These are the biggest disadvantages of paying with iDEAL

Paying with iDEAL is of course very nice and easy. But there are also a few disadvantages to paying with iDEAL.

These are the biggest disadvantages of paying with iDEAL

iDEAL is often the easiest way to pay at (Dutch) web shops. You choose iDEAL, select your bank and can then pay via the app or internet banking.

Almost all major Dutch banks are affiliated with this payment system. You pay no transaction costs and payment is super fast. The system will change somewhat in 2025, but the idea remains the same. However, there are now some disadvantages to paying with iDEAL.

1. Foreign stores do not always offer iDEAL

At Dutch stores it is often no problem to pay with iDEAL. But when you want to buy something from an online store abroad, there is often no iDEAL option. You usually have the choice of paying with a credit card or PayPal account.

Even if you have a foreign account, it is not possible to use iDEAL. You must therefore have an account with a Dutch bank for this.

2. Reclaiming money is not possible

It is not possible to reverse a payment with an iDEAL payment. If you agree to the iDEAL payment within your internet or mobile banking environment, this action cannot be undone. Reclaiming is not possible.

If you still want to try to get money back with a payment, you may still be able to contact your bank. But then the question remains whether they can do anything for you.

Other options to pay online

As you can see, paying with iDEAL also has a few disadvantages. Fortunately, there are alternatives that you can use. For example, do you want to buy something from a website abroad? Then it is often easier to use a credit card or a PayPal account. In any case, you can reclaim a payment quite easily with PayPal. With a credit card this is a bit more difficult with some providers, but it is often possible.

Don’t forget that paying with a credit card or PayPal also comes with its own disadvantages. For example, you sometimes have to pay transaction costs for certain purchases. Furthermore, you should not forget that you often have to pay annually for a credit card.

iDeal becomes Wero

Wero is the new European payment service that will soon replace iDEAL. This service, launched by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), is the result of a collaboration between 16 European banks and payment institutions. Wero is designed as a kind of digital wallet for consumers and businesses across Europe.

Wero offers many payment options, such as managing subscriptions, paying in installments and booking services. Wero is trying to compete with giants such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. In addition, Wero makes cross-border payments within Europe faster and easier.