Comparison

What Is PayMongo? Fees, Payment Methods, and Philippine Merchant Review

CheckoutFlow Team | | 10 min read

At a Glance

PayMongo fees for GCash, Maya, cards, and bank transfers — compared to Xendit and Dragonpay. Real rates, settlement times, which PH sellers should use it.

PayMongo is a Filipino-founded payment gateway for Philippine sellers. No setup fees. Rates start at 0.71% for direct banking, rising to 3.125% plus ₱13.39 for local cards. It covers GCash, Maya, QR Ph, and direct bank transfers under one integration. Here are all the fees, compared to Xendit and Dragonpay.

Person using smartphone for contactless payment at checkout

How Do PayMongo Fees Compare to Other Philippine Gateways?

PayMongo charges 3.125% plus ₱13.39 per domestic card transaction, per their published pricing page as of mid-2026. E-wallet fees range from 1.70% (ShopeePay) to 2.23% (GCash). For direct online banking, PayMongo charges 0.71% or ₱13.39 — one of the most competitive bank transfer rates among Philippine gateways. There are no setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden charges.

All rates reflect publicly available pricing from PayMongo’s pricing page and Xendit’s pricing page as of mid-2026. Actual rates may differ based on business type, monthly volume, and negotiated terms.

GatewayCard RateFixed FeeSettlement
PayMongo3.125% (local)₱13.392–7 business days (standard)
Xendit Philippines3.2% (local)₱10.00Varies by method
DragonpayEvaluation-basedT+1 to T+3 (bank transfers)

Dragonpay’s card processing fees are not published as a standard rate — they require merchant evaluation per their pricing page. For predictable card pricing, PayMongo and Xendit are the two primary options for Philippine ecommerce sellers.

The difference between PayMongo and Xendit comes down to the fixed fee. At ₱300 average order value: PayMongo costs ₱22.77 per card transaction (3.125% × ₱300 + ₱13.39), Xendit costs ₱19.60 (3.2% × ₱300 + ₱10). At ₱1,500 average order value the gap narrows: PayMongo ₱60.27, Xendit ₱58.00 — Xendit saves ₱2.27 per transaction, or ₱2,270 at 1,000 monthly card transactions.

For stores processing primarily low-value orders (below ₱1,000), Xendit’s lower fixed fee is a consistent advantage. For stores with higher average order values or primarily e-wallet volume, the difference shrinks — and PayMongo’s e-wallet rates become the decisive factor.

What Payment Methods Does PayMongo Support in the Philippines?

PayMongo accepts GCash (2.23%), Maya (1.79%), GrabPay (1.96%), ShopeePay (1.70%), QR Ph (1.34%), domestic Visa and Mastercard cards (3.125% + ₱13.39), direct online banking from BDO, UnionBank, BPI, Landbank, and Metrobank (0.71%), and buy-now-pay-later via BillEase (1.34%). All payment methods operate under a single merchant integration.

Hand holding smartphone displaying digital wallet app interface

E-wallets are central to Philippine online payments. Per BSP payment system reports, GCash and Maya together account for a significant share of digital retail payments in the Philippines — buyers who prefer e-wallets will abandon checkouts that do not support them.

PayMongo’s e-wallet rate comparison against Xendit, per both providers’ published pricing:

E-WalletPayMongo RateXendit Rate
GCash2.23%2.3%
Maya1.79%1.8%
GrabPay1.96%2.0%
ShopeePay1.70%2.0%

PayMongo is consistently cheaper across all four major Philippine e-wallets. The largest gap is ShopeePay: 1.70% against Xendit’s 2.0%. At 500 ShopeePay transactions per month at ₱800 average order value, PayMongo saves approximately ₱1,200 per month on that channel alone.

QR Ph at 1.34% covers all QR Ph-enabled banking apps — giving buyers another low-friction payment option without entering card details. Direct online banking at 0.71% (or ₱13.39, whichever is higher) supports five major Philippine banks. That 0.71% rate is below Xendit’s published 1.0% direct bank debit rate at higher transaction values, per their respective pricing pages.

BillEase BNPL at 1.34% is available for merchants who want to offer buy-now-pay-later at checkout. Dragonpay also offers BillEase but at 2% per transaction, per Dragonpay’s published pricing page — PayMongo’s rate is lower for sellers where BNPL volume justifies the comparison.

PayMongo does not publish standard pricing for over-the-counter cash payments (Cebuana, 7-Eleven, MLhuillier). If OTC coverage for unbanked buyers is a core requirement, Xendit and Dragonpay offer more explicit OTC channel pricing.

How Does PayMongo Handle Settlement and Payouts?

PayMongo’s standard settlement window is 2–7 business days, per their published pricing. Instant settlement is available at an additional fee: up to 2% on QR Ph and bank transfers, up to 3% on cards and BNPL. Payouts to Philippine banks and e-wallets cost ₱10 per transaction via InstaPay or PesoNET.

Businessman using smartphone and credit card for online banking

Settlement timing directly affects working capital. A 2–7 business day standard window means you may receive payment a week after an order ships. For sellers with tight inventory cycles or significant advertising spend ahead of revenue, cash timing is a real operational factor.

