The cheapest payment gateways charge competitive rates for online transactions. Our top picks keep other costs low, too. Most have free POS software. Some save you on services like shipping or bank transfers.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
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.
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.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements
that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and
services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the
exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect
which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
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.
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.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements
that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and
services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the
exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect
which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us
when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not
influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Ability to use Square to build a website from scratch, or use Square Checkout as the payment page for your existing site.
Transparent pricing structure with no contract or cancellation fees.
Square also supports in-person sales with its capable POS system.
Cons
Limited options for international payments.
If you don’t use Square or other supported ecommerce sites to host your website, Square likely won’t work for you.
Square doesn’t lock you into a contract, offers free POS software and sells reasonably priced hardware. This combination of features and overall low barrier to entry makes it a safe bet for new businesses. Plus, it can accommodate a range of industries from food and beverage to retail to professional services.
Each of Square’s plans — including its free one — gives you access to an online store with a built-in payment gateway. You can accept payments that way or opt to use its free mobile card reader to make sales in person. Square also lets you integrate its payment gateway into your business’s mobile app (if it has one).
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Unlike flat-rate processors, Helcim passes interchange savings to the merchant. And it has volume discounts for businesses processing more than $50,000 each month. The best part is that, aside from processing costs, it’s free.
Helcim lets you customize a free online store and use its integrated payment gateway to set up a checkout flow for customers. You can also embed its checkout option in an existing website or send payment links via email. Helcim lets businesses sell on social media and set up subscriptions, too.
In January 2026, the company launched a Payment Extension feature that allows you to use Helcim to process payments in other software programs. For example, you could use the browser extension to process a customer’s invoice payment in QuickBooks.
Shopify is built for e-commerce businesses first. Its monthly POS plans aren’t the cheapest, but they offer savings that lots of competitors don’t.
Shopify stands out, in particular, for its shipping discounts. The lowest-tier Basic plan gives you a discount up to 77%. This is huge for online businesses that mail products to their customers. Its Advanced plan increases those savings to up to 88%. Plus, it gives you access to rates as low as 2.5% plus 30 cents per online transaction. That’s hard to beat.
Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Doesn’t sell full countertop POS setups; hardware is limited to handheld terminals and card readers.
Deposits can take up to two business days.
No phone or email support.
If you’re really picky about how your business’s checkout page looks and don’t mind doing some coding, Stripe is a great fit. You can use Stripe Payment Elements to build your own flow or opt for Checkout, which has a prebuilt form and requires less coding. Its payment gateway is built in.
Another perk is Stripe’s global reach. It supports more than 135 currencies, allowing you to sell to customers in other countries.
Using your bank as your processor makes deposits convenient.
Cons
Some hardware pricing is not readily available.
Chase’s Business Complete checking account comes with a $15 monthly service fee for some merchants.
Chase Payment Solutions uses Authorize.net as a payment gateway for online sales. Its monthly fee starts at $9.95, but it does offer slightly lower online rates (2.9% plus 25 cents) than most competitors.
Despite that cost, we think Chase’s quick deposits could be worth it for businesses with tight cash flow. Merchants with a Chase business account get access to free same-day deposits six days per week (Sunday - Friday). Competitors typically charge extra for this.
Subscription model can help high-volume businesses save money.
Transparent fee breakdowns.
24/7 emergency phone and email support.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Limited POS hardware options.
Lacks direct accounting software integrations.
Finix charges a monthly subscription fee in exchange for low interchange-plus rates. This seems expensive upfront, but it can be one of the cheapest options for higher-volume and midsize businesses.
You can embed Finix’s payment gateway into an existing website or integrate Finix with e-commerce platforms, like WooCommerce. Other choices include prebuilt checkout pages and more customizable solutions for people with developer experience.
Ability to use Square to build a website from scratch, or use Square Checkout as the payment page for your existing site.
Transparent pricing structure with no contract or cancellation fees.
Square also supports in-person sales with its capable POS system.
Cons
Limited options for international payments.
If you don’t use Square or other supported ecommerce sites to host your website, Square likely won’t work for you.
