Self-Hosted Crypto Payment Processors: BTCPay Server, Bitcart, and SHKeeper Compared

If your business wants to accept cryptocurrency payments, you have two choices. Use a third-party processor like BitPay or Coinbase Commerce, which charge platform fees on top of network fees, require KYC verification, and hold your funds in a custodial wallet. Or self-host a crypto payment gateway, which keeps you in full control of your keys, charges zero platform fees (network fees still apply), and requires no identity verification. Here is how the three leading self-hosted options compare.

BTCPay Server: The Bitcoin Standard

BTCPay Server is the most established self-hosted crypto payment processor, with 7,700 GitHub stars, 9,100 commits, and backing from the BTCPay Server Foundation. It is Bitcoin-first and supports on-chain Bitcoin payments and Lightning Network payments for near-instant, near-zero-fee transactions.

BTCPay Server is non-custodial: payments go directly to your wallet, and you control the private keys. It includes built-in apps for point-of-sale, crowdfunding campaigns, donation buttons, and invoice management. It supports multi-tenant setups so you can share one instance across multiple stores or businesses. It integrates with WooCommerce, Shopify, Drupal, Magento, and PrestaShop. Deployment is via Docker Compose with comprehensive documentation.

BTCPay Server is MIT licensed and Bitcoin-only. If you only need Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments, it is the best choice. If you need multi-currency support including stablecoins, you need Bitcart or SHKeeper alongside it.

Bitcart: Multi-Currency with Python

Bitcart is a Python-based, multi-currency payment processor supporting 50-plus cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, USDT, USDC, and many more. It is modular by design, with separate daemons per cryptocurrency that can be enabled or disabled based on your needs.

Bitcart includes a merchant API (FastAPI), an admin panel, a ready-to-use store frontend, and a Python SDK for custom integrations. It deploys via Docker Compose with PostgreSQL. With 968 GitHub stars and an MIT license, it is maintained by a community of contributors. For businesses that need to accept multiple cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, Bitcart provides a clean, Python-native option.

SHKeeper: Stablecoins and Plugins by VSYS Host

SHKeeper is built and maintained by VSYS Host, a hosting provider. It supports 19-plus cryptocurrencies and stands out for its stablecoin coverage: USDT and USDC across ERC20, TRC20, BEP-20, Polygon, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Optimism, and TON networks, plus PYUSD on ERC20 and Solana.

SHKeeper provides free plugins for WooCommerce and WHMCS. It is non-custodial, requires no KYC, and charges no transaction fees. Features include auto-withdrawals to cold wallets, partial payments, overpayment crediting, and customisable exchange rates. Deployable via Docker, Kubernetes, or cloud. The open-source version is free. A paid Advanced plan at 2,000 US dollars per year includes setup, integration, and support from VSYS Host.

Quick Comparison

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose BTCPay Server if you only need Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments, want the most mature and widely-deployed solution, and prefer the backing of an established foundation. It is the gold standard for Bitcoin payments.

Choose Bitcart if you need multi-currency support with a clean Python codebase, want the flexibility of a modular architecture, and prefer a solution with fewer resource requirements for multi-currency setups.

Choose SHKeeper if you need stablecoin support across multiple networks, want free WooCommerce and WHMCS plugins out of the box, or prefer the option of paid support from a hosting provider. It is the best choice for businesses that primarily transact in USDT or USDC.

None of them charge platform fees. Note: blockchain network fees (Bitcoin miner fees, Ethereum gas) still apply and go to the network, not to the payment processor. All three are self-hosted, non-custodial, and require no KYC. The choice comes down to which currencies your customers use and which e-commerce platform you run.

VPS1 deploys all three crypto payment processors. We handle the Docker setup, wallet configuration, SSL, and plugin integration. You start accepting crypto payments with zero fees from day one.