
- Bank transfer (SEPA)
- iDEAL (for Dutch customers)
- Belfius Pay Button
- KBC/CBC Payment Button
- ING HomePay
- Przelewy24, EPS, Giropay (for international customers)
Pricing:
| Method | Commission per transaction |
|---|---|
| Bancontact | EUR 0.39 |
| European credit cards | 1.80% + EUR 0.25 |
| Non-European credit cards | 2.80% + EUR 0.25 |
| PayPal | 2.99% + EUR 0.25 (to be confirmed) |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | 1.80% + EUR 0.25 |
| Klarna | 2.99% + EUR 0.25 |
| SEPA transfer | EUR 0.25 |
| iDEAL | EUR 0.29 |
No fixed monthly fees, no set-up fees, no commitment.
Strengths for Belgium:
- Native support for Bancontact and all the Belgian banks' payment buttons (Belfius, KBC/CBC, ING)
- Dashboard and support in French and Dutch
- Free plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, Wix
- Very well documented API
- Customisable checkout
- Recurring payments (subscriptions)
- Payout time: T+1 or T+2 (to your Belgian bank account)
- PSD2 and GDPR compliant
- No contract, cancel at any time
Weaknesses:
- Credit card commissions are slightly higher than Stripe's
- No merchant account of your own (funds pass through Mollie)
- Support can be slow during peak periods
Ideal for: any Belgian online retailer, from sole traders to SMEs. It is our number-one recommendation for the Belgian market.
2. Stripe
Origin: Ireland / United States Presence in Belgium: European office in Dublin
Stripe is the global giant of online payments, particularly popular with tech start-ups and SaaS companies.
Supported payment methods:
- Bancontact (since 2019)
- Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Apple Pay, Google Pay
- SEPA Direct Debit
- Klarna
- iDEAL
- More than 40 international payment methods
Pricing:
| Method | Commission per transaction |
|---|---|
| European cards | 1.50% + EUR 0.25 |
| Non-European cards | 3.25% + EUR 0.25 |
| Bancontact | 1.40% + EUR 0.25 |
| SEPA Direct Debit | EUR 0.35 (capped at EUR 5) |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | 1.50% + EUR 0.25 |
| Klarna | Variable |
Note: Stripe's Bancontact commission (1.40% + EUR 0.25) is markedly more expensive than Mollie's (a flat EUR 0.39). For an average basket of EUR 50, Stripe costs EUR 0.95 against EUR 0.39 at Mollie for a Bancontact payment. Across 1,000 Bancontact transactions a month, that is a EUR 560 difference.
Strengths for Belgium:
- A world-reference API, extremely well documented
- Dashboard in French
- Stripe Checkout (hosted payment page, no development needed)
- Stripe Connect (for marketplaces)
- Recurring billing (Stripe Billing)
- Subscription management
- Stripe Radar (AI-powered fraud detection)
- Terminal for in-person payments
Weaknesses for Belgium:
- High Bancontact commission compared with Mollie
- No Belgian bank payment buttons (Belfius, KBC, ING)
- Support mainly in English
- More technical set-up than Mollie
Ideal for: tech start-ups, SaaS companies, marketplaces, and businesses with a strong international component.
3. Worldline (formerly Ingenico ePayments)
Origin: France (Worldline) with a strong historical presence in Belgium (formerly Atos Worldline Brussels)
Worldline is the European leader in payment services. Historically well established in Belgium via Ingenico and Atos, it is the go-to solution for large companies and institutions.
Supported payment methods:
- Bancontact
- All credit cards
- All Belgian bank payment buttons
- Apple Pay, Google Pay
- SEPA
- And many more
Pricing: quote-based, usually with a monthly subscription plus a commission per transaction. Rates are negotiable depending on volume.
Strengths:
- A historical player in Belgium, with a direct relationship with Belgian banks
- Physical and online payment terminal (omnichannel)
- Native PSD2 compliance
- Local support in French and Dutch
- Solutions for large companies and the public sector
Weaknesses:
- Opaque pricing (quote only)
- Often binding contracts (12-36 months)
- Less modern interface than Mollie or Stripe
- Complex set-up
- Less suited to small businesses
Ideal for: medium and large Belgian companies, and physical plus online (omnichannel) retail.
