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8 Best Online Payment Processing Services of June 2023

These online payment processors will help you make the most of your small business.

By Whitney Vandiver  and  Karrin Sehmbi  

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.

The best online payment processing services for your e-commerce business or online store come with competitive rates for online sales, useful integrations with accounting and e-commerce platforms, and solid customer support. Here are our top picks.

Best Online Payment Processing Services

Our pick for

Overall

Square
Learn more

on Square's secure website

Square

Square

Payment processing fees

2.6% + 10¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee

$0

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

Learn more

on Square's secure website

Why we like it

Square's product lineup is modular, but its POS system works well enough as a stand-alone product. Pricing is competitive, making it a solid option for many small businesses.

Pros

  • Transparent pricing.

  • Free version of its POS includes a lot of features.

  • Offers related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.

Cons

  • Can’t run on Windows devices.

  • Complex businesses might prefer a more specialized POS system.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

API customization

Stripe
Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Stripe

Stripe

Payment processing fees

2.7% + 5¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee

$0

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Why we like it

With Stripe Terminal, you can integrate in-person payments into your online payment setup. Transparent pricing and customizable features make Stripe a good choice for online-first businesses looking to extend to in-person sales. However, many features — including connecting hardware to software — require coding experience or “no-code” integrations.

Pros

  • Highly customizable.

  • Competitive pricing.

Cons

  • Prioritizes online merchants.

  • Requires developer experience.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

Shopify e-commerce users

Shopify
Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Shopify Payments

Shopify

Payment processing fees

2.4%-2.9% + 30¢

online; 2.4%-2.7% in-person.

Monthly fee

$29

Basic plan; $79 Shopify plan; $299 Advanced plan.

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Why we like it

Shopify Payments accepts multiple payment methods and offers competitive processing fees. Because it’s a fully integrated service offering an e-commerce platform, a point-of-sale system and payment processing services, e-commerce businesses can simplify and streamline their sales and transactions.

Pros

  • Accepts a variety of payment methods.

  • Can customize checkout page.

  • Easy to set up and use.

  • Transparent, flat-rate fees.

Cons

  • E-commerce plan with monthly fee is required to use Shopify Payments.

  • Charges fee for use of third-party payment gateway.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

Streamlined checkout

Amazon Pay
Read review

Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay

Payment processing fees

2.9% + 30¢

web and mobile; 4% + 30¢ Alexa transactions.

Monthly fee

$0

Read review

Why we like it

E-commerce businesses with an Amazon Seller account can integrate Amazon Pay to create a convenient and seamless checkout experience for their customers. Business owners may find that Amazon’s globally recognized brand and the company’s purchase guarantee lead more customers to feel confident making purchases with the Amazon Pay option.

Pros

  • Easy checkout for customers with Amazon accounts.

  • Supports global customers and currencies.

  • No setup or monthly fees; pay only per transaction.

  • Alexa voice integration to place and track orders.

Cons

  • Reserve policy delays payouts, especially for newer accounts.

  • No in-person payment support.

  • No volume discounts or custom packages.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

Splitting payments with other vendors

BlueSnap

BlueSnap

BlueSnap

Payment processing fees

2.9% + 30¢

Monthly fee

$0

Why we like it

BlueSnap makes it easy to share payments with other vendors, saving you time and extra steps in the payment process. It also has an extensive partner network to enable a variety of platform integrations for your business.

Pros

  • No monthly fee.

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • Customer support by phone, message and chat.

Cons

  • No online store hosting.

  • No proprietary POS.

Our pick for

Integrations

Clover
Learn more

on Clover POS's secure website

Clover POS

Clover

Payment processing fees

2.3% + 10¢ or 2.6% + 10¢

in-person; 3.5% + 10¢ online.

Monthly fee

$15

$14.95 and up.

Learn more

on Clover POS's secure website

Why we like it

Clover point-of-sale hardware is pricey, but the reasonable monthly cost and low payment processing fees may help offset that upfront investment over time.

Pros

  • Competitive flat rates for payment processing.

  • Hardware performs well and is well designed.

Cons

  • No free options.

  • Pricing can be tough to understand.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

High-risk merchants

PaymentCloud
Learn more

on PaymentCloud's secure website

PaymentCloud

PaymentCloud

Payment processing fees

Quote-based.

Monthly fee

$10

and up.

Learn more

on PaymentCloud's secure website

Why we like it

PaymentCloud works with high-risk businesses, something not many of its competitors do. Despite having an approval process that can take some time and a few customer complaints about extra fees on monthly statements, PaymentCloud has high marks online for its customer service.

