Should I use Shopify Payments or a third-party gateway?

If Shopify Payments is available in your country and supports your business type, use it — you avoid Shopify's extra third-party transaction fee, and it's tightly integrated (payouts, refunds, and chargebacks all live in your admin). For most merchants it's the simplest, cheapest option.

Use a third-party gateway when Shopify Payments isn't available to you, your industry isn't supported, or you need a specific provider for local methods. Just factor in the extra per-transaction fee Shopify adds on top in that case. Check eligibility first — it drives the decision.