Stripe is GHL's default, but it's not your only option. Compare Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Whop for your GoHighLevel payment processing — fees, features, and real GHL integration depth.
Each gateway has strengths. Here's what they actually offer inside GoHighLevel.
GHL's default gateway. Good for basic card processing. Falls short on card-on-file, subscriptions, multi-tenancy, and white-labeling inside GHL. Account holds are a real risk for coaching, digital products, and agencies.
Best for: Simple card payments, low-risk businesses, international ACH
Weakness: No card-on-file, no mixed billing, no white-label, separate accounts per subaccount
Limited GHL integration — typically connected via Zapier. PayPal branding dominates the checkout. High per-transaction cost (3.49% + $0.49). Aggressive account holds. Best when your customers specifically want to pay with PayPal.
Best for: When customers demand PayPal or Venmo as a payment option
Weakness: Highest per-transaction fees, limited GHL integration, PayPal branding, aggressive holds
Primarily a POS gateway. GHL integration is limited — usually requires Zapier. USD-focused. Card-on-file only works within Square's ecosystem. Not built for online subscription businesses or agencies.
Best for: Businesses that also need POS (in-person) payments
Weakness: USD-only for practical purposes, limited GHL integration, no subscription management
Native GHL integration with 80+ payment methods, card-on-file, full subscription lifecycle, mixed billing, white-label branding, and multi-tenancy. Lower domestic card rate (2.7% vs 2.9%). Built specifically for the GHL-to-payment workflow.
Best for: GHL agencies, subscription businesses, card-on-file use cases, multi-location setups
Weakness: Higher international card rate than Stripe, newer in the GHL ecosystem
| Feature | Stripe | PayPal | Square | Whop (via GHL API)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic card rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.49% + $0.49 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.7% + $0.30 (Whop rate) |
| Payment methods | Cards + Apple/Google Pay | PayPal + cards + Venmo | Cards + Cash App | 80+ (cards, wallets, bank, BNPL, crypto, local) |
| Currencies | Limited in GHL | 25+ | USD primarily | 55+ |
| Card-on-file charging | Not native in GHL | PayPal vault only | Square only | Built in — auto-save, charge anytime |
| Subscription lifecycle | Basic recurring | Basic recurring | Basic recurring | Full (create, upgrade, downgrade, cancel, trials) |
| Mixed billing | No | No | No | Yes — one-time + recurring |
| White-label branding | Stripe branding | PayPal branding | Square branding | Your branding per location |
| GHL native integration | Yes (default) | Limited | Limited | Yes — native via GHL API |
| Agency multi-tenancy | Separate accounts | Separate accounts | Separate accounts | One integration, per-location |
| GHL workflow support | Basic | Via Zapier | Via Zapier | Full — callbacks, charges, subs |
| Account hold risk | High for some categories | High — aggressive holds | Moderate | Whop payment network |
* Fees set by each respective processor, not GHL API. Subject to change.
Pricing and fee information shown on this page is provided for comparison purposes only. Transaction fees, rates, and pricing are set by their respective payment processors (Whop, Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc.) — not by GHL API. GHL API is an integration service and is not a party to any transaction between you and a payment processor. Rates shown are subject to change without notice and may vary by region, payment method, and account type. Verify current rates directly with each provider before making purchasing decisions. See Whop's pricing and Stripe's pricing for current rates.
Cards save automatically after payment. Charge anytime for renewals, upsells, or manual billing. $0 setup flow to save a card without charging.
Create, upgrade, downgrade, cancel, and trial management. Setup fees, recurring billing, and automatic renewals with real-time GHL sync.
Cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, BNPL, crypto, and local payment methods. 55+ currencies. Let customers pay how they want.
Your logo, colors, domain, button text, and checkout theme per location. No Stripe, PayPal, or Square branding in your checkout.
One GHL API integration works across all your GHL subaccounts. Per-location configuration. No separate accounts to manage.
Whop processes payments through its own network. Less aggressive automated enforcement than Stripe or PayPal for legitimate businesses.
$20/month per subaccount. 80+ payment methods. Card-on-file. Full subscriptions. Taxes may apply. Get started or talk to our team.