4. MultiSafepay
Origin: the Netherlands Presence: Benelux
MultiSafepay is a Dutch payment service provider well established in the Benelux region.
Bancontact pricing: EUR 0.39 per transaction (identical to Mollie) Monthly fees: from EUR 0 (a free plan is available)
Strengths:
- Competitive Bancontact rates
- Native Dutch-language support
- Good coverage of Belgian and Dutch payment methods
- Plugins for the main e-commerce platforms
Weaknesses:
- Less well known than Mollie, smaller community
- Less complete documentation
- Limited French-language support
5. PayPal
Origin: United States Presence: worldwide
PayPal remains a useful add-on, especially for international sales. In Belgium, around 8% of online purchases go through PayPal.
Pricing:
| Type | Commission |
|---|---|
| Domestic payments | 2.99% + EUR 0.35 |
| International payments | 4.99% + EUR 0.35 |
Strengths: recognised buyer protection, consumer trust for international purchases, fast checkout.
Weaknesses: high commissions, no Bancontact support, disputes can be complex for sellers to manage.
Ideal for: a complement for international sales.
6. Shopify Payments
Origin: built into Shopify (Canada)
If you use Shopify, Shopify Payments is the simplest solution because it is natively integrated.
Pricing:
| Shopify plan | Card commission | Bancontact commission |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (EUR 36/month) | 1.90% + EUR 0.25 | Included |
| Shopify (EUR 105/month) | 1.70% + EUR 0.25 | Included |
| Advanced (EUR 399/month) | 1.50% + EUR 0.25 | Included |
Strengths: zero configuration, Bancontact included, no extra Shopify commission.
Weaknesses: tied to the Shopify platform, cannot be used independently.
Summary comparison table
| Criterion | Mollie | Stripe | Worldline | MultiSafepay | PayPal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bancontact | EUR 0.39 | 1.40% + EUR 0.25 | Quote-based | EUR 0.39 | No |
| Euro card | 1.80% + EUR 0.25 | 1.50% + EUR 0.25 | Quote-based | 1.80% + EUR 0.25 | 2.99% + EUR 0.35 |
| Monthly fees | EUR 0 | EUR 0 | Variable | EUR 0 | EUR 0 |
| Commitment | None | None | 12-36 months | None | None |
| Belgian bank buttons | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| French | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Dutch | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| API | Excellent | Reference | Good | Good | Good |
| E-commerce plugins | Many | Many | Limited | Good | Many |
| Payout time | T+1 to T+2 | T+7 (default) | Variable | T+1 to T+2 | Instant (PayPal balance) |
| Ideal for | Belgian SMEs | Tech start-ups | Large companies | Benelux | International |
Cost calculator: how much will you pay?
Scenario 1: small Belgian online shop (200 transactions/month)
Average basket: EUR 45 | 70% Bancontact, 20% card, 10% PayPal
| Solution | Bancontact cost (140 tx) | Card cost (40 tx) | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mollie | EUR 54.60 | EUR 42.40 | ~EUR 97 |
| Stripe | EUR 113.40 | EUR 37.00 | ~EUR 150 |
Difference: Mollie saves around EUR 53/month, or EUR 636 a year.
Scenario 2: medium-sized online shop (1,000 transactions/month)
Average basket: EUR 75 | 60% Bancontact, 30% card, 10% other
| Solution | Bancontact cost (600 tx) | Card cost (300 tx) | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mollie | EUR 234 | EUR 480 | ~EUR 714 |
| Stripe | EUR 880 | EUR 412.50 | ~EUR 1,293 |
Difference: Mollie saves around EUR 579/month, or EUR 6,948 a year, thanks to Bancontact's flat-rate pricing.
Scenario 3: SaaS with subscriptions (500 transactions/month)
Average basket: EUR 29/month | 40% Bancontact, 50% card, 10% SEPA
| Solution | Bancontact cost (200 tx) | Card cost (250 tx) | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mollie | EUR 78 | EUR 195.50 | ~EUR 274 |
| Stripe | EUR 121.50 | EUR 158.75 | ~EUR 280 |
Difference: almost identical for this profile, since the card share is larger and Stripe is cheaper on cards.
