Head to head
Adyen vs Checkout.com
As a payments API, Checkout.com rates higher on the APIbenchmarks Index, 76.6 to 76.1, a 0.5-point gap. Here is how they compare on each criterion.
Criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Adyen | Checkout.com |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Ecosystem & SDKs | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| APIbenchmarks Index | 76.1 | 76.6 |
Specifications
| Adyen | Checkout.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Enterprise unified commerce acquirer | Enterprise unified payments API |
| Free tier | No | Self-serve sandbox test account; live pricing sales-quoted |
| Pricing | Interchange++ (€0.11 + IC + ~0.6%) | Custom (flat or interchange++) |
| Official SDKs | 12 languages | 11 languages |
Is Adyen better than Checkout.com?
On the APIbenchmarks Index, Checkout.com rates higher (76.6 vs 76.1). It leads on the four weighted criteria, but price is reported separately, so the best choice still depends on your budget.
Verdict in one line
Checkout.com leads by 0.5 points (76.6 vs 76.1) and wins 1 of 4 criteria; Adyen wins 2.
Winner by criterion
| Criterion | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | 84 | 84 | Tie |
| Reliability | 95 | 88 | |
| Ecosystem & SDKs | 78 | 76 | |
| Accessibility | 38 | 52 |
Choose Adyen if… / choose Checkout.com if…
- →reliability matters most to you (95 vs 88)
- →ecosystem & sdks matters most to you (78 vs 76)
- →you need broad SDK coverage (12 official SDKs vs 11)
- →your use case matches its focus: enterprise unified commerce acquirer
- →accessibility matters most to you (52 vs 38)
- →you want a free tier to start (Self-serve sandbox test account; live pricing sales-quoted)
- →your use case matches its focus: enterprise unified payments api
Pricing side by side
- Model
- Interchange++ (€0.11 + IC + ~0.6%)
- Free tier
- No
- Interchange++ (standard)Interchange + scheme fees + ~0.60% acquirer markup
- Per-transaction processing fee~€0.10–€0.15 per transaction
- No recurring platform fees$0 setup / monthly / integration / closure
- Model
- Custom (flat or interchange++)
- Free tier
- Self-serve sandbox test account; live pricing sales-quoted
- Interchange++ (IC++)Custom quote
- Flat-rate (blended)Custom quote
- Charity pricingFree processing
Vendor-published pricing, verified 2026-06-27 (Adyen) and 2026-06-27 (Checkout.com).
SDK and language coverage
Both · 10
JavaPHPNode.js.NET (C#)PythonGoRubyiOS (Swift/Objective-C)AndroidReact Native
Only Adyen · 2
Adyen Web (JavaScript) Drop-in/ComponentsTerminal API libraries (C#, Go, Java, Node, PHP, Ruby)
Only Checkout.com · 1
JavaScript (browser / Frames)
Strengths and weaknesses
- +Single unified API and integration across online, in-app, and in-store (POS) with consistent shopper recognition
- +Interchange++ transparent pricing rather than blended rates, clear visibility into interchange, scheme fees, and markup
- +Strong developer experience: OpenAPI specs, interactive API Explorer, generated SDKs, sandbox with test cards, short release cycles
- –Pricing and minimum monthly invoice make it expensive/opaque for small and low-volume merchants
- –Aggressive automated risk/fraud blocks with no clear appeal process, and reports of frozen or held funds
- –Email-only support with no phone line; slow IT/support responsiveness is a recurring complaint
- +Interchange++ pricing gives full transparency into interchange, scheme fees, and the processor's margin
- +Intelligent Acceptance AI measurably lifts authorization rates (reported up to +9.5pp in beta; +1.9% for NordVPN)
- +Strong global coverage of card schemes plus local payment methods, wallets, and bank transfers
- –No publicly published rates; pricing is entirely quote-based and requires contacting sales
- –Integration can feel technical and benefits from dedicated developer resources
- –Support can be slower than expected for smaller or lower-priority issues
Adyen vs Checkout.com: questions
- Which has better documentation, Adyen or Checkout.com?
- Adyen and Checkout.com score the same on documentation and developer experience (84).
- Which is more reliable, Adyen or Checkout.com?
- Adyen scores higher on reliability: 95 vs 88 out of 100.
- Do Adyen and Checkout.com have a free tier?
- Adyen: no free tier. Checkout.com: yes (Self-serve sandbox test account; live pricing sales-quoted).
- How are Adyen and Checkout.com priced?
- Adyen: Interchange++ (€0.11 + IC + ~0.6%). Checkout.com: Custom (flat or interchange++).
- Which has more official SDKs?
- Adyen lists 12 official SDKs, Checkout.com lists 11.