Crypto Payment Plugin: The Best Options to Add Crypto to Your Store (2026)

If you want to add crypto to your store, the single decision that matters most is custody: does the plugin send payments straight to your wallet, or does a third-party processor hold your funds first? Everything else — fees, supported coins, settlement speed — flows from that one choice. A non-custodial plugin like Aurpay deposits crypto directly to a wallet you control at a flat 0.8% per transaction, with no contracts or banking details required. A custodial gateway like CoinGate or BitPay is easier if you need automatic fiat conversion, but you pay 1–2%+ and accept the risk that funds can be frozen.

The second thing most comparison articles get wrong: they only cover WooCommerce. Your platform might be Shopify, BigCommerce, PrestaShop, Ecwid, OpenCart, Easy Digital Downloads, or Paid Memberships Pro — and the right plugin depends on which one you run. Aurpay integrates natively with all eight, which is why this guide is organized by platform, not just by WordPress.

Here is the short version before we go deep.

If you want…	Best plugin choice	Why
Lowest flat fee + funds in your own wallet	Aurpay (non-custodial, 0.8%)	Direct-to-wallet, no freeze risk, 8 platforms
Automatic conversion to fiat in your bank	CoinGate / BitPay (custodial)	They convert and settle fiat — you pay more for it
Full self-hosted control, no managed fees	BTCPay Server	Free and non-custodial, but you run the server
Crypto on a membership or digital-download site	Aurpay (Paid Memberships Pro / EDD)	Zero chargebacks on digital goods and subscriptions

What a Crypto Payment Plugin Actually Does

A crypto payment plugin is the integration layer between your store’s checkout and a crypto payment gateway. When a customer chooses “pay with crypto” at checkout, the plugin requests a unique payment address from the gateway, displays it (and usually a QR code), and waits. The customer sends BTC, USDT, or another supported coin from their wallet, and the plugin polls the blockchain for confirmations.

Once the network confirms the payment, the plugin marks the order as paid and triggers your normal fulfillment flow — the same way a card payment would. You don’t read blockchains, manage addresses, or move funds manually. The gateway handles the infrastructure; the plugin handles the handshake with your ecommerce platform.

It helps to separate two terms people use interchangeably. The gateway is the underlying payment infrastructure that generates addresses, watches the chain, and fires webhooks. The plugin is the platform-specific connector — the WooCommerce extension, the Shopify Custom App, the PrestaShop module — that wires that gateway into your checkout. Aurpay provides both: the gateway plus native plugins for eight platforms.

The case for adding crypto is cost and finality. Card processors charge 1.5–3.5% and expose you to chargebacks. Managed crypto gateways charge roughly 0.8–2% — Aurpay sits at the low end with a flat 0.8% per transaction — on a rail where confirmed transactions cannot be reversed. A PayPal/National Cryptocurrency Association survey found 39% of U.S. merchants accepting crypto as of January 2026 and 88% fielding customer requests for it — moving it from experiment to expected checkout option.

Custodial vs Non-Custodial: The Decision That Changes Everything

Before you compare fees or coins, decide who holds the money. This split determines your counterparty risk, your settlement speed, and whether your funds can ever be frozen.

With a custodial plugin (BitPay, CoinGate, NOWPayments), the processor receives the customer’s crypto into its own wallet, optionally converts it to fiat, and settles to your bank account over the following days. That is convenient if you want dollars in your bank without touching crypto. The trade-off: the processor controls your funds in transit, can freeze a payout for compliance review, and adds a markup when converting to fiat.

With a non-custodial plugin (Aurpay, BTCPay Server, MyCryptoCheckout), the customer’s payment goes straight to a wallet you control. The gateway never takes possession. Settlement is effectively instant — when the chain confirms, you already have the coins, because they were sent to your address, not to a middleman. There is no payout queue and no third party that can hold your money.

Factor	Custodial (BitPay, CoinGate)	Non-custodial (Aurpay, BTCPay)
Who holds funds	Processor, in transit	You — direct to your wallet
Settlement speed	Days (fiat payout cycle)	Instant (on-chain confirmation)
Account-freeze risk	Yes — processor can hold funds	None — no middleman account
Auto fiat conversion	Yes (for a markup)	No — you convert yourself
Private keys	Processor controls	You hold 100%

The account-freeze point deserves emphasis. A custodial processor can hold a payout unilaterally for KYC, AML, or risk reasons — and because the funds sit in their account first, you have no recourse but to wait. For high-volume sellers, international merchants, or anyone in a category a processor deems sensitive, that exposure is real. A non-custodial plugin removes it entirely: there is no intermediary account to freeze. The trade-off is that you receive crypto, not fiat, so if you need dollars in your bank, you convert on an exchange yourself.

Fee Comparison: What You Actually Pay

Headline rates are easy to compare, but the real cost includes fiat-withdrawal markups that custodial processors add on top. Here are the published rates for the major plugins, with sources.

