STEP 3 · CUSTOMERS, BUT NO SYSTEM
There is no Stripe in Jamaica, PayPal only half-works, and the bank will ask for paperwork. Here is the whole map — who each gateway is for, what they ask of you, and the order to try them in.
The two kinds of gateway
Bank merchant gateways (Scotiabank eCommerce, NCB, First Atlantic Commerce / PowerTranz) give you a merchant account in your business's name, settle straight to your bank, and usually cost less per transaction — but they want a registered business, documents, and time to approve you. Aggregators (Fygaro, eZeePayments, WiPay) take payments under their umbrella, sign you up in days, and pay out to your bank on a schedule — simpler, a little dearer per sale.
Provider by provider
Scotiabank eCommerce (Jamaica)
A bank merchant gateway for registered businesses with a Scotiabank account. Card payments settle to your account; integration through a hosted page or API. Best for: established businesses with steady volume. Expect: paperwork, a few weeks, and the lowest per-transaction cost of the options here.
NCB eCommerce and Lynk
NCB offers merchant card acceptance for its business customers, and runs Lynk, the mobile wallet many Jamaicans already use. Lynk is useful for local, lower-value payments at the counter or by link; it is not a replacement for card checkout on a website.
First Atlantic Commerce (PowerTranz)
A Caribbean-wide card gateway used behind many bank merchant accounts (several Ezy clients run FAC through their bank). Strong for tourism businesses taking international cards — tours, villas, rentals. You still need the bank merchant account; FAC is the pipe.
Fygaro
An aggregator built for the Caribbean: invoices, payment links and a checkout you can embed, with card acceptance without your own merchant account. Best for: a business that needs card payments this month, not next quarter. Ezy Cart and the booking engines integrate it.
eZeePayments
Jamaican aggregator with payment links and checkout integration; quick onboarding, local support. Same use case as Fygaro — compare the two on fees for your volume and pick one.
WiPay
Caribbean aggregator with a Jamaican presence, popular for events and ticketing. Worth a quote if you sell tickets or one-off items.
PayPal
You can receive, with limits; getting money out to a Jamaican bank is the problem, and buyers abroad sometimes face restrictions. Fine as an extra option for diaspora customers; never the only one. Full detail: Does PayPal work in Jamaica?
Stripe, Square, Cash App
Not available to Jamaican businesses. Any "workaround" involving a foreign entity is a tax and banking risk — talk to an accountant before you try it.
Bank transfer with receipt upload
Not a gateway, but how most of Jamaica pays. Customer transfers, uploads the receipt at checkout, you confirm in one tap and the order moves. Free, instant to set up, and the right first step while a card gateway is being approved.
Which one fits you
| Situation | Start with | Then |
|---|---|---|
| New store, unregistered or just registered | Bank transfer + receipt upload, cash on delivery | Fygaro or eZeePayments for cards |
| Registered business, steady local sales | Aggregator for speed | Scotiabank or NCB merchant gateway for lower fees |
| Tours, villas, rentals — international cards | Bank merchant account via FAC / PowerTranz | Add Fygaro as a backup |
| Events and tickets | WiPay or Fygaro payment links | Ezy Events Manager with card checkout |
| Diaspora customers | Card gateway first | PayPal as an extra button |
What the website has to do
Whatever gateway you pick, the site has to show prices, take the order or booking, hold it until the payment confirms, and tell the customer on WhatsApp. That is the system — J$9,500 a month on an Ezy plan with the store or booking engine included — and it is the part most "payment gateway" questions are really about.
Not sure which step you're on? Book a growth call — fifteen minutes with Lee, no pressure, no obligation. You leave with the step, the first fix and the price.
Frequently asked
What is the cheapest payment gateway in Jamaica?
Bank transfer with receipt upload costs nothing. For cards, a bank merchant gateway is usually cheapest per transaction once you have the volume; aggregators cost more per sale but nothing to start. Ask each provider for its current rate card.
How long does a bank merchant account take?
Typically weeks, with business registration, TRN, ID and bank statements. Aggregators are usually days.
Can I use Stripe in Jamaica?
No — Stripe does not support Jamaican businesses. Use a local gateway or aggregator.
Does Ezy integrate these?
Ezy Cart and the booking engines support Scotiabank, Fygaro, eZeePayments, bank transfer with receipt upload and cash on delivery out of the box; FAC/PowerTranz runs on several client sites.