Square doesn’t lock you into a contract, offers free POS software and sells reasonably priced hardware. This combination of features and overall low barrier to entry makes it a safe bet for new businesses. Plus, it can accommodate a range of industries from food and beverage to retail to professional services.
Each of Square’s plans — including its free one — gives you access to an online store with a built-in payment gateway. You can accept payments that way or opt to use its free mobile card reader to make sales in person. Square also lets you integrate its payment gateway into your business’s mobile app (if it has one).
Ability to use Square to build a website from scratch, or use Square Checkout as the payment page for your existing site.
Transparent pricing structure with no contract or cancellation fees.
Square also supports in-person sales with its capable POS system.
Cons
Limited options for international payments.
If you don’t use Square or other supported ecommerce sites to host your website, Square likely won’t work for you.
Square doesn’t lock you into a contract, offers free POS software and sells reasonably priced hardware. This combination of features and overall low barrier to entry makes it a safe bet for new businesses. Plus, it can accommodate a range of industries from food and beverage to retail to professional services.
Each of Square’s plans — including its free one — gives you access to an online store with a built-in payment gateway. You can accept payments that way or opt to use its free mobile card reader to make sales in person. Square also lets you integrate its payment gateway into your business’s mobile app (if it has one).
Ability to use Square to build a website from scratch, or use Square Checkout as the payment page for your existing site.
Transparent pricing structure with no contract or cancellation fees.
Square also supports in-person sales with its capable POS system.
Cons
Limited options for international payments.
If you don’t use Square or other supported ecommerce sites to host your website, Square likely won’t work for you.
Square doesn’t lock you into a contract, offers free POS software and sells reasonably priced hardware. This combination of features and overall low barrier to entry makes it a safe bet for new businesses. Plus, it can accommodate a range of industries from food and beverage to retail to professional services.
Each of Square’s plans — including its free one — gives you access to an online store with a built-in payment gateway. You can accept payments that way or opt to use its free mobile card reader to make sales in person. Square also lets you integrate its payment gateway into your business’s mobile app (if it has one).
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Unlike flat-rate processors, Helcim passes interchange savings to the merchant. And it has volume discounts for businesses processing more than $50,000 each month. The best part is that, aside from processing costs, it’s free.
Helcim lets you customize a free online store and use its integrated payment gateway to set up a checkout flow for customers. You can also embed its checkout option in an existing website or send payment links via email. Helcim lets businesses sell on social media and set up subscriptions, too.
In January 2026, the company launched a Payment Extension feature that allows you to use Helcim to process payments in other software programs. For example, you could use the browser extension to process a customer’s invoice payment in QuickBooks.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Unlike flat-rate processors, Helcim passes interchange savings to the merchant. And it has volume discounts for businesses processing more than $50,000 each month. The best part is that, aside from processing costs, it’s free.
Helcim lets you customize a free online store and use its integrated payment gateway to set up a checkout flow for customers. You can also embed its checkout option in an existing website or send payment links via email. Helcim lets businesses sell on social media and set up subscriptions, too.
In January 2026, the company launched a Payment Extension feature that allows you to use Helcim to process payments in other software programs. For example, you could use the browser extension to process a customer’s invoice payment in QuickBooks.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Unlike flat-rate processors, Helcim passes interchange savings to the merchant. And it has volume discounts for businesses processing more than $50,000 each month. The best part is that, aside from processing costs, it’s free.
Helcim lets you customize a free online store and use its integrated payment gateway to set up a checkout flow for customers. You can also embed its checkout option in an existing website or send payment links via email. Helcim lets businesses sell on social media and set up subscriptions, too.
In January 2026, the company launched a Payment Extension feature that allows you to use Helcim to process payments in other software programs. For example, you could use the browser extension to process a customer’s invoice payment in QuickBooks.
Shopify is built for e-commerce businesses first. Its monthly POS plans aren’t the cheapest, but they offer savings that lots of competitors don’t.
Shopify stands out, in particular, for its shipping discounts. The lowest-tier Basic plan gives you a discount up to 77%. This is huge for online businesses that mail products to their customers. Its Advanced plan increases those savings to up to 88%. Plus, it gives you access to rates as low as 2.5% plus 30 cents per online transaction. That’s hard to beat.
