Online Payments in Cyprus: JCC vs Stripe vs Revolut Pay Compared

If you sell online from Cyprus, you have three serious choices in 2026: JCC, Stripe, and Revolut Pay. Each is a legitimate option. Each has a sharp downside the other two avoid. Here is what actually matters when you’re comparing them for a Cyprus e-shop.

JCC Payment Systems

Best for: physical-product stores selling primarily to Cypriot customers. Established trust, accepts every Cyprus-issued card without friction.

• Fees: roughly 1.5–2.5% per transaction (negotiable based on volume). Setup fee usually €100–€300.
• Setup: paperwork-heavy (KYC, business registration, bank statements). 2–4 weeks to go live.
• Integration: WooCommerce plugin exists; for Next.js / custom you’ll need a developer (~1 day of work).
• Pros: recognised by every Cyprus shopper; 3D Secure compliant; refunds are straightforward.
• Cons: older checkout UX (full redirect flow); subscription billing not native; international cards can occasionally get declined.

Stripe

Best for: subscription products, SaaS, international customer base, anything mobile-first.

• Fees: 1.5% + €0.25 for European cards, 3.25% + €0.25 for non-European. No setup fee.
• Setup: fully online. Same-day approval if your business documents are ready.
• Integration: industry-leading developer experience. Stripe Checkout works in 30 minutes; custom integrations are clean.
• Pros: Stripe Tax (auto-handles VAT), subscriptions, beautifully designed checkout, Apple Pay / Google Pay out of the box.
• Cons: Cypriots without prior exposure may not recognise the brand at checkout (mitigated by clear branding on your site).

Revolut Pay

Best for: Cyprus stores where 30%+ of customers already use Revolut (most under-35 demographic).

• Fees: roughly 1.0–1.5%, generally cheaper than the others.
• Setup: fast — if you already have a Revolut Business account.
• Integration: WooCommerce plugin available; Stripe/JCC are still smoother for custom builds.
• Pros: one-click checkout for Revolut users (huge in Cyprus among 18–35 segment), low fees.
• Cons: younger ecosystem, less mature recurring billing, smaller fraud-protection track record.

Which should you pick?

Our default recommendations after building dozens of Cyprus e-shops:

• Selling physical goods to Cypriots only: JCC primary, Revolut Pay secondary.
• Selling internationally or digital products: Stripe primary, JCC secondary for Cypriot trust signal.
• Subscriptions or SaaS: Stripe — no real competition.
• Maximum coverage (best UX, marginal fee impact): offer all three. Modern checkouts let customers choose.

A note on cards your customers carry

In 2026 Cyprus, the typical wallet has: a Bank of Cyprus or Hellenic debit card (works everywhere), a Revolut card (online-first generation), and increasingly an Apple Pay / Google Pay credential. Whatever gateway you pick, Apple Pay support is non-negotiable — it’s the difference between mobile checkout completion of ~70% (with) vs ~45% (without).

Need help getting started? WEBMAKERCY is a Cyprus-based agency building AI-powered websites, e-shops and marketing systems. Tell us about your project and we’ll come back within one business day.