Last updated: November 2026
Quick answer: For custom payment gateway and PSP builds in 2027, Softjourn and The Software House lead on payments-specific engineering, Praxent suits US financial services firms, Teamvoy and DeepInspire are focused payments teams from Ukraine, and Intellias, DataArt, ELEKS, Vention and Netguru bring scale for larger payment platforms. Before you build, be sure a custom gateway is worth it: white-label gateways and orchestration platforms cover many use cases faster.
| Company | Base | Specialty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softjourn | United States and Ukraine | Card and payment processing software | Card programs and processors |
| The Software House | Poland | Payment orchestration and multi-PSP routing | Fintechs running several payment rails |
| Praxent | United States | Financial services software | US banks, lenders and insurers |
| Teamvoy | Ukraine | Custom payment processing and integrations | Startups building their first gateway |
| DeepInspire | Ukraine | PSP and fintech platform development | Companies launching a PSP |
| Intellias | Ukraine | Payments platform engineering at scale | Scaling payment companies |
| DataArt | United States | Payments and banking engineering | Complex enterprise payment systems |
| ELEKS | Ukraine | Financial software and data | Payment analytics and risk |
| Vention | United States | Dedicated payments engineering teams | Teams adding senior capacity |
| Netguru | Poland | Checkout and payment product design | Consumer payment experiences |
Softjourn has focused on payments since 2001, building processing, card issuing and prepaid systems. It fits processors and card programs that need people who already know the card networks.
The Software House builds payment orchestration layers and routing engines for fintechs that connect several providers. It suits teams that need smart routing, retries and failover rather than a single gateway.
Praxent is an Austin-based firm that focuses almost entirely on financial services, including payment portals and lending software. It fits US institutions that want a domestic, finance-only partner.
Teamvoy builds custom payment processing software and gateway integrations, with a fixed-scope option for defined projects. It suits startups that want a clear scope and budget for a first payment product.
DeepInspire builds fintech and payment platforms and publishes detailed guidance on starting a payment processing company. It fits founders launching a PSP who need product and engineering together.
Intellias brings large engineering teams to payment and banking platforms. It suits established payment companies adding new rails, markets or products.
DataArt’s long financial services track record covers payments, banking and trading. It fits enterprises integrating payments into complex existing systems.
ELEKS combines financial software development with data engineering and AI, useful for fraud scoring, reconciliation and analytics around a gateway.
Vention provides dedicated engineering teams that plug into your product organization, a fit for payment companies that own the roadmap.
Netguru pairs product design with engineering, useful when conversion at checkout matters as much as the processing behind it.
Integrating an existing PSP costs far less than building one. A custom gateway makes sense when you plan to become a PSP, need routing control across providers, or have volumes where fees justify the build.
Ask how they scope cardholder data environments, tokenization and audits. See our list of PCI DSS compliance tools for fintech.
A gateway is only as useful as its connections. Ask which acquirers, card networks and local payment methods they have integrated.
Payment systems need monitoring, incident response and constant provider updates. Agree on support and ownership up front.
We assessed firms on payments-specific delivery, PSP and gateway experience, compliance knowledge and team scale, using company materials, public reviews and independent comparisons. No company paid to appear on this list.
Integrating an existing provider can cost a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars; a custom gateway with processing, security and reconciliation can run from tens of thousands into the hundreds of thousands or more.
A gateway connects a merchant to one processor. Orchestration sits above several gateways and routes each payment to the best one. See the best payment orchestration platforms.
Often, for new PSPs. White-label gateways shorten time to market; a custom build gives more control and better long-term economics at scale.
Commonly many months to over a year, depending on integrations and certification.
Building a payment gateway is an infrastructure decision, not a feature. Choose a partner with payments case studies close to yours, and test the build-versus-buy question before you commit.