Important: no processor
These tools do not move money by themselves. You still need processor accounts and PCI-compliant handling of card data.
Alternatives / PayPal Braintree
3 open-source alternatives
3 Best Open Source PayPal Braintree Alternatives in 2026
Looking for an open source PayPal Braintree alternative? We compared 3 open source payment infrastructure tools by license and role. None processes cards itself: Hyperswitch routes between processors, Lago handles billing, and Formance provides ledger infrastructure.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
Best PayPal Braintree alternatives at a glance
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperswitch | One API over many processors | Apache-2.0 |
| Lago | Usage-based billing and invoicing | AGPL-3.0 |
| Formance | Ledger and money-flow orchestration | MIT (ledger) |
How we chose these PayPal Braintree alternatives
We looked for open-source tools that sit around payments the way Braintree does. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and self-hosting in its repository. You still need a processor and an acquiring bank. See our methodology for the full criteria.
The tools
Hyperswitch connects multiple processors through one API with smart routing and cost visibility. Lago is an AGPL-3.0 billing system for metering, usage-based pricing, and invoicing, with Stripe and NetSuite integrations. Formance is a modular financial core with a ledger, reconciliation, and flow orchestration.
License details
Hyperswitch is Apache-2.0. Lago is AGPL-3.0. Formance's ledger is MIT.
Maintenance status
All three had commits within days of this update.
Why look for a PayPal Braintree alternative?
Braintree is a proprietary gateway and processor that holds your payment data and takes a fee per transaction. Open-source infrastructure lets you switch processors and own billing logic, but it does not replace a payment processor.
hyperswitch.io
Hyperswitch is a unified payment infrastructure that connects multiple payment processors through a single API, with smart routing, cost optimization, and global coverage. It can be self-hosted.
45.4K6.5KApache-2.0Self-hosted
Pricing: Free and open source; managed cloud is paid.
- One API across many payment processors
- Smart routing and cost optimization
- Apache-2.0 license
- A payments router, not a subscription billing system
- Complex to deploy and operate
getlago.com
Lago is an open-source billing system that handles metering, usage-based pricing, and invoicing at scale, with flexible pricing models, real-time usage metering, automated invoicing, and integrations such as Stripe, NetSuite, and AWS Marketplace.
10.7K771AGPL-3.0Self-hosted
Pricing: Free self-hosted; paid cloud and premium options.
- Strong usage-based and hybrid pricing
- Automated invoicing and integrations
- Active community
- Some premium features are paid
- AGPL-3.0 license
formance.com
Formance provides a programmable ledger, a connectivity layer to payment providers, workflow orchestration, and automated reconciliation for building custom financial flows. The ledger is MIT, and the wider stack keeps an ee directory under an Enterprise license.
1.4K217MIT (ledger)Self-hosted
Pricing: Free open-source ledger; paid cloud and enterprise.
- Programmable ledger for custom financial products
- Provider connectivity and workflows
- MIT-licensed ledger
- Lower-level building block than a billing product
- Enterprise parts of the stack are under a separate license
Compare PayPal Braintree alternatives
| Alternative | Type | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperswitch | Payment orchestration | Apache-2.0 | Yes | Closest to a gateway |
| Lago | Billing | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | SaaS billing |
| Formance | Financial core | MIT (ledger) | Yes | Custom financial products |
Which one should you choose?
Want to route between payment processors
Hyperswitch has smart routing and cost visibility across processors.
Want usage-based billing
Lago handles metering, prepaid credits, and automated invoicing.
Want to build a ledger-based product
Formance provides a ledger, reconciliation, and flows.