Technical integration guide
Integration with WooCommerce (WordPress)
WooCommerce is the most widely used e-commerce platform in Belgium. Here is how to integrate Mollie:
- Install the Mollie Payments for WooCommerce plugin (free)
- Create an account on mollie.com
- Copy your API key into the plugin settings
- Enable the payment methods you want (Bancontact, cards, etc.)
- Set the currency to EUR and configure Belgian VAT rates
- Test with sandbox mode before going live
Integration with Shopify
Shopify Payments natively supports Bancontact. If you prefer Mollie:
- Install the Mollie Payments app from the Shopify App Store
- Connect your Mollie account
- Enable the payment methods
Integration with PrestaShop
PrestaShop is popular among French-speaking Belgian online retailers:
- Download the Mollie module for PrestaShop
- Install it via the back office
- Configure it with your Mollie API key
- Enable Bancontact and the other methods
Legal obligations for online payments in Belgium
Price display
- Prices must be displayed VAT included for consumers (B2C)
- VAT must be clearly indicated (rate of 6%, 12% or 21%)
- Delivery costs must be disclosed before the payment is confirmed
Payment security (PSD2)
- Strong customer authentication (SCA) is compulsory for online payments above EUR 30
- Solutions such as Mollie and Stripe handle SCA compliance automatically
- 3D Secure 2 is the standard for card payment authentication
Data retention
- Transaction data must be kept for 7 years in Belgium (an accounting obligation)
- Card data must never be stored on your own servers (unless you are PCI DSS certified)
- Always use the tokenisation offered by your payment provider
Invoicing
Every online payment must generate an invoice or receipt containing:
- Your CBE number and VAT number
- The details of the products/services with the applicable VAT rate
- The total amount including VAT
- The date of the transaction
- The seller's contact details
Optimising your conversion rate
1. Offer Bancontact first
Place Bancontact at the top of your list of payment methods. It is what Belgian consumers look for first.
2. Reduce checkout steps
Every extra step in the checkout process loses around 10% of buyers. Aim for a checkout of 2-3 steps at most:
- Cart > 2. Delivery details > 3. Payment
3. Display trust logos
Belgian consumers are reassured by:
- The Bancontact logo
- The BeCommerce logo (the trust label for Belgian e-commerce)
- The SSL padlock
- Visa/Mastercard logos
- Customer reviews (Trustpilot, Google Reviews)
4. Offer one-click payment
For returning customers, enable one-click payment (tokenisation). Both Mollie and Stripe support this feature.
5. Optimise for mobile
In Belgium, more than 55% of online purchases are made on mobile in 2026. Make sure that:
- Your payment page is responsive
- Payment via the Bancontact app is smooth (automatic redirect to the app)
- Apple Pay and Google Pay are enabled (one-tap payment)
The BeCommerce label
BeCommerce is the Belgian e-commerce federation. The BeCommerce label is a mark of trust for Belgian consumers.
Conditions for obtaining the label:
- Be registered with the CBE with a registered office in Belgium
- Comply with the Code of Economic Law (right of withdrawal, legal notices)
- Offer accessible customer service
- Use secure payments
- Comply with the GDPR
Cost: from EUR 350/year (depending on turnover)
Benefit: an estimated conversion rate increase of 5 to 15% thanks to greater consumer trust.
Conclusion
For the vast majority of Belgian businesses, Mollie is the best online payment solution in 2026. Its flat rate of EUR 0.39 per Bancontact transaction, its full coverage of Belgian payment methods and its ease of integration make it the obvious choice.
Stripe remains relevant for technology companies, SaaS businesses and marketplaces thanks to its reference API and advanced features, but its higher Bancontact cost is a drawback for typical online retailers.
Whichever solution you choose, remember to offer Bancontact first, optimise your checkout for mobile, and comply with Belgium's legal requirements for online payments.
This article was written by the Espero-Soft team for the blog dedicated to entrepreneurs in Belgium. For personalised advice, please consult a professional.
