Adyen vs Embed: What vertical SaaS platforms gain with specialised payments infrastructure

For a vertical SaaS platform, choosing the right payments stack isn’t just about processing cards. It’s about enabling your users to go live quickly, navigate industry‑specific regulations and keep more of the revenue you generate. And especially in Europe’s regulated markets, platforms need to be able to handle multi‑party payouts, local payment rails and evolving compliance requirements.

If you’re researching the best payments infrastructure for your vertical SaaS, Adyen and Embed are two strong contenders. However, they were built with very different goals in mind. Adyen offers a unified acquiring model and global reach, while Embed is purpose‑built for vertical SaaS platforms and provides granular control over pricing, onboarding and fund flows.

In this article, we’ll compare their features, strengths and limitations so you can pick a payments infrastructure that fits your business rather than forcing your business to fit the infrastructure.

TL;DR: A quick comparison of Adyen vs Embed

What is Embed and who is it for?

Embed is built for platforms where payments and money movements are core to the product. Unlike generic processors that require you to fit into predefined flows, Embed co‑designs your payment stack with you, enabling custom fund flows, multi‑party payouts and industry‑specific compliance.

Features of Embed

• Purpose‑built for vertical SaaS: Embed handles messy financial workflows, industry‑specific regulations and multi‑party payouts that typical processors aren’t set up to manage.

• Programmable balance accounts & automated splits: Embed’s “Hive” multi‑ledger system lets you create multiple balance accounts per merchant and automate splits natively, eliminating manual reconciliation.

• Phased merchant onboarding: Merchants can start taking payments quickly with minimal information and complete full KYC only when transaction volumes require it.

• Flexible and adaptive pricing models: Supports tiered, blended and Interchange++ pricing, allowing you to adjust fees by segment or use case.

• Unified commerce: A single integration powers online, in‑app and in‑person payments, enabling omnichannel experiences for merchants.

• Hands‑on expert support: Payment specialists work with you from day one to design and optimise your payments stack.

• Regulatory coverage & localisation: Embed is a licensed payments institution authorised and regulated by the Dutch Central Bank and passported across the EEA. It handles PSD2, SCA and AML obligations and supports local payment rails.

Cons of Embed

• Limited global footprint: Focused on the EEA and the UK, so global expansion may require additional partners.

• Less suited to basic/generalist SaaS: Optimised for complex vertical SaaS rather than simple payment flows.

• Newer brand awareness: Embed is a specialised provider with a smaller ecosystem compared with older payment giants.

What is Adyen and who is it for?

Adyen began as a gateway for global merchants and has become a powerhouse for enterprise platforms and marketplaces. Its core strength is unified acquiring, which lets you handle online, mobile and point‑of‑sale payments through a single API and contract. Adyen also offers a broad range of financial products that extend beyond payments, making it attractive to platforms with high transaction volumes and global ambitions.

Features of Adyen

• Unified acquiring across channels: One integration handles online, in‑app and in‑person transactions and presents them in a consolidated dashboard.

• Global reach: Supports payments in 135+ currencies and 40+ local payment methods and operates in 35 markets with payouts in 15 currencies.

• Advanced payout control: Platforms can schedule or trigger on‑demand payouts to sub‑merchants.

• Embedded financial products: Adyen offers business accounts, issuing of physical and virtual cards and capital financing.

• Consolidated reporting & data ownership: Real‑time reporting and full access to transaction data; detailed financial reports to support reconciliation and tax filings.

• Security & risk management: Provides PCI DSS Level 1 certification and uses tokenisation and end‑to‑end encryption. Adyen’s fraud tools use machine‑learning risk scoring and customisable rules.

• Split payments & marketplace features: Allows splitting a single payment among multiple parties at authorisation or capture and supports delayed capture for escrow‑like flows.

• Compliance & tax reporting: Handles KYC, AML, PSD2 SCA and DAC7 reporting. Adyen can calculate taxes and generate forms such as 1099‑K and facilitate EU reporting requirements.

