Crypto payment gateway comparison
MakePay vs BitPay: fees, settlement and best fit
MakePay focuses on direct merchant wallet settlement, payment links, embedded checkout, and API/webhook paths. BitPay publicly positions as a crypto payment gateway and licensed crypto payments company with settlement options.
Reviewed July 28, 202613 min readIndependently researched
BitPay is one of the longest-running names in merchant crypto payments and is built around a processor model: the merchant accepts a BitPay invoice, BitPay manages the payment experience, and settlement can arrive in crypto or local currency. MakePay takes a lighter route centered on customer-paid fees and direct wallet settlement.
The strongest BitPay case is operational maturity around fiat payouts, accounting, invoicing, and enterprise workflows. The strongest MakePay case is avoiding a 1–2% plus $0.25 merchant fee, keeping the settlement wallet under merchant control, and launching hosted or embedded checkout without requiring processor-managed fiat settlement.
Quick verdict
MakePay is the better fit for merchants who want a lightweight, wallet-first checkout and a 0% merchant-side fee when customers cover the 0.5% payment fee. BitPay is stronger for businesses that want processor-led fiat settlement, established compliance operations, and a larger billing and accounting workflow.
At a glance
MakePay vs BitPay, side by side
This is a choice between a mature processor with fiat operations and a lower-cost, wallet-directed checkout model.
| Category | MakePay | BitPay |
|---|---|---|
| Default merchant-side checkout cost | 0% when customers cover the MakePay checkout fee | BitPay publishes tiered crypto acceptance fees: 2% + $0.25 under $500k monthly volume, 1.5% + $0.25 from $500k to $999,999, and 1% + $0.25 at $1M or more. |
| Customer-paid fee mode | 0.5%** shown at checkout by default | BitPay fees are merchant processing fees tied to monthly volume, with higher fees possible for high-risk industries. |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/mo for core checkout | No monthly fee listed on pricing page |
| Settlement posture | Direct merchant wallet settlement positioning | BitPay emphasizes fiat bank settlement options so merchants can avoid handling crypto directly. |
| Fast launch path | Payment links, hosted checkout, embeds, deposits, and subscriptions | Email billing tools, ecommerce, donation and retail payment tools, exception handling, and accounting downloads. |
| Where each is strongest | Direct merchant wallet settlement positioning, customer-paid fee mode by default, and lighter payment-link launch paths. | Established crypto acceptance, fiat settlement, and payment operations for merchants that want a processor-like model. |
** MakePay payment gateway routes connect to liquidity providers and decentralized exchanges. Network fees, exchange fees, or swap fees may apply for currency conversions.
Fees compared
Tiered processor pricing changes with volume
BitPay publishes monthly-volume tiers from 2% plus $0.25 down to 1% plus $0.25. MakePay charges 0.5% per completed payment and assigns it to the customer by default, so fixed charges and merchant volume materially widen the difference for smaller invoices.
Illustrative cost at the published comparison rate on $50,000 monthly volume: about $1,000 for BitPay, before fixed or route-specific charges.
- MakePay merchant-side fee
- 0% when the customer covers the checkout fee
- MakePay customer-paid fee
- 0.5%** shown transparently at checkout by default
- BitPay published fee
- BitPay publishes tiered crypto acceptance fees: 2% + $0.25 under $500k monthly volume, 1.5% + $0.25 from $500k to $999,999, and 1% + $0.25 at $1M or more.
- Monthly platform fee
- MakePay: $0/mo · BitPay: No monthly fee listed on pricing page
Competitor pricing and availability can vary by geography, risk profile, product type, monthly volume, currency, network, and negotiated plan. Review the linked sources before making a production decision.
Detailed analysis
Processor operations versus wallet-directed checkout
Compare the full BitPay operating package—invoice states, fiat settlement, refunds, accounting, and enterprise controls—against the parts a merchant would own directly after moving checkout to MakePay.
01 · Fees and volume tiers
BitPay gets cheaper at scale; MakePay keeps the same checkout fee.
MakePay charges 0.5% per completed payment. Customers cover that fee by default, so the merchant-side MakePay fee is 0%, or the merchant can absorb it. Network, liquidity-provider, exchange, and swap costs can still apply to routes that convert assets.
BitPay publishes 2% plus $0.25 per transaction below $500,000 in cumulative monthly volume, 1.5% plus $0.25 from $500,000 to $999,999, and 1% plus $0.25 at $1 million or more. BitPay notes that higher rates may apply to high-risk industries. Model the fixed $0.25 component when average order value is low.
- MakePay: 0.5% payment fee, customer-paid by default.
- BitPay: 1% to 2% plus $0.25, based on monthly volume.
- BitPay's fixed component matters most for small transactions.
Sources: BitPay pricing
02 · Settlement model
Direct wallet settlement and bank settlement solve different treasury needs.
MakePay routes confirmed payments toward the merchant-controlled wallet configured for settlement. This avoids a MakePay custody balance and suits merchants that want to keep crypto treasury decisions inside their own wallet and exchange stack.