Plugin / Gateway	Transaction fee	Custody	Auto fiat?
Aurpay	0.8% flat	Non-custodial	No
NOWPayments	0.5% single-coin / 1% with exchange	Holds funds in transit	Yes
CoinGate	1% flat	Custodial	Yes
Coinbase Commerce	1% flat	Self-custodial (on-chain, Base)	No (settles in crypto)
BitPay	2% + $0.25 (under $500K/mo)	Custodial	Yes
BTCPay Server	0% (self-hosted)	Non-custodial	No

Sources: BitPay pricing, CoinGate pricing, NOWPayments pricing, Coinbase Commerce fees.

Put those rates on a real store. At $5,000/month in crypto sales: Aurpay $40, CoinGate $50, Coinbase Commerce $50, BitPay ~$125. That gap widens once you factor in the fiat-withdrawal spread custodial processors add on top — published conversion markups commonly run a couple of percent — which Aurpay avoids entirely because you settle in crypto. BTCPay Server’s 0% gateway fee is real, but server hosting and maintenance are costs in time even when they’re not line items.

Network Fees Matter — Especially for USDT

The gateway fee is not the only cost. Every on-chain payment also pays a network (miner/validator) fee that depends entirely on which blockchain the coin moves on. This is separate from the plugin’s cut, and it can dwarf it for stablecoins.

USDT is the clearest example because it exists on multiple chains. On Ethereum (ERC-20), gas fees commonly run $3–$15 per transaction and can spike above $30 during congestion. The same USDT on Tron (TRC-20) typically costs under $1. For a $40 order, a $10 ERC-20 gas fee is a conversion killer; the same payment over TRC-20 barely registers.

That is why coin and network breadth in a plugin is a cost factor, not just a checkbox feature. Aurpay supports USDT and USDC on both ERC-20 and TRC-20, so your customer can pick the cheap network. It also supports BTC, Bitcoin Lightning (near-zero fees, ideal for small payments), ETH, DAI (ERC-20), and BNB. A plugin that only offers ERC-20 stablecoins forces buyers onto the expensive rail and costs you sales. (Note: Aurpay’s verified USDT/USDC networks are ERC-20 and TRC-20 — it does not support Polygon, Arbitrum, or BSC for these coins.)

Crypto Payment Plugins by Platform

This is the section every WooCommerce-only roundup skips. Your best plugin depends on the platform you actually run. Aurpay integrates with eight platforms below; the other names are valid alternatives where they exist.

WooCommerce

The deepest plugin ecosystem. Aurpay offers an official WooCommerce plugin listed on WordPress.org, non-custodial at 0.8%. Alternatives include BTCPay Server (free, self-hosted), CoinGate, and NOWPayments. If WooCommerce is your platform, the gateway choice is the real decision — see our full best crypto payment gateway for WooCommerce in 2026 comparison for the head-to-head.

Shopify

Aurpay connects to Shopify through a Custom App created in your Shopify Admin (Develop Apps), not a public Shopify App Store listing — an important distinction when you evaluate setup. This keeps the integration non-custodial: payments still route to your wallet. CoinGate and BitPay also offer Shopify connections via their custodial models if you prefer automatic fiat settlement.

BigCommerce

Aurpay integrates natively with BigCommerce at 0.8% flat, non-custodial. BTCPay Server can also be connected for merchants who want a self-hosted route. BigCommerce stores tend to be mid-to-large volume, where the account-freeze risk and fiat-withdrawal markup of custodial processors matter most — both arguments for a direct-to-wallet plugin.

PrestaShop

Aurpay provides a native PrestaShop module; CoinGate also has a PrestaShop integration. PrestaShop merchants are frequently international, which makes the no-banking-details, no-contract setup of a non-custodial plugin attractive when traditional processors are slow or unavailable in a region.

OpenCart

Aurpay integrates natively with OpenCart. Plisio and CoinGate also serve OpenCart. As with PrestaShop, the appeal is a lightweight, self-serve crypto checkout that doesn’t require a merchant bank relationship to launch.

Ecwid

Aurpay supports Ecwid natively, which is useful because Ecwid embeds into many site builders and social storefronts. CoinGate and BitPay offer Ecwid connections on the custodial side. For an Ecwid seller who wants funds in their own wallet without leaving their existing site, the Aurpay route is the direct one.

Easy Digital Downloads (EDD)

This is where crypto is especially high-value. Digital goods are a prime chargeback target — a buyer can claim non-receipt after downloading. Aurpay’s native EDD integration settles on-chain where the transaction is irreversible, so there is no chargeback to fight, and no banking details are required to launch.

Paid Memberships Pro

For membership and subscription sites, Aurpay integrates natively with Paid Memberships Pro to accept recurring crypto payments. Subscriptions attract disputes and card declines; a crypto rail eliminates chargebacks on each renewal and lets international members pay without a card that clears your country’s processing network.

