9 Best Payment Processing Companies of October 2025

We looked at more than 25 payment processing companies to find the best options. Our top picks not only have fair rates. They also offer useful features, helpful customer service and solid integrations.
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Best all-in-one payments service
Square
Best all-in-one payments service

Square

Square

on Square's website

250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
Objective and comprehensive payment processing ratings rubric . (Learn more about our star ratings.)
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Best all-in-one payments service

Square

Best for Flat-rate option for brick-and-mortar businesses

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

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

on Square's website

Best all-in-one payments service

Square

Best for Flat-rate option for brick-and-mortar businesses

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

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

on Square's website

Helcim

Best for Volume discounts

Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$0

on Helcim's website

Helcim

Best for Volume discounts

Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$0

on Helcim's website

Chase Payment Solutions℠

Best for Direct processor

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.25

Monthly fee
$0

for in-person payments; $9.95 and up for e-commerce payments.

on Chase's website

Chase Payment Solutions℠

Best for Direct processor

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.25

Monthly fee
$0

for in-person payments; $9.95 and up for e-commerce payments.

on Chase's website

Stripe

Best for Online, international transactions

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.7% + $0.05
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

on Stripe's website

Stripe

Best for Online, international transactions

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.7% + $0.05
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

on Stripe's website

U.S. Bank Merchant Services

Best for Quick deposits

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

and up.

on U.S. Bank's website, Member FDIC

U.S. Bank Merchant Services

Best for Quick deposits

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

and up.

on U.S. Bank's website, Member FDIC

Finix

4.8

 

Best for Overall subscription-based processor

Payment processing fees
In-person: 0% + $0.08
Online: 0% + $0.15

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$79

and up.

on Finix's website

Finix

Best for Overall subscription-based processor

4.8

 
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0% + $0.08
Online: 0% + $0.15

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$79

and up.

on Finix's website

Shopify Payments

Best for E-commerce platform integration

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$39

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

on Shopify's website

Shopify Payments

Best for E-commerce platform integration

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$39

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

on Shopify's website

National Processing

Best for Low flat-rate processing

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$15

for Basic In-Person Package.

on National Processing's website

National Processing

Best for Low flat-rate processing

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$15

for Basic In-Person Package.

on National Processing's website

PayPal

Best for Alternative payment methods

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 2.89% + $0.49

Monthly fee
$0

Standard; $5 Payments Advanced; $30 Payments Pro.

on PayPal's website

PayPal

Best for Alternative payment methods

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 2.89% + $0.49

Monthly fee
$0

Standard; $5 Payments Advanced; $30 Payments Pro.

on PayPal's website

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How we choose the best payment processing companies

Our writers and editors analyze more than 30 data points for each payment processing company we rate. This includes details about:
  • Overall cost: We don’t consider just payment processing fees (for both in-person and online transactions). We also look at POS system costs and additional fees for PCI compliance, setup, chargebacks and account termination. All of these prices should be clearly disclosed on the provider’s website. 
  • Capabilities: We recommend payment processors that offer POS software and hardware in-house. Additionally, they should be able to process a variety of payment types and methods (e.g., digital wallets, credit and debit cards, invoice and e-commerce transactions). We also consider deposit timing and integrations with accounting software and shopping carts. 
  • Customer friendliness: Payment processors must offer phone, chat or email support at a minimum. We give extra points to providers with 24/7 support. Ideally, they offer free trials and month-to-month subscriptions, too. 
We speak with company representatives and fact-check these data points regularly to ensure accuracy.
Payment processing companies must earn at least 4 stars to make our list.
Payment processors with 5 stars are outstanding. They offer competitive in-person and online processing rates, built-in POS system features and free software plans. Plus, they can accommodate a variety of business types. 
Payment processors with 4.0 to 4.9 stars are great to excellent. Typically, they have competitive pricing and robust POS features. However, they may have longer-term contracts or fall short when it comes to integrations and/or pricing transparency.
Payment processors with 3.0 to 3.9 stars may be good for specific types of businesses, but typically aren’t a universally great fit. Whereas 4-star processors are lacking in just a few areas, these processors fall short in more categories.
Payment processors with 2.9 stars or fewer don’t offer competitive rates or include the same core POS features that competitors do. We usually don’t recommend these products for small businesses.

