Short answer first. BitPay is a full-service processor that collects the crypto and settles to your bank the next business day. BTCPay Server is free, open-source software you run yourself, and the bitcoin goes straight to your own wallet. riverArk sits between them: no software to run, and each payment goes straight to your own Strike business account in dollars. Which one fits depends on where you sell, what you want to receive, and how much setup you will take on.
Every BitPay and BTCPay fact below comes from their own current pages, read November 11, 2026, and linked in place.
Side by side
| BitPay | BTCPay Server | riverArk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Hosted payment processor | Free, open-source, self-hosted software | Hosted payment requests that settle to your own Strike account |
| Where the money goes | BitPay settles to your bank or crypto wallet every business day | Straight to your connected wallet | Straight to your own Strike business account; riverArk never holds your money |
| What you receive | Fiat (USD and others), crypto, or a mix | Bitcoin; fiat conversion only through plugins | US dollars, or bitcoin if you choose |
| Lightning | Yes, since April 2022; the customer chooses it | Yes, through your own node or a connected service | Yes, every payment runs on Lightning |
| Published fees | 2% + 25¢ under $500,000 a month, lower above; higher for high-risk industries | No transaction fees; you pay for hosting | 1% to $5,000 a month, 0.85% to $25,000, 0.75% above |
| Setup | Application, business verification, documents, processing tier | Deploy a server or use a host; Lightning needs a node or service | Free signup plus a Strike business account, usually approved in one to two days |
| In person | In-person payments covered in its docs | Point of sale app included | Counter QR codes on a phone or tablet |
| E-commerce | Plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento 2, BigCommerce, WHMCS | Plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, BigCommerce, Wix and more | Public API for custom checkout; no Shopify or WooCommerce plugin listing |
BitPay
How it works. The customer pays a BitPay invoice. BitPay then settles to you: per its settlement docs, "Settlement payments for BitPay merchants happen automatically, every business day," covering the prior business day's payments. USD goes by ACH to US banks and arrives after two business days, with a 20 USD minimum. You can also settle in other fiat currencies or in crypto.
Lightning. BitPay announced Lightning support on April 6, 2022, for Bitcoin only. Merchants need no extra setup; the customer picks Lightning when paying.
Fees. BitPay's pricing page lists 2% + 25¢ under $500,000 in monthly volume, 1.5% + 25¢ from $500,000 to $999,999, and 1% + 25¢ at $1,000,000 or more, with "Higher fees applicable for high-risk industries."
Setup. You apply for a merchant account with business details and owner information, choose a settlement currency, then submit documents and apply for a processing volume tier.
Plugins. BitPay's integration guide lists Magento 2, Shopify, WHMCS, WooCommerce and BigCommerce.
Fits: an established online store that wants a plugin, many coin options, or settlement in a currency other than USD, and is set up for a processor application.
BTCPay Server
How it works. BTCPay Server is "a self-hosted, open-source cryptocurrency payment processor". Its FAQ calls it "a non-custodial invoicing system" and says "There are no subscriptions, no transaction fees." Payments arrive in your own wallet.
Hosting. You run it yourself or use a host. The deployment page lists third-party hosts (free or paid), one-click installs, and virtual private servers at roughly $10 to $70 a month, rated moderate to hard.
Lightning. Per the Lightning docs, you can run your own Lightning node alongside BTCPay, connect an external one, or use a custodial service or swap service. Running your own means "you need to manage payment channels" and "you need to manage liquidity."
Dollars. The FAQ says "Fiat conversion is available through various BTCPay Server plugins." Out of the box, you receive bitcoin.
In person. Its apps page describes a web-based Point of Sale app, including a keypad view "for easy and quick payments."
Fits: a technical owner, or one with a developer, who wants to hold bitcoin directly, pay no processor fee, and is ready to maintain a server and a Lightning setup.
riverArk
How it works. riverArk creates the payment request and reports the sale. The customer pays from Cash App, Strike, Phoenix, or any app that pays a Lightning invoice, and the money lands in your own Strike business account in dollars. riverArk never holds your money, and there is no volatility exposure when you settle in USD. You can choose to keep bitcoin instead.
In person. Live today: staff type the amount on a phone or tablet, a QR code appears, the customer scans and pays. See Bitcoin POS for the full counter flow.
Online. The riverArk API is public, so a developer can build checkout into your website today. There is no Shopify or WooCommerce plugin listing available.
Limits. A single payment is capped at 0.05 BTC. Completed payments are final, so there are no chargebacks; returns are handled like cash returns.
Fits: a counter business, or a site with a developer, that wants dollars in its own account, low setup effort, and no server to run.
For the complete setup, see the hub guide: how to accept Bitcoin at your business.
Shopify and the Lightning network: what exists today
If you sell on Shopify and want Lightning, here is what Shopify itself lists. Its cryptocurrency help page names Lightning for four providers:
- BitPay: accepts Bitcoin Lightning among other coins, "settled in USD."
- OpenNode: Bitcoin Lightning, settled in bitcoin or fiat.
- Strike: Bitcoin Lightning, settled in USD.
- IBEX Pay: Bitcoin Lightning, settled the next day in fiat.
Strike's app, STRIKE: Pay with Bitcoin, is listed as free and launched March 28, 2022. If you already have a Strike business account for riverArk at the counter, that is worth knowing.
BTCPay Server also connects to Shopify through its Shopify plugin v2. It needs a Shopify partner account and admin access to your BTCPay instance. Bitcoin is added as a manual payment method, and the customer completes payment from the order confirmation page.
Two Shopify rules apply to all of them, per the same help page: "There are no automatic refunds for cryptocurrency payments through Shopify," so refunds are made manually through the provider, and third-party transaction fees may apply depending on your Shopify plan.
How to choose
- Selling mostly at a counter, want dollars, little setup: riverArk.
- Shopify or WooCommerce store, want an install-and-go plugin: BitPay, Strike's Shopify app, or OpenNode.
- Want to hold bitcoin yourself and run your own infrastructure: BTCPay Server.
- Custom website with a developer: riverArk's API or BTCPay, depending on whether you want dollars in Strike or bitcoin in your own wallet.
Not sure Lightning is right for you at all? Read Lightning payments for business first.
FAQ
What is a good BitPay alternative for a small shop?
If you mainly sell in person and want dollars, riverArk takes Lightning payments at the counter and settles to your own Strike account, at 1% or less on monthly volume.
What is the main difference between BTCPay and BitPay?
BTCPay is free software you host, and bitcoin goes to your own wallet. BitPay is a hosted processor that settles to your bank or wallet every business day and charges a fee per transaction.
Does BitPay support Lightning?
Yes, for Bitcoin, since April 6, 2022, per BitPay's own announcement. The customer chooses Lightning at payment.
Can I accept Lightning payments on Shopify?
Yes. Shopify's help page lists BitPay, OpenNode, Strike and IBEX Pay as Lightning options, and BTCPay Server connects through its own Shopify plugin.
Does riverArk have a Shopify plugin?
There is no Shopify or WooCommerce plugin listing available. The riverArk API is public, so a developer can build checkout on it today.
riverArk does not give investment, tax or legal advice. You can settle every sale in US dollars.