For the full platform list and plugin downloads, see Aurpay’s non-custodial gateway overview and the platform integrations page linked at the end.

What to Look For When Choosing a Crypto Payment Plugin

Use this checklist to evaluate any plugin, not just the ones above. The order reflects what actually affects your money and your risk.

• Custody model. Non-custodial = funds to your wallet, no freeze risk. Custodial = convenience plus counterparty risk. Decide this first.
• Flat fee rate — and any fiat-withdrawal surcharge. Compare the all-in cost, not just the headline percentage. Custodial fiat conversion typically adds a conversion spread on top, often a couple of percent.
• Supported coins and networks. A serious plugin should cover BTC, Bitcoin Lightning, ETH, USDT (ERC-20 + TRC-20), USDC (ERC-20 + TRC-20), DAI (ERC-20), and BNB so buyers can pick a cheap network.
• Plugin maintenance. Check the WordPress.org or marketplace listing for recent updates and version compatibility.
• Webhook reliability. Accurate payment webhooks are what move a paid order to fulfillment — test them before going live.
• Testnet support. Verify the full checkout flow on a testnet first. Aurpay’s REST API supports both testnet and mainnet.
• No contract or banking details required. Aurpay’s baseline is exactly that, which lowers the barrier for international or underbanked merchants.

Recommended Option for Most Stores

For the majority of merchants, Aurpay is the plugin to install. It is non-custodial, so payments land directly in a wallet you control. The fee is a flat 0.8% per transaction — the lowest managed-gateway rate in this comparison — with no fiat-conversion markup because you settle in crypto. It supports BTC, Bitcoin Lightning, ETH, USDT (ERC-20 + TRC-20), USDC (ERC-20 + TRC-20), DAI (ERC-20), and BNB, and integrates natively with all eight platforms covered above. There are no contracts and no banking details required to start.

It fills a genuine gap between the two main alternatives. BTCPay Server is non-custodial and free, but you run the server. Custodial gateways are easy but cost more and carry freeze risk. Aurpay sits between them: managed infrastructure, no self-hosting, funds still going straight to your wallet.

The honest caveat: if you specifically need automatic conversion to fiat settled in your bank account, Aurpay does not do that — you would convert crypto to fiat yourself on an exchange. In that case a custodial gateway like CoinGate is a legitimate alternative; you pay a higher rate and accept the freeze exposure for the convenience. The GENIUS Act, signed July 18, 2025, defines payment stablecoins as legal payment instruments in the U.S., lowering the compliance uncertainty around accepting USDT and USDC and making 2026 a practical time to add a stablecoin-capable plugin either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a crypto payment plugin and a crypto payment gateway?

The gateway is the underlying infrastructure that generates payment addresses, watches the blockchain, and sends webhooks. The plugin is the platform-specific connector that wires that gateway into your checkout — the WooCommerce extension, Shopify Custom App, or PrestaShop module. You install the plugin; it talks to the gateway behind the scenes.

Are crypto payments really chargeback-proof?

Once a blockchain transaction is confirmed, it cannot be reversed, so there is no card-style clawback. That matters because Mastercard estimated chargebacks cost merchants roughly $117 billion in 2023, a large share of it driven by friendly fraud. The protection is especially valuable for digital goods, subscriptions, and international sales where dispute rates are highest.

Which network should my customers use for USDT — ERC-20 or TRC-20?

For most payments, TRC-20 is cheaper: typically under $1 in network fees versus $3–$30 for ERC-20 during congestion. A plugin that supports both, like Aurpay, lets the customer choose, which protects your conversion rate on smaller orders. Larger or Ethereum-native buyers may still prefer ERC-20.

Do I need a bank account or a contract to start accepting crypto?

Not with a non-custodial plugin. Aurpay’s stated baseline is no contracts or banking details required — payments go to your own wallet, so there’s no merchant bank relationship to set up first. Custodial gateways that settle fiat will generally need bank details for the payout.

Can I accept recurring crypto payments for a membership site?

Yes. Aurpay integrates natively with Paid Memberships Pro to handle recurring crypto payments, and with Easy Digital Downloads for digital goods. Both use cases benefit from the zero-chargeback property, since renewals and downloads are common dispute triggers on card rails.

Does Aurpay convert my crypto to fiat automatically?

No. Aurpay is non-custodial and settles you in crypto directly to your wallet — there is no automatic fiat conversion. If you need dollars in your bank, you convert on an exchange yourself. The upside is no conversion markup and no third party that can freeze your funds.

Add a Crypto Plugin to Your Store

The fastest path to a zero-chargeback payment rail at a flat 0.8% is a non-custodial plugin that fits your platform. Aurpay covers all eight platforms above — funds straight to your wallet, no contracts or banking details required. See the full platform list and grab the plugin for your store on the Aurpay e-commerce integrations page.