Google Checkout… an alternative to Paypal?
Well after much deliberation, Google Checkout has been launched in the UK. The payment facility has been available in the US since June 2006 and has been a long awaited alternative to Paypal for the UK market.
Google are clearly looking to put a dent in Paypal’s huge customer base by offering a free service until 2008. Having said this Google Checkout only allows customer-to-merchant transactions. Unlike Paypal, who also allow individuals to transfer money.
The pricing structure for the basic service is also very similar to Paypal’s but seems to be more competitive. They are also introducing an Adwords promotion to help cross sell their services.
| Name | Percentage charge | Additional cost per transaction |
| Google Checkout | 1.5 % | £0.15 GBP |
| Paypal | 3.4% | £0.20 GBP |