What payment processing companies we consider

NerdWallet’s editorial team has evaluated more than 25 payment processing companies. Our focus is on big names in various industries, like retail and e-commerce. We also look at companies that offer both payment processing services and POS systems, like Shopify and Square.
In some cases, we’ll review popular payment gateways and payment transfer services, like Braintree and Venmo, too.
Ultimately, our writers and editors choose which payment processing companies to cover. We base these decisions on conversations with business owners, online trends and other research.
Our writers and editors have covered or considered these payment processing companies:
Adyen. Amazon Pay. Authorize.net. Braintree. Cash App. Chase Payment Solutions. Clover. Dharma Merchant Services. Finix. Helcim. National Processing. Payanywhere. Payline Data. Paymentcloud. Payment Depot. Payoneer. PayPal. Paysafe. QuickBooks Payments. Shopify Payments. Square. SumUp. Stax. Stripe. U.S. Bank Merchant Services. Venmo. VizyPay. Worldpay. Zelle.

How we keep our picks up to date

NerdWallet has a full-time team of small-business writers and editors. Here's how they monitor the payment processing company landscape:
  • Reviewing data points regularly: We do a full audit annually. This involves fact-checking product info and reaching out to providers if needed. Some updates happen off-cycle. We make those changes as soon as they happen.
  • Assessing usability: We lurk on Reddit and other social channels, and our team frequently interviews business owners. We ask what payment processing companies they use and why. When possible, we also schedule product demos with company representatives. 
  • Following news and trends: The market for payment processing companies is always evolving. For example, Stripe introduced a new integration with OpenAI that lets customers make purchases within ChatGPT. We rely on Google Alerts, emails from PR reps and more to stay informed.

💬 From our Nerds: Convenience can be worth the cost

"Price point is one of the most important considerations you’ll make when comparing payment processing companies, but convenience is paramount, too. My husband is opening a brewery this year, and I ultimately recommended he choose Square as his payment processor.
"Its pricing is certainly competitive — but not necessarily the least expensive. However, employees will likely be familiar with its software, meaning there will be less of a learning curve. And it has a solid line of POS hardware options, so he’ll only need to deal with one company for the brewery’s payments needs. Time is money, and Square’s convenience will hopefully save him enough time to make it worth the cost.
"The most convenient payment processing companies for your business should integrate with your accounting software, offer POS hardware options that are a good fit for your needs and have easy-to-use POS software. And I highly recommend testing that software before you commit."
Blonde, Hair, Person
Hillary Crawford, lead writer covering small business

What is a payment processing company?

Payment processing companies work behind the scenes to facilitate card transactions and move funds from your customer's card account to your merchant account. While there are several steps to this process, it all takes place within a matter of seconds. Funds are typically available to the merchant within a day or two.
In addition to their core function, payment processing companies may fulfill additional merchant services by providing POS hardware, POS software and merchant accounts all under the same roof. Most of them also offer invoicing options, reporting dashes and tools for fraud protection and PCI compliance.

How to choose the best payment processing company

To narrow down your options, start by following these steps:

1. Decide whether you want an individual merchant account or PSP

Dedicated merchant account providers and payment service providers (PSPs) have their pros and cons. The former sets you up with your own account. The latter pools multiple businesses’ card funds into a shared account.
PSPs, like Square or Stripe, let you start accepting payments almost instantaneously. They’re convenient all-in-one solutions for businesses just getting up and running.
Other payment processing companies, like National Processing, offer payment processing services plus individual merchant accounts. Businesses with individual merchant accounts are less susceptible to account freezes, but the setup and approval process can take longer.

2. Confirm that it works with your POS system

Lots of payment processing companies offer their own in-house POS systems or sell ones from providers like Clover. In fact, there’s quite a bit of overlap between our picks for best POS systems and best payment processing companies. If your business handles in-person sales, make sure your payment processing company offers countertop POS setups, card readers and any other accessories you might need (e.g., barcode scanners, receipt printers).

3. Make sure pricing is competitive

It can be hard to wrap your head around just how quickly credit card processing fees add up. Confirm that your payment processing company has competitive rates for both in-person and online transactions. They should look something like this:
  • In-person processing rates: 2.6% plus 15 cents or less. 
  • Online processing rates: 2.9% plus 30 cents or less. 

4. Look for quick deposit times

Deposit timing has a direct impact on your business’s cash flow. Do you need your credit card funds by the next business day or can your business typically wait two full days? Verify how long each of your top picks takes to deposit those funds into your business’s bank account where they’re accessible.

5. Make sure it accommodates online and in-person transactions

Your payment processing company should specialize in processing the type of transaction your business confronts most often, whether that’s in-person, online or both. We don’t recommend using separate processors for each transaction type. It can make it significantly more difficult to predict payouts and track processing costs.

6. Check for extra hidden costs

Some payment processing companies charge extra for things like PCI compliance, setup, chargebacks and account terminations. This isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. But ideally, PCI compliance and setup costs are included for free and contracts are month-to-month.
Last updated on October 2, 2025

Methodology

NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.