Shopify is built for e-commerce businesses first. Its monthly POS plans aren’t the cheapest, but they offer savings that lots of competitors don’t.
Shopify stands out, in particular, for its shipping discounts. The lowest-tier Basic plan gives you a discount up to 77%. This is huge for online businesses that mail products to their customers. Its Advanced plan increases those savings to up to 88%. Plus, it gives you access to rates as low as 2.5% plus 30 cents per online transaction. That’s hard to beat.
Shopify is built for e-commerce businesses first. Its monthly POS plans aren’t the cheapest, but they offer savings that lots of competitors don’t.
Shopify stands out, in particular, for its shipping discounts. The lowest-tier Basic plan gives you a discount up to 77%. This is huge for online businesses that mail products to their customers. Its Advanced plan increases those savings to up to 88%. Plus, it gives you access to rates as low as 2.5% plus 30 cents per online transaction. That’s hard to beat.
Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Doesn’t sell full countertop POS setups; hardware is limited to handheld terminals and card readers.
Deposits can take up to two business days.
No phone or email support.
If you’re really picky about how your business’s checkout page looks and don’t mind doing some coding, Stripe is a great fit. You can use Stripe Payment Elements to build your own flow or opt for Checkout, which has a prebuilt form and requires less coding. Its payment gateway is built in.
Another perk is Stripe’s global reach. It supports more than 135 currencies, allowing you to sell to customers in other countries.
Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Doesn’t sell full countertop POS setups; hardware is limited to handheld terminals and card readers.
Deposits can take up to two business days.
No phone or email support.
If you’re really picky about how your business’s checkout page looks and don’t mind doing some coding, Stripe is a great fit. You can use Stripe Payment Elements to build your own flow or opt for Checkout, which has a prebuilt form and requires less coding. Its payment gateway is built in.
Another perk is Stripe’s global reach. It supports more than 135 currencies, allowing you to sell to customers in other countries.
Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Doesn’t sell full countertop POS setups; hardware is limited to handheld terminals and card readers.
Deposits can take up to two business days.
No phone or email support.
If you’re really picky about how your business’s checkout page looks and don’t mind doing some coding, Stripe is a great fit. You can use Stripe Payment Elements to build your own flow or opt for Checkout, which has a prebuilt form and requires less coding. Its payment gateway is built in.
Another perk is Stripe’s global reach. It supports more than 135 currencies, allowing you to sell to customers in other countries.
Using your bank as your processor makes deposits convenient.
Cons
Some hardware pricing is not readily available.
Chase’s Business Complete checking account comes with a $15 monthly service fee for some merchants.
Chase Payment Solutions uses Authorize.net as a payment gateway for online sales. Its monthly fee starts at $9.95, but it does offer slightly lower online rates (2.9% plus 25 cents) than most competitors.
Despite that cost, we think Chase’s quick deposits could be worth it for businesses with tight cash flow. Merchants with a Chase business account get access to free same-day deposits six days per week (Sunday - Friday). Competitors typically charge extra for this.
Using your bank as your processor makes deposits convenient.
Cons
Some hardware pricing is not readily available.
Chase’s Business Complete checking account comes with a $15 monthly service fee for some merchants.
Chase Payment Solutions uses Authorize.net as a payment gateway for online sales. Its monthly fee starts at $9.95, but it does offer slightly lower online rates (2.9% plus 25 cents) than most competitors.
Despite that cost, we think Chase’s quick deposits could be worth it for businesses with tight cash flow. Merchants with a Chase business account get access to free same-day deposits six days per week (Sunday - Friday). Competitors typically charge extra for this.
Using your bank as your processor makes deposits convenient.
Cons
Some hardware pricing is not readily available.
Chase’s Business Complete checking account comes with a $15 monthly service fee for some merchants.
Chase Payment Solutions uses Authorize.net as a payment gateway for online sales. Its monthly fee starts at $9.95, but it does offer slightly lower online rates (2.9% plus 25 cents) than most competitors.
