WorldFirst, Stripe and PayPal handle international payments differently. See how their fees, features and payment flows compare for businesses in South Asia
Key takeaways
- WorldFirst is a multi-currency account supports 15+ local currency accounts, payments in multiple currencies and collections from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways
- Stripe is a payment gateway that focuses on online payment acceptance through Checkout, Payment Links, invoicing, subscriptions and APIs, with support for 135+ currencies and payment methods
- PayPal is a digital payments provider that offers online checkout, invoicing and payment tools, but its availability and account functionality vary by market
Businesses receiving international payments often need to solve more than one part of the payment process. A payment gateway can help accept customer payments, but a multi-currency account can provide an account that receives, holds, converts and sends funds in multiple currencies.
The three providers may help move money across borders, but they do not do it in the same way. WorldFirst is built around multi-currency business payments, Stripe around online payment processing, and PayPal around payment acceptance and digital wallet services.1,2 Here’s how their features, fees and payment capabilities compare. The comparison below looks at how these differences affect their features and fees.
What is WorldFirst?
WorldFirst is an international payments provider for cross-border payments in South Asian countries. Its World Account is a multi-currency account that lets businesses receive, hold, send and convert funds in 15+ currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD and CNH.
Local receiving accounts give businesses local account details in supported currencies, so overseas customers or marketplaces can pay into the World Account as if they were making a local transfer. Businesses can then access those funds from one dashboard and pay suppliers in multiple currencies without opening separate local currency accounts.
The World Account is linked to the World Card, a Mastercard-powered business virtual card that allows online and in-store payments using available account balances in supported currencies. Any payments made in the 15 supported currencies incur no fees when sufficient balances are held in the account.
The platform also supports
- Collections from 130+ marketplaces and gateways, including Amazon, Etsy and more
- CNH payments to suppliers in China via World Pay, the authorised international payment provider for sourcing from 1688.com
- Zero-fee and instant transfers between World Accounts
- 20 Mastercard-powered virtual business cards at no extra cost
| Fee type | WorldFirst fees |
| Monthly fee | Zero |
| Multi-currency account fee | Zero |
| Receiving funds | Zero |
| Holding funds in multiple currencies | Zero |
| Sending payments to other users in the same network | Zero and instant to other WorldFirst users |
| Sending payments to other accounts | Standard payment fee for Pakistan and Bangladesh is 1.5% |
| Currency conversion | All currencies: 1.5%; 1688 payments: up to 0.8% |
| Getting a card | Zero for up to 20 cards |
| Annual account fee | Zero |
*Fees checked in August 2026
What is Stripe?
Stripe is an online payment gateway focused on accepting customer payments.1 It provides payment tools for websites, apps and online businesses, including hosted Checkout, Payment Links, invoicing, recurring billing and developer APIs.1
Businesses can accept cards, digital wallets, bank transfers and other payment methods through Stripe.1 Its platform supports payments in 135+ currencies and payment methods.1 Stripe’s payment infrastructure can also integrate with platforms such as Shopify and other e-commerce systems.1
Stripe can display and process customer payments in multiple currencies, but it is not a multi-currency account for businesses to hold foreign-currency balances.1 If the bank account is in a different currency, Stripe automatically converts the funds at the current exchange rate. The business cannot choose when to convert it. Currently, Stripe is not available in Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Additional features of Stripe
- Hosted Checkout for accepting online payments1
- Payment Links for no-code payment collection1
- Developer APIs for custom payment integrations1
- Stripe Radar for fraud prevention1
| Fee type | Stripe fees3 |
| Monthly fee | Zero |
| Multi-currency account fee | Not supported |
| Receiving funds | 3% for international cards + 2% if currency conversion is required |
| Holding funds in multiple currencies | Not supported |
| Sending payments to other users in the same network | Not specified |
| Sending payments to other accounts | Not specified |
| Currency conversion | 2% for international card payments when currency conversion is required |
| Getting a card | Not supported |
| Annual account fee | Zero |
*Fees checked in August 2026 for US markets
What is PayPal?
PayPal is a digital payments provider that lets businesses accept payments and manage payments via online checkout, payment links and invoicing.2 PayPal also lets businesses make payments in 23+ currencies, although its features vary by market.4 It integrates with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce.5 Currently, PayPal is not available in Pakistan or Bangladesh.
PayPal does not offer multi-currency accounts or virtual cards. This means that businesses cannot hold funds they receive in the original currency. All funds are automatically converted.
Additional features of PayPal
- Online checkout for accepting customer payments2
- Seller Protection for eligible transactions6
- Mass Payouts for sending payments to multiple recipients, only available in select markets7
| Fee type | PayPal8 |
| Monthly fee | US$19.95 |
| Multi-currency account fee | Not supported |
| Receiving funds | Starting from 2.29% + US$0.09 |
| Holding funds in multiple currencies | Not supported |
| Sending payments to other users in the same network | Zero, only where supported |
| Sending payments to other accounts | 2%, only where supported |
| Currency conversion | 3% above the base exchange rate |
| Getting a card | 2.99% + fixed fee, only where supported |
| Annual account fee | US$29.95 one-time set up fee |
*Fees checked in August 2026 for US markets
→ Check out our PayPal review and PayPal alternatives guide
Which provider is right for your business
Each provider fits a different payment requirement:
- WorldFirst fits businesses that need to receive, hold, convert and send funds across multiple currencies, collect marketplace payouts or pay overseas suppliers via a multi-currency account
- Stripe fits businesses that primarily need online payment acceptance through checkout, payment links, invoicing or subscriptions. Business-location eligibility is an important consideration as it’s not available in Pakistan or Bangladesh
- PayPal fits businesses in supported markets that want an online payment method to send/receive international payments. But again, region availability needs to be considered as PayPal is also not available in Pakistan or Bangladesh
All in all, businesses can also combine providers. For example, a payment gateway can handle customer checkout while WorldFirst provides multi-currency receiving accounts for supported payouts. WorldFirst receiving accounts can accept funds from payment service providers and gateways such as Stripe.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between Stripe and PayPal?
Stripe is primarily a payment gateway and payments infrastructure platform, while PayPal offers a payment gateway functionality.1,2 Both support online customer payments, but their account and market availability differ.
2. What is the difference between a payment gateway and a multi-currency account?
A payment gateway processes customer payments through methods such as cards and digital wallets. A multi-currency account is designed to receive, hold, convert and send funds across different currencies.
3. Can WorldFirst be used with payment gateways?
Yes. WorldFirst receiving accounts can accept payments from payment service providers and gateways such as Stripe, subject to the relevant currency and account requirements.
Sources
- https://stripe.com/
- https://www.paypal.com/business
- https://stripe.com/pricing
- https://www.paypal.com/in/business/make-payments?locale.x=en_GB
- https://www.paypal.com/in/cshelp/article/how-do-i-integrate-paypal-checkout-with-woocommerce-subscriptions-ts2101
- https://www.paypal.com/legalhub/paypal/seller-protection
- https://www.paypal.com/business/operations/mass-payments
- https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice. This article should not be regarded as constituting an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any regulated or financial products or services. WorldFirst makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content, and readers are encouraged to consult with legal professionals or other professionals for advice tailored to their specific situation. WorldFirst does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of this article and expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance on this article.
