Authorize.net Review 2024: Pricing, Features, Alternatives

You can sign up for Authorize.net’s payment gateway by phone, via the company’s online form or through a reseller.
Kelsey Sheehy
By Kelsey Sheehy 
Updated
Edited by Ryan Lane

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

What is Authorize.net?

Authorize.net is a Visa-owned payment gateway provider that helps businesses accept credit cards and electronic payments. Authorize.net offers an all-in-one plan — a merchant account plus a payment gateway — or a gateway-only option. Both have a monthly fee; transaction fees with the combined plan are similar to competitors.

Businesses that use Authorize.net can accept all major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and electronic checks. The company offers 24/7 customer support.

Pros

Cons

  • Transparent, flat-rate pricing.

  • No contracts or early termination fees.

  • 24/7 customer support through phone, chat or online form.

  • All-in-one option includes a third-party merchant account.

  • Outdated user interface on the administrative website.

  • Signing up directly through Authorize.net may be more expensive than going through your merchant services provider.

  • Merchant account isn’t directly with Authorize.net.

Advertisement
NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5

Payment processing fees 

0.40% + 8¢

plus interchange, in-person; 0.50% + 25¢ plus interchange, online.

Payment processing fees 

2.6% + 10¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Payment processing fees 

2.7% + 5¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee 

$0

Monthly fee 

$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Monthly fee 

$0

Authorize.net fees

Authorize.net has two plans: all-in-one and payment gateway only. Transaction fees with the all-in-one plan are on par with other competitors, such as Square and Stripe. But those providers do not charge a monthly service fee.

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction for a merchant account plus a gateway.

  • 10 cents per transaction plus 10 cent daily batch fee for a payment gateway only.

  • Electronic checks (ACH payments) are billed separately at 0.75% per transaction.

Authorize.net features

All Authorize.net accounts include the following features at no additional cost:

  • Advanced fraud detection: Built-in fraud detection tool that automatically identifies suspicious transactions and sketchy IP addresses. It can be configured based on your business needs.

  • Customer information manager: Allows customers to save payment and shipping information so they don’t need to reenter it for future orders.

  • Recurring payments: Enables installment payments and automatic monthly billing for subscription-based services.

  • Invoicing: Send custom digital invoices to customers through email and view reports to see invoices drafted, sent, paid and canceled.

Benefits of Authorize.net

24/7 customer support

Support is available around the clock, with one notable exception: The company’s support center is closed on major holidays. Authorize.net customers can also get help through online chat or use the eTicket system.

Opportunity to streamline

The all-in-one plan comes with a merchant account, which could help keep things organized, less spread out and take less time to set up. However, the merchant account is through a third party, so you may have another relationship to manage.

Transparent rates, no hidden fees

Authorize.net is upfront with its pricing, which is uncommon among gateway providers. That price transparency is a huge plus for small businesses that want some idea of what things will cost without having to endure a sales pitch or time on hold.

Drawbacks of Authorize.net

Outdated user interface

While Authorize.net is easy to use and implement, the backend leaves much to be desired. Multiple users note that the administrative website (the one merchants interact with) is cluttered, outdated and nonintuitive.

More expensive to sign up through Authorize.net

You can acquire Authorize.net’s gateway service directly or go through a third-party reseller, like Dharma Merchant Services, Total Merchant Services or PaymentCloud. And it turns out, working through the go-between may be the less expensive option.

Dharma Merchant Services charges $10 per month and 5 cents per transaction for Authorize.net’s gateway, compared with $25 per month and 10 cents per transaction if you sign up directly with Authorize.net.

How to set up an Authorize.net account

There are three ways to sign up for Authorize.net’s payment gateway:

  1. Over the phone.

  2. Through the company’s online form.

  3. Through a reseller.

Gateways are just one piece of the payment-processing puzzle, though. You’ll need a merchant services account to accept payments.

If you already have a merchant account, consider Authorize.net’s gateway-only plan.

  • You’ll need to provide details about yourself and your business, including your Social Security number and date of birth, as well as your company’s name, address and website. You can also sign up through your merchant account provider, which may be less expensive.

If you don’t have a merchant account, Authorize.net offers an all-in-one plan that combines its gateway services with a third-party merchant services provider.

  • Signing up for the all-in-one plan requires a bit more detail, including business checking account information and personal details (name, address, date of birth and Social Security number) for all business owners with at least a 25% stake in the business.

Alternatives to Authorize.net

Stripe

Stripe is an all-in-one solution with rates comparable with Authorize.net, minus the monthly service fee. Plus, Stripe handles everything — the gateway, processing and merchant account — in-house.

Payment processing:

  • 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.

  • 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.

  • 4.4% plus 30 cents for international card transactions.

Why we like it: Stripe has monthly service fee and it's fully customizable, so you can build your own payment experience. It also has the ability to sell through an app, email or social media. However, you may need a developer to take full advantage of Stripe’s features.

Braintree

Payment processing:

  • 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction for credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets.

  • 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only).

  • 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5). Discounts available for enterprise businesses.

Why we like it: Braintree supports more payment options than its competitors — in part because it’s owned by PayPal — so companies can accept PayPal and Venmo, plus all major credit cards and digital wallets. Braintree is a full-service option, with gateway, processing and merchant account functions under one roof. There are no setup fees or monthly service fees, unless you opt for gateway only. However, it's not set up to support traditional brick-and-mortar operations.

Best Payment Processing Companies
ProductPayment processing feesMonthly feeLearn more
Helcim

Helcim

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Helcim's website

0.40% + 8¢ 

plus interchange, in-person; 0.50% + 25¢ plus interchange, online.

$0 
Learn more

on Helcim's website

Square

Square

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Square's website

2.6% + 10¢ 

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

$0 

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Learn more

on Square's website

Stripe

Stripe Payments

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Stripe's website

2.7% + 5¢ 

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

$0 
Learn more

on Stripe's website

Stax by Fattmerchant

Stax by Fattmerchant

NerdWallet Rating 
4.0
Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's website

0% + $0.08 

Plus interchange

$99 

and up.

Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's website