PayMongo’s instant settlement option addresses this — but at a cost. At 3% for cards, instant settlement nearly doubles the effective processing rate. For a ₱1,500 card transaction, standard processing costs ₱60.27. Adding instant settlement at 3% brings the additional fee to ₱45.00, raising total processing cost to approximately ₱105.27 — a meaningful margin impact at scale.

The practical approach: use instant settlement for high-cash-pressure periods (holiday campaigns, urgent inventory restocking) rather than as a permanent setting. For routine operations, the 2–7 day standard window is typical for Philippine gateway providers.

Payout fees — sending money from your PayMongo Wallet to banks, suppliers, or employees — are ₱10 per transaction via InstaPay or PesoNET. This matches Xendit’s published payout pricing. Payouts support disbursements to individual recipients or bulk batches.

Which Ecommerce Platforms Does PayMongo Integrate With?

PayMongo supports Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and OpenCart through official plugins, plus a REST API for custom checkout builds. Payment links and hosted checkout pages are available for social commerce sellers on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok Shop who collect payment outside a traditional storefront.

Philippine ecommerce runs primarily on Shopify and WooCommerce:

Shopify: PayMongo has a Shopify payment app installable from the Shopify App Store. Once connected, cards, e-wallets, QR Ph, and direct banking are available at checkout without writing code. PayMongo appears as a payment method option in Shopify checkout settings.

WooCommerce: PayMongo’s WooCommerce plugin handles setup through the WordPress plugin interface. Enter API keys from your PayMongo dashboard and select which payment methods to enable — cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers all route through standard WooCommerce checkout.

Magento and OpenCart: Supported via official plugins for sellers on older or enterprise ecommerce platforms who need Philippines-specific payment methods integrated.

Payment links: PayMongo generates payment links shareable via SMS, Viber, or Messenger. Buyers click the link and complete payment through a hosted PayMongo checkout page — useful for social commerce sellers on Facebook Marketplace or Instagram who collect payment outside a dedicated store.

PayMongo API: For custom checkout experiences, mobile apps, or marketplace integrations, PayMongo’s REST API supports programmatic payment creation and webhook-based status updates. API documentation is available in English via their developer portal.

Compared to Xendit, the integration surface is similar for Shopify and WooCommerce sellers. PayMongo’s payment link tool is a practical differentiator for social commerce sellers who do not run a traditional checkout.

Is PayMongo BSP-Licensed and PCI-DSS Compliant?

PayMongo is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and holds PCI-DSS Level 1 certification, per their official website. PCI-DSS Level 1 is the highest tier of card security certification, verified through regular audits by PCI-certified assessors. BSP regulation means PayMongo is subject to Philippine financial law, consumer protection requirements, and anti-money laundering reporting obligations.

Close-up of security certificate documentation for payment compliance

BSP registration is the minimum baseline for legitimate Philippine payment processors — any gateway handling Philippine peso transactions must be registered with BSP’s payment system operators registry. PayMongo’s BSP license covers its payment gateway operations.

PCI-DSS Level 1 governs how card data is captured, transmitted, and stored. Per PayMongo’s website, all connections use HTTPS with HSTS enforcement, and card data is handled through tokenization — raw card numbers are not stored on merchant systems. Regular audits by PCI-certified assessors maintain the Level 1 status.

For merchants, this matters for your own compliance burden. When your gateway is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified, your Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) scope as a merchant is reduced — you are not handling raw card data directly, which simplifies your compliance process.

BSP complaints channel: contact bsp.gov.ph via webchat, their Facebook page (BangkoSentralngPilipinas), or the BSP SMS line at 21582277 — for disputes between merchants and PayMongo that cannot be resolved directly with the provider.

Which Philippine Sellers Should Use PayMongo?

PayMongo is the stronger choice for sellers with high e-wallet volume, active social commerce presence, or BNPL requirements via BillEase. Xendit has a cost advantage for card transactions at lower order values. Dragonpay is best added alongside PayMongo when maximum OTC channel coverage for unbanked buyers is required.

Use PayMongo if:

  • E-wallets drive most of your transactions. PayMongo’s GCash, Maya, GrabPay, and ShopeePay rates are consistently lower than Xendit’s per both providers’ published pricing. If more than 40% of your orders come through e-wallets, PayMongo’s rates create measurable monthly savings.
  • Direct banking transfers handle significant volume. PayMongo’s 0.71% direct banking rate is competitive against Xendit’s 1.0% direct bank debit rate at higher transaction amounts where the percentage dominates over the fixed fee minimum.
  • You sell via payment links. PayMongo’s payment link tool is designed for social commerce: send links via SMS, Viber, or Messenger and receive payment through a hosted checkout. This is a built-in feature, not an add-on, for Facebook and Instagram sellers.
  • BNPL via BillEase is relevant. PayMongo’s 1.34% BillEase rate is lower than Dragonpay’s 2% (per Dragonpay’s published pricing page) — for stores where BNPL volume compounds, this rate difference adds up.