BitPay supports settlement by bank transfer in major fiat currencies and settlement in supported cryptocurrencies. Its documentation lists timing, minimums, and geographic restrictions by settlement currency. That processor-led model is useful when the merchant wants crypto at checkout but fiat arriving through banking rails.
- MakePay favors direct wallet control after payment.
- BitPay favors configurable fiat or scheduled crypto settlement.
- Check BitPay minimums, timing, and regional restrictions.
Sources: BitPay settlement docs
03 · Checkout and integration
MakePay starts with a link; BitPay offers a mature processor toolkit.
MakePay supports hosted payment links, embedded checkout, deposits, subscriptions, plugins, API-created payments, and webhooks. A merchant can begin without a deep backend integration and add automation as volume grows.
BitPay offers ecommerce and retail acceptance, email billing, integrations, and developer tools around its invoice and settlement model. Its broader processor operations can be attractive to accounting-heavy organizations; MakePay's focused path is easier to evaluate when the goal is simply to add branded crypto checkout with direct wallet settlement.
- MakePay provides a short payment-link-to-API adoption path.
- BitPay provides established billing, retail, and processor operations.
Sources: BitPay business
04 · Risk and reconciliation
On-chain finality removes card chargebacks, not merchant obligations.
Both products operate outside card-network chargeback rails for confirmed crypto payments. Merchants still need refund policies, customer support, accounting records, and processes for underpayments, overpayments, expired invoices, or mistaken transfers.
BitPay brings a processor-led compliance and settlement model. MakePay keeps refund decisions and settlement control with the merchant while exposing payment status and webhook events for reconciliation. Choose the operating boundary your finance and support teams can manage consistently.
- Neither model removes the need for refunds and customer support.
- BitPay centralizes more processor operations.
- MakePay leaves more control and responsibility with the merchant.
Sources: BitPay business, BitPay settlement docs
Migration plan
Rehearse settlement and refund operations together
BitPay may sit inside finance processes as much as checkout. A safe pilot must prove the replacement reporting and treasury steps, not only that a customer can complete payment.
- 01
Map BitPay invoice and settlement reports
Identify every status, export, accounting entry, fiat payout, and refund step used by finance and support.
- 02
Run a matched MakePay invoice pilot
Use comparable order values and customer wallets to measure completion, fee assignment, webhook timing, and wallet settlement.
- 03
Approve the new treasury workflow
Move more volume only after finance accepts the direct-settlement, conversion, refund, and reconciliation responsibilities.
Merchant fit
Choose who should own conversion and settlement
Choose MakePay when
- You want lightweight payment links, embedded checkout, and direct wallet settlement.
- You want customer-paid fee mode by default and merchant-controlled refund handling.
- You want MakePay pages that support SEO, AI discovery, and developer implementation.
Choose BitPay when
- You specifically need BitPay merchant processing or settlement operations.
- You want a provider that emphasizes licensing, KYC, AML, and transaction monitoring.
- You need BitPay-supported settlement workflows.
Methodology
How this comparison was researched
BitPay is evaluated as a processor with tiered transaction pricing and fiat-settlement operations, not merely as a payment-link tool. Official pricing and product documentation are used to distinguish enterprise services from the narrower checkout functions MakePay replaces.
- MakePay focus
- Merchant-controlled crypto payment links and checkout flows with self-custody settlement positioning.
- BitPay public positioning
- Crypto payment gateway with business processing, compliance positioning, and settlement preferences.
- Decision point
- Compare compliance operations, settlement options, checkout control, and customer UX.
Official sources
Product terms can change. Verify the linked sources before making a production decision. MakePay is not affiliated with BitPay.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about leaving a mature processor
Is MakePay a good BitPay alternative?
Yes, when the goal is lower checkout fees, direct merchant-wallet settlement, and a hosted or embedded checkout without processor-led fiat settlement. BitPay may be better when bank settlement and established processor operations are required.
Which is cheaper, MakePay or BitPay?
MakePay charges 0.5% per completed payment and customers cover it by default. BitPay publishes 2% plus $0.25 below $500,000 monthly volume, falling to 1% plus $0.25 at $1 million or more. Other route and conversion costs can apply to both.
Can BitPay settle directly to a bank account?
Yes. BitPay documents bank settlement in several fiat currencies, with timing, minimums, and regional rules. MakePay instead focuses on direct settlement toward a merchant-controlled crypto wallet.
Does MakePay support payment links and plugins?
Yes. MakePay supports hosted payment links, embedded checkout, ecommerce integration paths, API-created payments, and webhooks. Verify the exact plugin or platform you need before migrating.
Can I migrate from BitPay without changing every checkout?
Yes. Pilot one product, invoice type, or traffic segment through a MakePay payment link. Validate webhook mapping, settlement, accounting, support, and refunds before moving more BitPay volume.
Do MakePay crypto payments have chargebacks?
Confirmed on-chain crypto transfers do not use card-network chargebacks. Merchants still need clear refund and support policies and must comply with applicable consumer and commercial obligations.
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