Cons of Adyen

• Enterprise‑oriented & rigid policies: Since it’s built for scale, Adyen requires higher minimum transaction volumes and longer contractual commitments. Smaller platforms may struggle to meet thresholds.

• Heavy integration & resource requirements: Customising Adyen often demands significant in‑house development resources.

• Complex pricing & minimum invoice: Adyen’s Interchange++ pricing and minimum invoice can be opaque; transaction fees vary by payment method.

• Less flexible payment flows: Standardised processes limit rapid iteration or bespoke flows. Adyen’s limited list of supported countries and currencies compared with some competitors may also be a constraint.

Adyen vs Embed: Which payments infrastructure should you choose?

When deciding between Adyen and Embed, think about the nature of your product, regulatory obligations and growth ambitions. Adyen is built for scale with unified acquiring across online, in‑app and point‑of‑sale channels. Embed, on the other hand, is purpose‑built for vertical SaaS platforms and prioritises configurable fund flows, phased onboarding and local compliance.

Here’s a quick overview of which payments infrastructure is best suited for you:

Use Adyen if your platform must unify card and alternative payment methods across many countries, needs enterprise‑grade risk management and has the resources to meet higher transaction volumes and integration complexity. Its global reach plus embedded financial products like issuing and capital make it a strong choice for large‑scale marketplaces and SaaS providers.

Choose Embed if your SaaS platform operates in a specific vertical and deals with complex fund flows, multi‑party payouts or localised compliance. Embed’s multi‑ledger architecture, programmable balance accounts and phased onboarding let you design bespoke user experiences. Its support for local payment rails and EEA licensing, combined with flexible pricing models, help you maximise monetisation without sacrificing control.

Talk to an embedded payments expert

Choosing the right payments provider is pivotal for your platform’s growth. If you’re building a vertical SaaS platform in Europe and need custom fund flows, flexible pricing and local compliance baked into your payment stack, Embed offers the specialised infrastructure to make payments a competitive advantage. To explore how a tailored payments solution can unlock new revenue streams and improve your user experience, talk to one of our embedded payments experts.

FAQs about Adyen vs Embed

Is Adyen good for vertical SaaS?

Adyen excels at serving large marketplaces and enterprise SaaS platforms that need a single contract to support online and in‑person payments across many countries. However, its rigid policies, higher minimum volumes and heavy integration demands make it less attractive for early‑stage or niche vertical platforms that need flexibility.

What are alternatives to Adyen for Platforms?

Besides Adyen and Embed, Mollie Connect focuses on ease of use and quick setup but offers fewer customisation options and is primarily European. Stripe Connect provides global reach and polished developer tools but can feel one‑size‑fits‑most, limiting vertical‑specific logic and pricing flexibility.

Does Adyen support EU IBANs and local payment methods?

Adyen supports local payment methods in 27 countries and offers payouts in 15 currencies. It provides local payment options such as iDEAL, Bancontact, and others, but its country coverage is narrower than, for example, Stripe’s. If your platform requires unique virtual IBANs for each merchant, Embed’s virtual IBAN capability may be a better fit.

Which provider offers better support for local payment rails in Europe?

Embed is licensed in the Netherlands and passported across the EEA, offering deep support for local payment rails. Adyen supports many local methods but may not provide the same level of customisation or phased onboarding that vertical SaaS platforms require.

Is Adyen a good fit for small SaaS companies or early‑stage vertical platforms?

Adyen is designed for large enterprises and platforms with complex requirements. Adyen’s unified commerce approach is built for big businesses and can be overkill for smaller and medium SaaS platforms. The associated implementation complexity and higher cost mean early‑stage or niche vertical platforms may struggle to justify the investment. Platforms that need a more tailored fit (such as flexible onboarding and lower minimum volumes) may find that specialised providers like Embed are better suited to their scale and business model.