Embedded vs. Integrated Payments: Which Strategy Will Future-Proof Your SaaS Platform?
Last updated at 07.22.25
In 2025, it’s no longer a question of if SaaS platforms should offer payments, it’s how they deliver them. With embedded finance continuing to redefine user expectations, the true competitive edge lies in owning the full payments experience. That’s where the distinction between embedded and integrated payments becomes critical.
Though the terms are often used interchangeably, the differences, especially around merchant onboarding and management; can significantly influence customer satisfaction, time-to-market, and long-term revenue. In fact, platforms that embed payments are now seeing 2x growth in payments revenue within just three months, according to EY’s 2024 research.
In this blog, we break down what sets embedded and integrated payments apart, and how to determine which model best positions your SaaS or platform business for scale in 2025 and beyond.
Key Takeaways
Embedded payments give platforms full control of the merchant experience, often using white-labeled onboarding and built-in compliance.
Integrated payments typically rely on third-party providers and off-platform onboarding, limiting control and branding.
EY's 2024 report shows that embedded payments can double revenue in 3 months by enhancing retention and monetization.
Embedded payments help SaaS companies diversify revenue streams and increase customer stickiness.
Choosing between embedded and integrated payments depends on your business goals, resources, and how much of the payments experience you want to own.
What’s the Difference Between Embedded and Integrated Payments?
Integrated Payments: A Connected Add-On Integrated payments refer to connecting a third-party payments service (usually via API) into your platform. You can enable your customers to accept payments; but the merchant onboarding, compliance, and management are typically handled by the payment provider.
You’re essentially “plugging in” someone else’s product to offer transaction capabilities. This model resembles the ISO/ISV setup and is faster to implement but limits brand control and user experience customization.
Embedded Payments: A Seamless Extension of Your Platform Embedded payments, by contrast, blend payments deeply into your platform’s user experience, often including:
A white-labeled onboarding flow
Custom merchant management tools
Fully branded transaction dashboards
In this model, payments become an integral part of your product’s core workflow, leading to higher user adoption, stronger platform stickiness, and new monetization layers. EY highlights that platforms embracing embedded payments are transforming from software vendors into revenue-generating PayFacs or PayFac-like providers, reshaping the embedded payments landscape.
Real-World Embedded Payment Examples
Meadow Pay: Meadow integrated Finix to build a fully embedded student billing and tuition payment experience. With white-labeled merchant onboarding and branded dashboards, Meadow Pay improved on-time tuition payments by 47%, with projected $120M+ in payment volume by 2025.
Vroom Delivery’s Pay360: Vroom moved from a legacy ISO-style setup to a deeply embedded payment flow powered by Finix. The result: 25% lower processing fees, 2× faster refunds, and a 33% drop in chargebacks, all while giving merchants a seamless, fully branded checkout and reconciliation experience.
These examples highlight the strategic advantage of embedding payments directly into your platform; where payments aren’t just an add-on, but a revenue engine and loyalty builder.
Embedded Payments in Action: A 2025 Analogy
Imagine you’re adding space to your home.
Integrated payments are like a prefabricated porch: it adds functionality but feels like an attachment.
Embedded payments are like a room addition that flows with the original floor plan: seamless, fully part of your home’s foundation.
Both improve your space; but only one drives the property value significantly higher.
Why are Embedded Payments Gaining Traction right now?
According to EY’s 2024 industry insights, embedded payments are evolving from back-office utilities to strategic growth engines. Here's why:
1. You Own the Experience
Merchant onboarding is the first touchpoint that sets the tone for your brand. Embedded payments allow you to:
Customize every step of onboarding
Build intuitive interfaces that drive faster adoption
Reduce drop-off from clunky third-party flows
2. You Unlock Revenue
Platforms with embedded payments can generate revenue from:
Interchange or processing markups
Value-added financial services (e.g., capital, cards)
With Finix, platforms have the flexibility to manage pricing, merchant splits, and even build full payment stacks without becoming a registered PayFac.
Shopify’s 2023 annual report showed over $90B in processed volume, largely driven by embedded payments. Toast similarly saw 118% YoY GPV growth. The message is clear: control = upside.
3. You Simplify Compliance & Risk
Through partners like Finix, platforms can embed KYC, AML, and fraud monitoring without taking on regulatory burden. This embedded approach balances compliance with speed to market, giving you peace of mind and operational efficiency.
4. You Future-Proof Your Product
In 2025, nearly 70% of platforms still see payments as a utility, according to EY. But platforms that embed payments are not only seeing increased user retention; they’re commanding higher valuations and partner interest across venture, PE, and enterprise buyers.
Embedded payments allow you to:
Launch new geographies or verticals quickly
Offer more holistic workflows (subscriptions, in-person, BNPL)
Stay ahead of feature parity in a competitive SaaS market
How to Implement Embedded Payments
What does Finix Offer?
Finix has evolved into the premier embedded payments platform for vertical SaaS, marketplaces, and modern platforms. Here's what sets us apart in 2025:
Unified Payments Infrastructure: One integration for online, in-person, and recurring payments.
White-Labeled Onboarding: Full control over branding, experience, and merchant flows.
Embedded Merchant Management Tools: Manage risk, reporting, and payouts all under your domain.
Flexible PayFac-as-a-Service or Tech-Only Models: Whether you want full control or fast launch, we offer both.
Real-Time Fraud Monitoring: Safeguard your merchants with built-in protection.
And you get it all backed by developer-first APIs, world-class support, and a track record of powering payments for high-growth platforms.
Want to go deeper? Explore how platforms using Finix doubled payments-based revenue in 90 days as cited by EY.
Final Thoughts: How can we think like a Product Leader?
As SaaS continues to eat the world, every product decision counts. The platforms winning in 2025 are those that own their payments stack, deliver delightful user experiences, and unlock financial upside.
EY’s latest research shows that while 40% of platforms haven’t embedded payments yet, the next generation of growth will be defined by those who do. (Read the full EY report)
Finix gives you the tools to move from passive payment integration to full-stack revenue enablement; quickly, securely, and beautifully.
Ready to embed payments and grow like never before?
Talk to us today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The key distinction lies in merchant management. Integrated payments allow your platform to connect to a third-party provider for transactions, but the onboarding and compliance are managed externally. Embedded payments, on the other hand, give you full control of the user experience, onboarding flow, and merchant management tools, making them a seamless part of your product. Learn more in this section.
According to EY’s 2024 report, embedded payments help platforms double their payments-based revenue within just three months. They also boost user retention, create stronger brand equity, and unlock new monetization models such as interchange, lending, and financial services.
Finix offers both options, but specializes in embedded payments. In 2025, Finix enables platforms to own the full merchant experience through a unified API, white-labeled onboarding, and real-time fraud detection. See what Finix offers.
Yes, but only to a limited extent. With integrated payments, most of the economic value is retained by the payment processor. With embedded payments, your platform controls pricing, margins, and fees, giving you full ownership of your payments revenue. Compare the models here.
While embedded payments can take slightly longer to implement than integrated models, Finix offers flexible solutions, including PayFac-as-a-Service and tech-only models; that balance speed and control. Most platforms can launch in weeks, not months. Talk to our team to find the best fit for your product.
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