HitPay Alternative
HitPay is strong for online sellers. Here’s how its rates, settlement time and support compare to Sambapay’s SMB program pricing for physical storefronts.
Written by François Savard
HitPay is a Singapore-based, MAS-licensed payment gateway and POS platform built for merchants who sell both online and in person, with strong e-commerce plugin support. If most of your volume is online, HitPay’s tooling has a real edge. If you run a physical storefront, especially a new business or one that hasn’t accepted cards before, Sambapay’s SMB program and direct support are worth comparing before you commit.
How does Sambapay compare to HitPay?
| Sambapay | HitPay | |
|---|---|---|
| POS hardware | PAX A920 Pro and PAX A930, Android-based smart terminals | HitPay POS terminals and Bluetooth card readers, run through a software dashboard |
| In-person domestic card rate | From 1.8 percent for merchants in their first year, or new to accepting Visa and Mastercard. Rates vary by card network otherwise | 2.5 percent, minimum S$0.20, domestic cards, standard rate for all merchants (HitPay transaction fee breakdown) |
| International or cross-border cards | Priced separately from domestic Visa, Mastercard, JCB, CUP and Amex, exact rate confirmed at quote | Not separately published for in-person; HitPay’s online international rate is 3.65 percent + S$0.50, plus a 2 percent foreign currency fee (HitPay pricing) |
| Monthly and setup fees | No recurring monthly fees. Setup and terminal costs can be waived for qualifying merchants | No monthly subscription, no setup fee (HitPay pricing) |
| Settlement | T+1 business day | Card payments settle T+1 business day domestically; cross-border settles T+2 (HitPay online payment guide) |
| Support and maintenance | Direct account contact (confirm current SLA at onboarding) | Self-service dashboard with support channels via chat, WhatsApp and email |
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Both providers price by card type rather than a single flat number, worth saying plainly rather than implying otherwise. HitPay’s standard domestic in-person rate (2.5 percent) applies to every merchant regardless of how long they’ve been trading. Sambapay’s edge is the SMB program: a business in its first year, or accepting Visa and Mastercard for the first time, gets a rate starting from 1.8 percent, lower than HitPay’s standard rate. Outside that program, Sambapay’s rate depends on card network mix the same way HitPay’s does, and the only way to get an exact number is a real quote. Settlement and monthly fees now land close to identical between the two, so the SMB eligibility and the fee waivers are where the real difference sits.
What does HitPay offer Singapore merchants?
HitPay is a Singapore-based fintech that started in 2016 as an e-wallet before pivoting in 2018 to an SME-facing POS and payment gateway platform (TechCrunch, 2022). It raised a USD 15.75 million Series A led by Tiger Global in 2022 and now serves more than 20,000 businesses across Southeast Asia (HitPay Singapore). HitPay is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore under the Payment Services Act (licence PS20200643) and operates on a pay-per-transaction model with no monthly subscription or setup fee (HitPay online payment guide).
The platform covers a wide range of payment methods in one dashboard: cards, PayNow, GrabPay, ShopeePay, mobile wallets, and cross-border options like Alipay and WeChat Pay, along with plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce and Xero. New merchant accounts are typically approved within one to three business days, with no minimum processing volume required (HitPay Adyen comparison).
What should you compare before choosing a provider?
The rate structure, not just the headline number. A single low domestic rate looks appealing until your card mix includes international or premium cards priced separately. Add up what you’d actually pay across a real month of transactions, not just the cheapest line on the pricing page.
Whether you need software tools or a service relationship. HitPay is built as a self-service platform, you configure it yourself through a dashboard. That suits a merchant comfortable managing settings and reading documentation. A provider with a named point of contact suits a merchant who’d rather call someone when something needs fixing.
Who handles the hardware. A terminal that stops working during service hours is a lost sale. Check whether replacement or repair goes through a live support channel or a self-service ticket queue, and how long that actually takes in practice.
Whether an introductory or eligibility-based rate applies to you. Some providers offer a lower rate to new businesses or first-time card acceptors. Ask directly whether you qualify and what the rate becomes once that period or eligibility ends.
Why some merchants run two payment providers
Relying on a single payment processor, any processor, carries some operational risk. Self-service fintech platforms use automated risk systems that can place a hold on funds or flag an account for review, which is standard practice across the industry and not unique to any one provider. A terminal or dashboard outage during trading hours is also not something any single provider can promise will never happen.
Keeping a second payment method live, even a simple backup terminal, means a hold, an outage or a contract dispute with one provider doesn’t stop you from taking payment entirely. This is worth considering as a resilience measure regardless of which provider is your primary.
Where Sambapay fits in
Sambapay is a Singapore-based Independent Sales Organisation for card payment processing, built on a direct, long-term partnership with a Fortune 500 payment infrastructure provider. Merchants in their first year of operation, or new to accepting Visa and Mastercard, get rates from 1.8 percent through the SMB program. There are no recurring monthly fees, setup and terminal costs can be waived for qualifying merchants, settlement is T+1, and support runs through a direct point of contact rather than a ticketing queue. Sambapay offers the A920 Pax terminal.
If you’re comparing HitPay against other options for your physical storefront, the fastest way to see where you actually stand is a free Payment Cost Review. Get a free Payment Cost Review and see your real card mix compared against Sambapay’s rates before you decide anything.
FAQ
Is HitPay better for online sellers or physical stores? HitPay covers both, but its plugin ecosystem (Shopify, WooCommerce, Xero) and API give it a real advantage for merchants who sell mostly online or across multiple channels. For a business built around a physical counter, that flexibility matters less than a straightforward in-person rate.
Does Sambapay charge more for international or corporate cards? Like most providers, including HitPay, Sambapay’s rate varies by card network. International cards and e-wallets are priced separately from domestic Visa, Mastercard, JCB, CUP and Amex. What’s different is the SMB program rate and the fee waivers available to qualifying merchants.
Can I use HitPay for online sales and Sambapay for my physical counter? Yes, plenty of merchants run different tools for different channels. There’s no requirement to consolidate everything under one provider, and doing so is a reasonable way to reduce reliance on any single platform.
This article is general information, not financial or legal advice. Processing rates, fees and terms can change. Confirm current rates and terms directly with Sambapay, and verify any competitor details independently before making a decision. HitPay is a trademark of HitPay Payment Solutions Pte Ltd. Sambapay is not affiliated with HitPay.