Verdict
Braintree lets merchants accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH, cards, PayPal and Venmo through a single integration, and PayPal fills both the merchant-account role and the gateway role. For standard merchants, the US fee page shows 2.89% + $0.29 on each card or wallet transaction, a further 1% for non-US-issued cards and for non-USD payments, along with a $15 chargeback fee, whereas established businesses may negotiate custom flat rates or interchange-plus.
The product is in the middle of a transition. Braintree's website now sends visitors on to PayPal, which calls it PayPal Enterprise Payments, and in April 2026 PayPal placed it in a new Payment Services and Crypto division. Braintree documentation lists 130+ currencies across 44 countries, and some methods have been retired, Visa Click to Pay among them. Mature tooling includes server SDKs for six languages, client SDKs for Android, iOS and JavaScript, and a free sandbox.
Score breakdown
How Braintree is scored on criteria buyers in this category care about.
Buyer outcomes
Local methods, ACH, cards, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay and Google Pay, alongside more than 130 currencies across 44 countries, per Braintree's documentation.
It uses PayPal's processing, and the public status page for production covers PayPal in full, Braintree included only within that.
A free sandbox, Hosted Fields, Drop-in UI, client SDKs covering Android, iOS and JavaScript, and server SDKs spanning six languages.
Paid chargeback protection, dispute management via the API, 3D Secure 2 and premium fraud management tools.
Company and commercial
A mature gateway offering vaulting and payment orchestration, though its brand is moving into PayPal Enterprise Payments, with some payment methods already retired.
A sales line, support articles and a help request form; customer success managers serve some merchants.
At 2.89% + $0.29, published US rates also show the non-USD surcharge, the non-US card surcharge and the $15 chargeback fee.
Readers can see the Payment Services Agreement, no monthly fee is shown, and custom rates stay open to established businesses.
The field at a glance
Placement of Braintree by Overall Score among Payments & acquiring companies reviewed by us.
Use-case fit
| Use case | Fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal and Venmo beside card payments | Strong | A single integration handles all three. |
| Native app checkout | Strong | Drop-in UI with client SDKs on Android and iOS. |
| Letting other processors use vaulted cards | Mixed | The Forward API and Braintree Extend support orchestration, with setup routed through PayPal. |
| Acquiring locally in many countries | Poor | Documentation lists 44 countries. |
Who it's for
Good fit
- US merchants serving many PayPal and Venmo buyers
- Mobile-first firms seeking client SDKs that are tested
- Businesses seeking published rates and room for negotiation
Poor fit
- Global merchants who need local acquiring across many markets
- Buyers wanting a stable, separate Braintree brand
- Teams expecting phone support around the clock
Key facts
| Standard US rate | 2.89% + 0.29 USD on each card or digital-wallet payment Source |
|---|---|
| Surcharges | +1% if currency is non-USD, +1% if the card comes from outside the US; $15 chargeback fee Source |
| Coverage | In 44 countries, more than 130 currencies Source |
| Brand | Presented now under PayPal Enterprise Payments Source |
| Security | Validated PCI DSS Level 1 service provider Source |
Sources
- PayPal Braintree landing page: https://www.paypal.com/us/braintree (As of September 23, 2026)
- PayPal Braintree fees (US): https://www.paypal.com/us/enterprise/paypal-braintree-fees (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree getting started overview: https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/articles/get-started/overview/ (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree supported currencies: https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/articles/get-started/currencies (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree payment methods: https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/articles/get-started/payment-methods (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree developer documentation: https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/docs/ (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree help and support: https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/help (As of September 23, 2026)
- PayPal production system status: https://www.paypal-status.com/product/production (As of September 23, 2026)
- PayPal strategic reorganization, April 2026: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/2026-04-29-PayPal-Announces-Strategic-Reorganization-to-Accelerate-Growth (As of September 23, 2026)
- Braintree on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braintree_(company) (As of September 23, 2026)
Methodology
This page sets out an independent evaluation of Braintree for companies choosing a provider in Payments & acquiring. The Fintech Index accepts no payment for placement, sponsorship or advertising, and Braintree paid nothing for this review.
The Overall Score averages eight criteria, each given a score from 0 to 10. Four measure outcomes that matter to buyers in this category, and four address the company, including its commercial terms.
Scores are our editorial reading of public information: filings, compliance disclosures, product documentation, and pricing and legal pages. Lab tests were not run and accounts were not opened for this review. We checked the facts on September 23, 2026.