SEPA direct debit instead of credit card & PayPalCollect recurring invoices at lower cost
PayPal via Stripe stacks two fees on top of each other. For recurring B2B invoices there's a much cheaper way – SEPA direct debit. Here are the real numbers.
Fee for a €500 invoice
Transaction fee excl. VAT, SepaHeld plus a fixed €13,90/month. Sources below.
The real problem
With PayPal via Stripe you pay twice
Most of your customers prefer to pay by PayPal. But if you offer PayPal as a payment method via Stripe, two fees apply – PayPal's and Stripe's on top. For a €500 invoice it looks like this:
PayPal via Stripe · 500 €
≈ 2,69 % + 0,45 € – two providers, one invoice.
SEPA direct debit with SepaHeld · 500 €
Plus 13,90 €/month flat – no matter how many invoices.
The trick is the cap: SepaHeld costs 1% per invoice, but a maximum of €1.00. From €100 invoice amount it kicks in – and the higher the invoice, the closer your effective fee rate slides towards zero.
You use finHero to bring your Stripe revenue cleanly into DATEV. But every card and PayPal payment costs you fees – month after month. For recurring invoices to business customers there's a method that's almost always cheaper: SEPA direct debit. That's exactly why we built our own tool with SepaHeld.
Basics
How SEPA direct debit works
With direct debit, you actively collect the money from your customer's account – instead of waiting for them to pay. For this to be legally sound, there are four fixed building blocks.
Obtain a mandate
The customer grants you a SEPA direct debit mandate with IBAN, name, date and your creditor identifier. Each mandate receives a unique mandate reference.
Send a pre-notification
Before each collection, you inform the customer of the amount and due date (pre-notification). By default 14 calendar days in advance – a shorter period can be agreed, for example in your terms and conditions.
Submit the direct debit
You submit the direct debits to your bank, usually as a SEPA XML file, or collect them via a payment service provider such as Stripe.
Credit – or returned direct debit
On the due date, the customer's account is debited and yours is credited. If the account has insufficient funds or the customer objects, the money comes back as a returned direct debit.
Core or B2B?
SEPA Core Direct Debit and SEPA B2B Direct Debit compared
There are two schemes. For B2B customers, the B2B direct debit is worth a look because it significantly lowers the risk of returns.
| SEPA Core Direct Debit | SEPA B2B Direct Debit | |
|---|---|---|
| Payer | Consumers and businesses | Businesses only |
| Return of an authorized collection | Possible within eight weeks without giving reasons | Not possible |
| Return without a valid mandate | Significantly longer period | Possible |
| Mandate at the payer's bank | Not required | Must be confirmed by the payer with their bank |
| Typical use | Subscriptions, memberships, consumers | Ongoing B2B contracts with regular customers |
The exact conditions depend on the scheme and on the agreements with your bank.
Returned direct debits: assessing the risk correctly
A returned direct debit occurs when the account has insufficient funds, the IBAN is wrong or closed, or the customer objects. In addition to the missing amount, banks usually charge fees for this. That's why direct debit is ideal for known customers with an ongoing business relationship – and less so for anonymous first-time purchases where delivery is immediate.
Use cases
When SEPA direct debit is worthwhile – and when it isn't
SEPA direct debit is a good fit for …
- recurring invoices to business customers (B2B)
- subscriptions, maintenance contracts and memberships
- higher invoice amounts, where percentage-based fees add up
- customers with an account in the SEPA area
- predictable cash flow: you set the collection date
Card or PayPal are better for …
- one-off purchases by anonymous end customers
- digital goods that are delivered immediately
- customers outside the SEPA area
- situations where you need immediate payment confirmation
Calculate for yourself
Your savings calculator
Set your typical values and see what adds up over the year.
What do your collections cost you?
Transaction fees per month are compared.
Comparison
SEPA direct debit vs. credit card vs. PayPal
Fees aren't everything. This is how the three payment methods differ in everyday use:
| Criterion | SEPA direct debit | Credit card | PayPal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per payment | Low, often fixed or capped | Percentage plus fixed amount | Percentage plus fixed amount, charged twice via Stripe |
| Who initiates the payment? | You, on the agreed date | Customer or stored card | Customer or stored consent |
| Confirmation | Delayed, only after a few bank business days | Immediate | Immediate |
| Reversal risk | Returned direct debit possible (with Core Direct Debit) | Chargeback possible | Buyer protection and reversal possible |
| Suitability for subscriptions/B2B | Very good | Good | Limited |
| Setup | Mandate and creditor ID required | Via payment service provider | Merchant account required |
Examples
Fee per invoice compared: SEPA direct debit, card, PayPal
| Invoice amount | SepaHeld | Credit card (Stripe) | PayPal via Stripe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 € | 0,49 € | 0,94 € | 1,77 € |
| 99 € | 0,99 € | 1,64 € | 3,11 € |
| 250 € | 1,00 € | 3,75 € | 7,18 € |
| 500 € | 1,00 € | 7,25 € | 13,90 € |
| 1.000 € | 1,00 € | 14,25 € | 27,35 € |
| 1.500 € | 1,00 € | 21,25 € | 40,80 € |
Transaction fee per invoice. SepaHeld plus 13,90 €/month flat. Excluding VAT. Provider fees as of Feb. 2026.
