Comparison
Shopify Payments vs Stripe
Stripe is the engine under Shopify Payments — but Stripe direct gives you more control over holds and reserves.
| Feature | Shopify Payments | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Hold duration | 120 days standard | 90 days standard |
| Rolling reserve | 10–30% | 0–25% |
| Appeal process | Limited, often final | Multi-step, evidence-based |
| High-risk tolerance | Low | Medium |
Our take: Stripe direct wins for merchants previously banned by Shopify Payments.
Choosing between Shopify Payments and Stripe usually happens after a ban or hold has already hit. We see this every day at Unholdr — merchants frantically comparing processors while their funds sit frozen.
Here's the truth most comparison articles miss: switching processors doesn't recover held funds. You need to do both — fight the existing hold AND set up a stable alternative. We help you with the first part. Then we recommend the right second part based on your country, industry and volume.
Stripe direct wins for merchants previously banned by Shopify Payments.
Held funds need a specialist, not just a new processor.
200+ merchants recovered. 95% win rate. 100% refund if we don't deliver. We're the only firm in the world built for this.
- 200+ merchants recovered
- 95% win rate on accepted cases
- 14–21 day average resolution
- 100% refund if we don't deliver