Online payment in Belgium: a specific market
The Belgian online payment market has its own characteristics. Unlike France where bank cards dominate, Bancontact accounts for over 60% of online payments in Belgium. Ignoring this reality means losing a majority of potential customers.
Essential payment solutions
Bancontact / Payconiq
This is THE preferred payment method for Belgians. Bancontact enables direct payments from bank accounts, with a smooth mobile experience via the Payconiq app. Any online store targeting the Belgian market must integrate it.
Stripe
The go-to solution for developers, Stripe offers a powerful and flexible API. It supports Bancontact, Visa/Mastercard cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and iDEAL. Fees are 1.5% + €0.25 per transaction for European cards.
Mollie
A Dutch company very popular in the Benelux, Mollie offers simple integration with over 25 payment methods. Its advantage: transparent pricing with no monthly subscription, ideal for SMEs starting in e-commerce.
PayPal
Essential for international sales, PayPal reassures buyers through its purchase protection. However, its higher commissions (2.9% + €0.35) and mandatory account creation make it a complement rather than a standalone solution.
Fee comparison
- Stripe: 1.5% + €0.25 (EU cards) / 2.5% + €0.25 (Bancontact)
- Mollie: 1.8% + €0.25 (cards) / €0.39 flat (Bancontact)
- PayPal: 2.9% + €0.35 (standard)
- Direct Bancontact: varies by banking acquirer
How to choose the right solution?
The choice depends on several factors:
- Your target market: Belgium only? Belgium + France? International?
- Your transaction volume: some providers offer volume-based discounts
- Your technical platform: check compatibility with your CMS (WooCommerce, Shopify, custom solution)
- User experience: prefer solutions with an embedded checkout rather than a redirect to a third-party site
Our recommendation
For Belgian e-commerce businesses, we recommend combining Stripe or Mollie as the primary solution (with Bancontact enabled) and adding PayPal as a secondary option. This combination covers over 95% of payment habits in the Belgian market.
Conclusion
Your choice of payment solution directly impacts your conversion rate. At Espero-Soft, we integrate the most suitable payment solutions for the Belgian market into every e-commerce project. Contact us for a personalized consultation.