Use Xendit instead if:

  • Card volume is high and average order value is below ₱1,000. Xendit’s ₱10 fixed fee outperforms PayMongo’s ₱13.39 at lower order values. At ₱500 average order value and 1,000 monthly card transactions, Xendit costs ₱26.00 per transaction (3.2% × ₱500 + ₱10) against PayMongo’s ₱29.02 (3.125% × ₱500 + ₱13.39) — a saving of approximately ₱3,015 per month.
  • You need OTC channel coverage. Xendit explicitly supports Cebuana, MLhuillier, LBC, Robinsons, and SM for cash payments. PayMongo does not publish standard OTC pricing.
  • You run a marketplace with sub-merchants. Xendit’s platform payments product handles sub-merchant onboarding and payment splitting. PayMongo’s platform equivalent is custom-priced enterprise-tier only.

Pair PayMongo with Dragonpay if:

  • Your buyers include unbanked or cash-preferring customers outside Metro Manila. Dragonpay’s flat ₱10 per online banking transaction covers all major Philippine banks, and their OTC network (Bayad, Cebuana, and others at ₱15–₱20 flat, per Dragonpay’s published pricing page) reaches buyers who do not have active e-wallets or cards. This is a common configuration for stores serving a national Philippine audience.

Run your actual monthly payment method mix against both fee tables before deciding. The gateway that looks cheaper on cards may be more expensive in aggregate if your store processes significant e-wallet volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PayMongo and how does it work?

PayMongo is a Filipino-founded payment gateway that allows Philippine online businesses to accept cards, e-wallets, QR Ph, and bank transfers through a single integration. Merchants create a PayMongo account, connect it to their ecommerce platform or use payment links, and receive funds in their PayMongo wallet on a standard 2–7 business day settlement cycle, per their official documentation.

How much does PayMongo charge per transaction?

PayMongo charges 3.125% plus ₱13.39 per domestic Visa or Mastercard transaction, per their published pricing page as of mid-2026. E-wallet fees are lower: GCash at 2.23%, Maya at 1.79%, GrabPay at 1.96%, ShopeePay at 1.70%. Direct online banking is the lowest published rate at 0.71% or ₱13.39, whichever is higher. There are no setup fees or monthly fees.

Is PayMongo BSP-regulated?

Yes. PayMongo is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, per their official website. BSP regulation means PayMongo operates under Philippine financial law with consumer protection requirements that apply to all registered payment system operators. PayMongo also holds PCI-DSS Level 1 certification, the highest card security certification tier.

Does PayMongo support GCash?

Yes. PayMongo accepts GCash payments at a 2.23% merchant fee per transaction, per their published pricing. GCash is available through PayMongo’s standard merchant integration — no separate GCash for Business merchant account required. Maya, GrabPay, and ShopeePay are also supported under the same integration.

How does PayMongo compare to Xendit in the Philippines?

PayMongo and Xendit both process cards and e-wallets for Philippine sellers. PayMongo has lower e-wallet rates across GCash, Maya, GrabPay, and ShopeePay. Xendit has a lower card fixed fee (₱10 vs PayMongo’s ₱13.39), making Xendit cheaper for card transactions at order values below approximately ₱800, per both providers’ published pricing pages. The right choice depends on your payment method mix.

Keep Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PayMongo and how does it work?
PayMongo is a Filipino-founded payment gateway that allows Philippine online businesses to accept cards, e-wallets, QR Ph, and bank transfers through a single integration. Merchants create a PayMongo account, connect it to their ecommerce platform or use payment links, and receive funds in their PayMongo wallet on a standard 2–7 business day settlement cycle, per their official documentation.
How much does PayMongo charge per transaction?
PayMongo charges 3.125% plus ₱13.39 per domestic Visa or Mastercard transaction, per their published pricing page as of mid-2026. E-wallet fees are lower: GCash at 2.23%, Maya at 1.79%, GrabPay at 1.96%, ShopeePay at 1.70%. Direct online banking is the lowest published rate at 0.71% or ₱13.39, whichever is higher. There are no setup fees or monthly fees.
Is PayMongo BSP-regulated?
Yes. PayMongo is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, per their official website. BSP regulation means PayMongo operates under Philippine financial law with consumer protection requirements that apply to all registered payment system operators. PayMongo also holds PCI-DSS Level 1 certification, the highest card security certification tier.
Does PayMongo support GCash?
Yes. PayMongo accepts GCash payments at a 2.23% merchant fee per transaction, per their published pricing. GCash is available through PayMongo's standard merchant integration — no separate GCash for Business merchant account required. Maya, GrabPay, and ShopeePay are also supported under the same PayMongo integration.
How does PayMongo compare to Xendit in the Philippines?
PayMongo and Xendit both process cards and e-wallets for Philippine sellers. PayMongo has lower e-wallet rates across GCash, Maya, GrabPay, and ShopeePay. Xendit has a lower card fixed fee (₱10 vs PayMongo's ₱13.39), making Xendit cheaper for card transactions at order values below approximately ₱800, per both providers' published pricing pages. The best choice depends on your payment method mix.

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