Despite that cost, we think Chase’s quick deposits could be worth it for businesses with tight cash flow. Merchants with a Chase business account get access to free same-day deposits six days per week (Sunday - Friday). Competitors typically charge extra for this.
Subscription model can help high-volume businesses save money.
Transparent fee breakdowns.
24/7 emergency phone and email support.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Limited POS hardware options.
Lacks direct accounting software integrations.
Finix charges a monthly subscription fee in exchange for low interchange-plus rates. This seems expensive upfront, but it can be one of the cheapest options for higher-volume and midsize businesses.
You can embed Finix’s payment gateway into an existing website or integrate Finix with e-commerce platforms, like WooCommerce. Other choices include prebuilt checkout pages and more customizable solutions for people with developer experience.
Subscription model can help high-volume businesses save money.
Transparent fee breakdowns.
24/7 emergency phone and email support.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Limited POS hardware options.
Lacks direct accounting software integrations.
Finix charges a monthly subscription fee in exchange for low interchange-plus rates. This seems expensive upfront, but it can be one of the cheapest options for higher-volume and midsize businesses.
You can embed Finix’s payment gateway into an existing website or integrate Finix with e-commerce platforms, like WooCommerce. Other choices include prebuilt checkout pages and more customizable solutions for people with developer experience.
Subscription model can help high-volume businesses save money.
Transparent fee breakdowns.
24/7 emergency phone and email support.
No PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Limited POS hardware options.
Lacks direct accounting software integrations.
Finix charges a monthly subscription fee in exchange for low interchange-plus rates. This seems expensive upfront, but it can be one of the cheapest options for higher-volume and midsize businesses.
You can embed Finix’s payment gateway into an existing website or integrate Finix with e-commerce platforms, like WooCommerce. Other choices include prebuilt checkout pages and more customizable solutions for people with developer experience.
Our writers and editors analyze more than 30 data points for each payment gateway we rate. To narrow down the cheapest options, we focus on the following factors:
Payment processing rates. We consider credit card processing fees for both in-person and online transactions. Flat-rate providers should charge no more than 2.6% plus 15 cents per in-person transaction. Online transactions should cost 2.9% plus 30 cents or less.
Monthly subscription fees. Most of our top picks offer free POS software plans with built-in payment gateways. The ones that don’t make up for it in other savings on payment processing, shipping or same-day deposits.
Overall functionality and standout features. Cost matters, but so does quality.We aim to balance those with our picks. Our choices aren’t just inexpensive. They also offer lasting value. Each pick facilitates online transactions and offers something unique. It could be a variety of website templates, tools for customizing your checkout flow or quick deposits.
Our editorial team rates the companies that provide payment gateways. They must earn at least 4 stars as payment processors to make our list. Cost-related factors make up more than 40% of that score. But we also look at customer service, features and usability to ensure these products meet our standards.
Credit card processors with 5 stars are outstanding. They typically 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.
Credit card processors with 4.0 to 4.9 stars are great to excellent. Usually, 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.
Credit card 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.
Credit card 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 gateways we consider
NerdWallet’s editorial team has evaluated more than 25 credit card processing companies. Most of them have built-in payment gateways. We chose the cheapest options from this pool of products.
This list doesn't focus on third-party payment gateway options. In general, we recommend businesses avoid cobbling together multiple subscriptions when possible. If a processing service already comes with a payment gateway, why not use it? This can help businesses save money and avoid integration issues.
Our writers and editors have covered or considered these credit card processing companies and their payment gateway options:
A payment gateway is a service that collects and encrypts customers’ credit card data. It takes many parties to accept credit card payments. A payment gateway acts as a middleman among them to facilitate this process.
Both in-person and online transactions need payment gateways. For in-person transactions, the gateway is the card reader. For online transactions, your POS system typically builds the payment gateways into the checkout flow.
Payment gateways act as a conduit to take payment via cards. When a customer wants to pay with a credit or debit card:
The payment gateway passes that card info to the payment processor.
From there, the processor, the card network, the customer’s bank and the merchant bank communicate back and forth.
If there are adequate funds and no signs of fraud, the processor sends the approval back to the gateway.
Who are payment gateways for?
