Choosing the right Bitcoin payment processor matters more than most merchants realize. The fee structure alone can eat into margins that are already thin in e-commerce. This guide compares five popular options — NOWPayments, CoinRemitter, BlockBee, BTCPay Server, and Aurpay — so you can pick the one that fits your volume and technical comfort level. For merchants researching these platforms side by side, comparing coinremitter fees blockbee pricing btcpay server upfront saves hours of scattered reading.
NOWPayments Overview
NOWPayments operates as a non-custodial crypto payment gateway supporting over 150 cryptocurrencies. Its standard fee sits at 0.5% per transaction with no monthly charges or setup costs. Merchants receive funds directly to their wallets, which removes counterparty risk entirely.
The platform offers an embed widget, checkout API, WooCommerce and Shopify plugins, and a merchant dashboard for tracking payments. Withdrawals to fiat are available through integrated partners, though those conversion steps carry their own spreads.
For businesses processing under $10,000 monthly, NOWPayments is straightforward and cheap. Above that threshold, negotiating custom rates becomes worthwhile since the flat 0.5% adds up quickly on high-volume stores.
Key Features
- Multi-currency support across 150+ coins
- Non-custodial model keeps funds in merchant wallets
- Ready-made integrations for major platforms
- Transparent fixed percentage with no hidden tiers
CoinRemitter Fee Structure
CoinRemitter is the Indian subsidiary brand of CoinPayments, one of the oldest cryptocurrency payment processors dating back to 2013. The base transaction fee for CoinPayments merchants starts at 0.5%, identical to many competitors. However, CoinRemitter’s India-specific offering sometimes runs promotional rates that dip below this baseline for early adopters.
What sets CoinPayments apart is its sheer breadth of supported assets — over 7,000 tokens and coins. This matters if your customer base uses altcoins beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. CoinRemitter narrows the selection somewhat to focus on higher-liquidity pairs relevant to the Indian market.
Payouts happen automatically to internal CoinPayments wallets, and merchants can withdraw to bank accounts or exchange platforms. The minimum withdrawal amount varies by asset but generally stays reasonable for small-to-medium sellers.
Merchant Requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| KYC | Required for fiat withdrawals |
| Minimum payout | Varies by coin, typically $10 –$50 equivalent |
| Settlement time | Instant to internal wallets; 1 – 3 days to banks |
| Supported regions | Global, with India-specific CoinRemitter portal |
BlockBee Pricing and Plans
BlockBee targets emerging markets, particularly India, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Its pricing model divides into three tiers that scale with transaction volume.
The Starter plan charges 2% per transaction with no monthly fee — ideal for micro-merchants testing crypto acceptance. The Growth plan drops the rate to 1.5% once monthly volume exceeds a set threshold, and the Enterprise tier negotiates custom rates starting around 0.5% for high-volume operators.
BlockBee supports Bitcoin, Litecoin, USDT, and a handful of other coins. Fiat settlement to Indian bank accounts via UPI is one of its strongest selling points for regional merchants who want to avoid crypto volatility entirely.
The platform provides a simple payment link generator, a WhatsApp-integrated checkout flow, and basic analytics. It lacks the deep plugin ecosystem of larger competitors but compensates with speed of onboarding — many merchants go live within hours rather than days.
When BlockBee Makes Sense
If you operate primarily in India or adjacent markets and need fast fiat payouts to local bank accounts, BlockBee’s infrastructure is purpose-built for that workflow. The higher base fees on Starter plans trade off against the convenience of seamless INR settlement.
BTCPay Server Hosting Costs
BTCPay Server is open-source and self-hosted, meaning there is no platform fee whatsoever. Every satoshi that passes through your store stays yours minus the standard network mining fee. This is the cheapest option financially, but it comes with operational complexity that smaller businesses often underestimate.
Running BTCPay Server requires a VPS or dedicated server. A minimal setup — a 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM instance from providers like DigitalOcean, Linode, or Hetzner — costs roughly $5 –$10 per month. More robust configurations with Lightning Network support and full node synchronization push that number toward $20 –$40 monthly.
Many merchants who lack DevOps experience opt for hosted BTCPay providers. Third-party hosting services charge between $29 and $99 monthly depending on features like automatic updates, backup management, and Lightning channel assistance. These services effectively resell infrastructure while abstracting the technical burden.
Self-Hosted vs Hosted Comparison
| Factor | Self-Hosted | Managed Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $5 –$40 | $29 –$99 |
| Platform fees | 0% | 0% |
| Technical skill needed | High | Low to moderate |
| Full node control | Yes | Usually yes |
| Lightning readiness | Requires configuration | Often pre-configured |
| Support quality | Community forums | Dedicated team |
The decision hinges on whether you have in-house engineering capacity. A solo developer running a small shop might find self-hosting manageable. An e-commerce team without blockchain expertise will likely benefit from a managed provider despite the higher monthly cost.
Aurpay Fees and Official Details
Aurpay positions itself as a lightweight Bitcoin payment processor focused on simplicity. The official Aurpay fee schedule lists a flat 1% per transaction for standard payments. Certain promotional periods have offered reduced rates around 0.5%, but these are time-limited and subject to change.
Aurpay supports Bitcoin and a limited set of stablecoins. Settlement goes directly to merchant-controlled wallets, maintaining a non-custodial approach similar to NOWPayments. The platform provides payment links, an iframe checkout, and REST API access for custom integrations.
One notable feature is Aurpay’s webhook system, which notifies your backend instantly when a payment confirms. This enables automated order fulfillment without polling or manual reconciliation. The webhook delivery includes confirmation depth parameters so you can define how many blocks you wait before marking a payment as complete.
Aurpay does not offer fiat on-ramps directly. Merchants handling fiat settlements must use external exchanges or payment gateways, adding an extra step to the cash-out process.
Aurpay Integration Options
| Integration Type | Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Payment links | None | Quick setups, invoices |
| Iframe checkout | Low | Websites wanting embedded UI |
| REST API | Moderate | Custom storefronts and apps |
| Webhooks | Low | Automated order processing |
Which Option Fits Your Business?
The right choice depends on three factors: transaction volume, technical capability, and geographic location.
High-volume merchants with engineering teams should lean toward BTCPay Server for its zero-platform-fee advantage. The hosting costs are predictable and scale linearly with resources, never with revenue.
Merchants in emerging markets prioritizing fiat settlement convenience will find BlockBee’s UPI and local bank integrations hard to beat despite higher per-transaction rates. The trade-off is worth it when avoiding crypto volatility is a business priority.
International merchants processing moderate volumes who want maximum coin support without technical overhead should consider CoinRemitter through CoinPayments’ India portal. The 0.5% base rate is competitive and the 7,000+ asset list covers virtually every use case.
For businesses seeking a balance between simplicity and low fees, NOWPayments delivers strong all-around value at 0.5% with instant wallet settlement and broad multi-chain support.
Aurpay sits in the middle ground — cleaner interface than BlockBee, cheaper than BlockBee’s Starter plan at 1%, but narrower coin support limits its appeal for diversified stores. It works well for Bitcoin-only operations that value webhook-driven automation.
Final Considerations
Before committing to any processor, calculate your effective rate including withdrawal fees, currency conversion spreads, and settlement delays. A platform advertising 0.5% may end up costing more after hidden layers than one charging 1% with transparent fiat conversion built in. Test each option with small transactions first. Verify that webhooks fire reliably, that refunds process smoothly, and that customer support responds within reasonable timeframes. The lowest advertised fee means nothing if the infrastructure breaks during peak traffic.