From €100 you pay never more than €1.00 when you collect SEPA direct debits automatically – while card and PayPal fees keep growing unchecked with the invoice amount.
Assumptions & sources. All amounts excluding VAT. SepaHeld: €13.90/month + 1% per invoice, max. €1.00. Credit card via Stripe (EU cards): 1.4% + €0.25. PayPal via Stripe: PayPal domestic merchant fee 2.49% + €0.35 plus Stripe fee approx. 0.2% + €0.10 = approx. 2.69% + €0.45.
Provider fees as of February 2026; they may vary depending on plan, transaction volume and card origin. The respective current terms of Stripe and PayPal are decisive. This page is for non-binding orientation only.
Accounting
SEPA direct debits in accounting and in DATEV
How direct debits are booked depends on how you collect them.
Collection via Stripe (SEPA Direct Debit)
SEPA direct debits you collect via Stripe are perfectly normal Stripe payments. They therefore automatically end up in the finHero export – as separate bookings for payment, fee, returned direct debit and payout, each with transaction ID and receipt.
- Returned direct debits become visible as a separate, referenceable booking
- Fees booked separately to incidental costs of monetary transactions
- The payout balances the cash-in-transit account (Geldtransitkonto)
Collection directly via your bank (e.g. with SepaHeld)
If you submit the direct debits via SEPA XML directly to your bank, the amounts arrive in your business account without any intermediate step. They are recorded like other bank transactions via the bank bookings in DATEV – exactly how is something you agree with your tax firm.
More on the booking logic: Stripe Payments to DATEV, Stripe Billing to DATEV and Booking Stripe fees.
| Amount € | Account | Contra account | Booking text |
|---|---|---|---|
| 595,00 | 1360 | 8400 | SEPA direct debit · RE-2026-101 |
| 0,35 | 4970 | 1360 | Stripe fee · RE-2026-101 |
| 238,00 | 1360 | 8400 | SEPA direct debit · RE-2026-102 |
| 0,35 | 4970 | 1360 | Stripe fee · RE-2026-102 |
| 238,00 | 8400 | 1360 | Returned direct debit · RE-2026-102 |
| 594,30 | 1200 | 1360 | Payout to bank account |
SepaHeld
Collect direct debits without a second thought
SepaHeld creates your SEPA XML files, manages mandates, keeps an eye on deadlines and collects recurring invoices automatically – GDPR-compliant and made in Germany.
- SEPA XML at the push of a button – ready for your bank
- Mandate management & pre-notification automatically
- 1% per invoice, capped at €1.00
- Cleanly documented – fits your finHero accounting
From d-automation GmbH – just like finHero.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about SEPA direct debit
Why is PayPal via Stripe so expensive?
When you offer PayPal as a payment method via Stripe, you pay two fees: the PayPal merchant fee (in Germany approx. 2.49% + €0.35 per transaction) plus a Stripe fee for processing (approx. 0.2% + €0.10). In total that's around 2.69% + €0.45 per invoice.
How much does SepaHeld cost per invoice?
SepaHeld costs €13.90 per month plus 1% per invoice, capped at a maximum of €1.00 per invoice. From an invoice amount of €100, the cap kicks in – you never pay more than €1.00 in transaction fees, no matter how high the invoice is.
For which payments is SEPA direct debit worthwhile?
Especially for recurring invoices to business customers in Germany and Europe, as well as for higher invoice amounts. Thanks to the €1 cap, the effective fee rate falls towards zero as the amount rises.
Does SEPA direct debit fit my finHero setup?
Yes. finHero brings your Stripe revenue cleanly into DATEV. SepaHeld handles collection via direct debit – both tools come from d-automation GmbH and complement each other: collect more cheaply with SepaHeld, book cleanly with finHero.
What is a pre-notification?
The pre-notification informs the payer of the amount and due date before the collection. By default it must be sent 14 calendar days in advance; a shorter period can be agreed. For regular identical amounts, a one-time notice is often sufficient, for example on the invoice or in the contract.
What happens with a returned direct debit?
The amount is debited back from you, usually together with a bank fee. You then have to collect the receivable another way. In accounting, the returned direct debit is booked as a separate transaction so that the open receivable becomes visible again.
Can I collect SEPA direct debits via Stripe?
Yes, Stripe offers SEPA direct debit as a payment method. These payments appear in your Stripe account just like card or PayPal payments and are exported to DATEV with finHero together with fees, returned direct debits and payouts.
Still have questions? Go to the knowledge base
Read more
Collected at low cost, booked cleanly
Whether card, PayPal or SEPA direct debit via Stripe: finHero brings your payments with fees, reversals and receipts into DATEV as a booking batch.
Try finHero for freeTry free for 7 days · cancel monthly