Any business that accepts cards needs a payment gateway. This includes brick-and-mortar businesses and online ones. Businesses that only deal with cash are the exception.
Payment gateways are also essential to maintaining PCI compliance. Businesses that accept cards must follow these rules to help keep customers’ card data safe and secure.
How much are payment gateway fees?
Most payment processors bundle the cost of a gateway in your monthly software fee. Some do charge extra for this service, though. For instance, fees for Chase Payment Solutions start at $9.95 per month to accept online payments.
But in general, a "cheap payment gateway” means a “cheap payment processor.” And many factors go into those costs, including:
Monthly subscription fees. These can be anywhere from $0 to $99 or more.
Per-transaction fees. Competitive in-person transaction fees are around 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction. Reasonably priced online rates come to about 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction.
There are differences even within those buckets. Processors may have more than one subscription tier. Transaction fees can be flat rate, interchange plus or another structure. Those variations are why there's no single cheapest option. It will always depend on your business.
How to choose the cheapest payment gateway
1. Determine which features you need
Price is incredibly important for choosing the right payment gateway. But it shouldn’t be the only factor you take into account.
A feature-rich product will cost more. It might be worth it based on your business’s specific needs. We think these are the most important points to consider:
POS capabilities. These include staff and customer relationship management tools, invoicing and inventory tracking. Retail businesses, in particular, benefit from each of these.
Payment tools. Think about how you plan to accept payments as well as how frequently. Do you want to offer subscription payments as an option? Solutions like Stripe and Helcim support this.
E-commerce features. If you plan on selling online, imagine what you want your checkout flow to look like. Do you want to integrate the payment gateway into an existing site or redirect customers to a checkout page? Different providers offer different online checkout options. Make sure to pay attention to which ones involve coding, too.
POS hardware. Brick-and-mortar businesses need a way to accept payments in person. This could mean buying a countertop POS terminal or mobile card reader. Ideally, your payment gateway provider offers these options in-house.
Accounting software integrations. At the very least, your payment gateway provider should integrate with your accounting software. This will help you minimize manual data entry and keep your sales records organized.
Customer support. Do you prefer phone or live chat support? Also confirm the provider is available during your business’s operating hours.
Deposit timing. Businesses with tight cash flow should choose a gateway provider that deposits funds into your bank account the next business day or sooner.
2. Choose your gateway interface
Not all payment gateways work the same way. Some redirect customers away from your site to the gateway's site for payment. This can negatively affect completion rates.
Others have pre-built payment gateways you can embed directly on your website. White-label gateways let you build a custom checkout experience on your site. This can be a good addition, but requires technical skills. And if you don’t have those skills, it’ll cost extra to have someone build that functionality in for you.
3. Confirm processing rates are competitive
Competitive in-person rates are 2.6% plus 15 cents per transaction or less. Online rates should be 2.9% plus 30 cents or less. Some payment gateway providers offer lower rates when you upgrade plans.
For example, Shopify’s Basic plan is $39 per month. It charges 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction. Its Grow plan is $105 per month. It charges 2.7% plus 30 cents per online transaction. Let’s say you process 100 transactions that come to a total of $15,000 each month.
Under the Basic plan, you’d pay $465 [(0.029 * 15,000) + (0.30 * 100)] in processing costs. Under the Grow plan, you’d pay $435 [0.027 * 15,000) + (0.30 * 100)]. This doesn’t quite make up for the monthly cost of the Grow plan, but you could think of it as a $30 discount (465 - 435).
4. Make sure monthly POS system costs fit within your budget
Assuming a POS company or payment processor provides your payment gateway, check to see which monthly plan best fits your needs. Lots of providers, including most of our top picks, offer free plans. If you require more advanced POS features, though, expect to pay a monthly fee. They usually start at around $40-$50.
Square, for example, charges $49 per month for its Plus plan. This gives you access to staff management tools, lower processing fees and a loyalty program.
5. Avoid PCI compliance fees
Payment gateway providers shouldn’t charge extra for PCI compliance unless you break the rules. If the product’s website doesn’t clearly state that there are no additional fees, reach out to a representative.
Last updated on January 28, 2026
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.
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