Pros

  • Accepts in-person, online and recurring payments.

  • Offers a library of software integrations.

Cons

  • Lack of pricing transparency.

Read Full Review

Our pick for

Omnichannel commerce

Adyen
Read review

Adyen

Adyen

Payment processing fees

Interchange + 12¢

Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + 22¢ AmEx; 3%-12% + 12¢ for other payment methods.

Monthly fee

$0

Read review

Why we like it

Adyen offers low prices and doesn’t have monthly fees. It also offers support for in-person payments. If you’re an omnichannel merchant, Adyen has tools that connect your sales data, wherever you sell.

Pros

  • No monthly, setup, integration or closure fees.

  • Payments accepted across online, in-store and app payment channels.

  • Global payment options available.

  • 24/7 customer support.

Cons

  • Complex pricing model.

  • Monthly minimums might exclude some small businesses. Minimums vary and require contacting Adyen to learn more.

Read Full Review

Square: Best Overall

Monthly fees:

  • $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.

  • $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.

  • $60 for Square Restaurant and Retail Plus plans.

  • $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.

Processing fees:

  • 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.

  • 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.

  • 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring billing.

Integrations: Accounting software such as QuickBooks Online, e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce and marketing platforms such as Mailchimp and Linktree.

Pros:

  • No monthly fees.

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • Customer support Monday through Friday for free plans and 24/7 for premium accounts.

  • Free online store setup.

  • POS features, including customer directory, reporting and inventory management.

Cons:

  • Paid plans required for advanced POS features.

Why we like it: Square charges simple, flat-rate processing fees and integrates with several platforms, allowing you to make online sales through multiple channels. For example, with a Mailchimp integration, you can use the email platform to create landing pages for selling items and accepting payments. Read our full Square review.

>>MORE: How much does Square cost?

Stripe: Best for API customization

Monthly fees:

  • $0 for standard Stripe Connect.

  • $2 per account for Stripe Express (for marketplaces) or Stripe Custom (the white-label option that allows businesses to customize the checkout process).

Processing fees:

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.

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

  • 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.

  • 3.9% plus 30 cents for international cards or currency conversion.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring billing.

Integrations: Accounting software like Xero and e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce.

Pros:

  • No monthly fees.

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • 24/7 customer support with email, chat and phone options.

  • Alternatives to website, including payment page.

Cons:

  • No online store hosting or support.

  • Limited POS features that rely on third-party apps.

  • Requires technical expertise.

Why we like it: Stripe makes it easy to customize the payment process to fit your business. With extensive documentation and a system designed for developers, you can tweak Stripe’s interface to give your customers a branded checkout experience within your own application. Read our full Stripe review.

>>MORE: A full breakdown of Stripe fees

Shopify Payments: Best for Shopify e-commerce users

Monthly fees:

To use Shopify POS, you also must have a Shopify plan for e-commerce. The following prices reflect the annual billing option, which saves you money:

  • $29 for Shopify Basic.

  • $79 for regular Shopify.

  • $299 for Shopify Advanced.

  • $2,000 for Shopify Plus.

Once you have a Shopify plan for e-commerce, add either:

  • $0 for Shopify POS Lite (free with all Shopify plans).

  • $89 per location for Shopify POS Pro (free with Shopify Plus).

Processing fees:

  • 2.4%, 2.6% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.

  • 2.4%, 2.5% or 2.7% for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring payments.

Integrations: Accounting software, including QuickBooks; marketing apps, including Mailchimp; and e-commerce sites like Etsy.

Pros:

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • 24/7 live phone and chat support.

  • Online store setup included with plans.

  • Point-of-sale, or POS, features, including inventory management for multiple locations, discounts, customer profiles and reporting.

Cons:

  • Paid monthly plans required.

Why we like it: Shopify's setup offers a good foundation for e-commerce businesses. It has competitive transaction fees, 24/7 customer support and the ability to create an online store with strong analytics. Even the free version of its POS requires purchase of one of its monthly e-commerce plans, so it's best suited for businesses already using Shopify. Read our full Shopify Payments review.

Amazon Pay: Best for streamlined checkout

Monthly fee: $0.

Processing fees:

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for web and mobile transactions.

  • 4% plus 30 cents for Alexa transactions.

  • Extra 1% for cross-border transactions.

Supported payments: Online and recurring payments.

Integrations: Amazon Pay integrates with e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce and BigCommerce. It is not compatible with some of NerdWallet’s favorite e-commerce website builders like Square Online, Squarespace and Wix.

