October 1, 2026
Vulta vs CoinGate: Fees, Custody and Card Payments Compared (2026)
CoinGate charges 1% per payment, holds your funds until weekly settlement and requires full business verification. Here's how it compares to Vulta's non-custodial, flat-fee model.
CoinGate is one of the longest-running crypto payment gateways in Europe. It is a solid choice for registered companies that want to settle in euros to a bank account. But its model is very different from Vulta's, and the differences matter if you care about fees, custody or verification.
The short version
| CoinGate | Vulta | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee per payment | 1% (Standard plan) | 0% — flat monthly plan |
| Payout fees | 0.50 EUR + 0.5% for crypto payouts, more with conversion | None — there is no payout |
| Who holds the money | CoinGate, until settlement | Nobody — straight to your wallet |
| Settlement | Weekly on Standard | Instant, on-chain |
| Merchant verification | Full KYC/KYB required | None |
| Card payments for customers | Not its focus | Yes, via 13 licensed payment providers |
Figures are from CoinGate's public pricing page at the time of writing; check it for current numbers.
Fees: percentage vs flat
CoinGate takes 1% of every payment on its Standard plan, then charges again when you move money out: 0.50 EUR + 0.5% for a crypto payout, or 0.50 EUR + 1.5% when converting. On $20,000 a month that is roughly $200 in processing fees before payouts.
Vulta takes nothing from payments. You pay a flat plan — Free, Pro at $20/month or Max at $49/month — and every payment arrives in full. The only costs are the network fee the payer pays to send crypto, and, for card payments, the card provider's fee, which is shown to the customer on the provider's page.
Custody: who holds your revenue
CoinGate is custodial: payments land on a CoinGate balance and are settled weekly on the Standard plan. That is convenient if you want fiat in a bank account, but it means your money sits with a third party, and an account review can pause your payouts.
Vulta is non-custodial. You add your own wallet addresses, and each payment is sent directly to them. There is no balance, no withdrawal button and nothing to freeze. If Vulta disappeared tomorrow, every payment you already received would still be in your wallet.
Verification
To open a CoinGate merchant account you complete business verification: company documents, ID of the representatives and a description of your business. Approval is often quick, but you need a registered business to pass it.
Vulta does not verify merchants. Sign up with an email, add a wallet and create a payment link. This is useful for freelancers and early-stage stores that don't have a company yet, or are based in a country most processors don't serve.
Card payments
Most crypto gateways only accept crypto. Vulta also lets your customers pay by card: a licensed card provider available in their country (Stripe, PayPal, Coinbase, Revolut, Transak, Banxa and others) processes the card and sends USDC to your wallet. You can even run a card-only checkout that never mentions crypto — see card payments for online stores.
When CoinGate is the better choice
- You are a registered EU company and want euros in a bank account automatically.
- You need fiat settlement and accounting handled by the gateway.
- You are happy to trade a percentage fee for that service.
When Vulta is the better choice
- You want 0% fees and predictable monthly costs.
- You want payments to go directly to your own wallet.
- You don't have a company, or don't want to go through business verification.
- Your customers prefer to pay by card.
You can start free — unlimited crypto payment links and two card-enabled links — and see all plans.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vulta cheaper than CoinGate?
For most merchants, yes. CoinGate's Standard plan takes 1% of each payment plus payout fees, so costs grow with sales. Vulta takes 0% of payments and charges a flat plan: Free, Pro at $20/month or Max at $49/month, each with a monthly volume allowance. At $5,000 a month CoinGate costs around $50 plus payouts; Vulta Pro costs $20.
Can I get euros in my bank account with Vulta?
Not directly. Vulta settles to your own crypto wallet, mostly in USDC. If you need fiat, you send the USDC to an exchange or off-ramp of your choice. If automatic bank settlement in euros is essential, CoinGate is built for that.
Do I need a company to use Vulta?
No. You sign up with an email address and start receiving payments. CoinGate requires business verification with company documents.
Is it safe that Vulta doesn't hold my money?
That's the point of a non-custodial design. Each payment is sent on-chain to an address you control, so there is no balance at Vulta that could be frozen, lost or delayed. You are responsible for keeping your own wallet secure.