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Which payment gateways work with subscriptions

Subscriptions charge your customers automatically on a schedule, so they need a payment gateway that can securely store a payment method and bill it again later. This guide explains which gateways work, what to do if yours isn't supported, and the most common gotchas (especially with PayPal).


Table of contents



How subscription payments work


Super Subscriptions uses Shopify's native subscription system. When a customer subscribes, their payment method is securely stored (vaulted) by the payment gateway, and Shopify charges it automatically on each renewal. This is why only gateways that support recurring, vaulted payments can be used for subscriptions: a gateway that only handles one-off payments can't be charged again later without the customer re-entering their details.


Because this is a Shopify platform requirement, the supported list is set by Shopify and is the same for every subscription app.


Supported payment gateways


To sell subscriptions, your store must use one of the following:



If Shopify Payments is available in your country, it's the easiest path. It requires no extra setup for subscriptions and supports the widest range of cards and wallets.


Shopify keeps the authoritative list here: supported subscription payment gateways.


PayPal, important limitations


PayPal is supported, but it behaves differently from card payments:


  • Customers must specifically check out with PayPal for their subscription to be billed through PayPal.
  • PayPal can be less reliable for automatic renewals than card-based gateways, and some PayPal accounts/regions restrict recurring billing.
  • If you rely heavily on PayPal, we recommend also offering a card gateway (such as Shopify Payments) so customers have a dependable recurring option.


If a customer's PayPal renewal fails, your dunning settings control how the retry is handled.


What is not supported


These payment methods cannot be used for subscriptions because they can't be automatically charged again:


  • Cash on delivery (COD)
  • Manual payment methods (bank deposit, money order, etc.)
  • Gift cards as the recurring payment method
  • Most "buy now, pay later" providers
  • Third-party checkout and local gateway apps that are not on Shopify's supported list (for example GoKwik and similar regional providers)


Customers can still use these for one-time purchases, just not for the recurring part of a subscription. If you need a specific regional provider added, that request goes to Shopify rather than to us, since the platform controls which gateways can vault a payment method for subscriptions.


Availability by country


Gateway availability depends on your country, not on Super Subscriptions. Shopify Payments isn't offered in every region (a common question from merchants in places like India or Qatar). In that case, choose another supported gateway from the list above that operates in your country. Authorize.net, Adyen, and PayPal Express are commonly used alternatives. Check Shopify's payment provider availability for what's offered where you operate.


If your gateway isn't supported


If your current provider can't do recurring payments, you have two options:


  1. Add a supported gateway for subscriptions (you can keep your existing provider active for one-time orders).
  2. Contact support, tell us your country and provider, and we'll help you find the best supported option.


You can confirm your active payment providers in Shopify admin > Settings > Payments.



Updated on: 07/29/2026

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