Pros:

  • No monthly fee.

  • Transparent transaction rates.

Cons:

  • No ability to scale to in-person payments.

  • Higher processing fees for Alexa-based orders.

  • Website hosting isn't included.

  • No proprietary POS.

  • Customer service is through the website only.

Why we like it: Amazon Pay lets consumers pay small businesses using the payment information saved on their Amazon accounts. This eliminates the need for new customers to enter their payment details, which can speed up the checkout process, and provides payment security associated with the Amazon name. Adding the Amazon Pay button to your website is also relatively easy. Read our full Amazon Pay review.

» MORE: Credit card processing fees calculator

BlueSnap: Best for splitting payments with other vendors

Monthly fee: $0.

Processing fees: 2.9% plus 30 cents or customized rates for large-volume businesses.

Supported payments: In-person, online and recurring payments.

Integrations: Shopping carts, including BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), WooCommerce and WordPress; marketing services, including HubSpot; and analytics systems, including Google Analytics.

Pros:

  • No monthly fee.

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • Customer support by phone, message and chat.

Cons:

  • No online store hosting.

  • No proprietary POS.

Why we like it: For businesses that have revenue-sharing contracts with vendors, BlueSnap could be a good option. Instead of having to wait for a payment to hit your bank account and then sending a portion to another vendor for a commission, you can set up the vendor to automatically receive its portion when the payment is received.

Clover: Best for integrations

Monthly fees:

  • $14.95 for Starter Retail, Starter Personal Services, Starter and Standard Professional Services and Home & Field Services plans.

  • $44.95 for Standard Retail, Starter and Standard QSR, Standard and Advanced Personal Services and Advanced Professional Services plans.

  • $54.90 for Advanced Retail and Advanced QSR plans.

  • $74.95 for Starter Full-Service Dining plan.

  • $84.90 for Standard Full-Service Dining plan.

  • $94.85 for Advanced Full-Service Dining plan.

Processing fees:

  • 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans.

  • 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.

  • 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring billing.

Integrations: Accounting software, including QuickBooks; payroll services, including Gusto and Paychex; operations management such as Shopventory; and e-commerce software, including Ecwid and BigCommerce.

Pros:

  • Transparent transaction fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • Customer support by phone.

  • POS features, including customer profiles, loyalty program and staff management.

Cons:

  • Paid plans required for advanced POS features with card readers.

Why we like it: Clover integrates with e-commerce apps Ecwid and BigCommerce. It also syncs employee information across platforms like Gusto, Paychex and QuickBooks for accounting. Some apps automatically update when you change information in Clover, so you have to change information only once. Read our full Clover review.

» MORE: Best point-of-sale systems

Adyen: Best for omnichannel commerce

Monthly fee: $0.

Processing fees:

  • Interchange plus 12 cents per transaction for Visa and Mastercard.

  • 3.3% plus 22 cents for American Express.

  • 12 cents plus 3%-12% for other payment methods, depending on transaction type.

  • 37 cents per transaction for ACH.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring payments.

Integrations: Shopping carts, including BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) and WooCommerce.

Pros:

  • Potentially lower rates than flat-rate fee competitors, depending on card network interchange fees.

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • Proprietary POS dashboard.

Cons:

  • Minimum transaction requirement to avoid an additional fee.

  • No live customer support.

  • No online store hosting.

Why we like it: In addition to solid payment processing options, Adyen also offers an omnichannel commerce tool, Unified Commerce, that can help you combine data from online and offline sources for better data insights. For businesses that also have in-store sales, this is a great feature. Read our full Adyen review.

PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk merchants

Monthly fee: Starts at $10. You have to call to get pricing information.

Processing fees: Quote-based.

Supported payments: Online, in-person and recurring payments.

Integrations: Shopping cart integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce.

Pros:

  • In-person and recurring payment options.

  • For high-volume, low-risk businesses, rates can be lower than the company's standard rates.

  • Customer support by phone or website message.

Cons:

  • Monthly fee required.

  • No transparent fees.

  • No online store hosting or support.

  • No proprietary POS system.

Why we like it: PaymentCloud offers services for high-risk merchants that might otherwise struggle to find payment processors. Working with businesses in multiple high-risk industries, such as CBD and supplement distribution, makes the company a competitive option. Read our full PaymentCloud review.

» MORE: Best credit card readers for small businesses

Last updated on May 22, 2023

Methodology

NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers reward 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.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Online Payment Processing Services of June 2023