Online payment processing is a must for e-commerce businesses and physical stores with an online presence. The best online payment processing services offer some combination of competitive processing rates, e-commerce integrations and solid customer support. Many of the options bundle payment gateways into their offerings, too, so that customers can securely enter their card information online.
Businesses with a brick-and-mortar location in addition to an online store may consider products that also sell their own payment processing hardware. That way you can be sure that your card readers and point-of-sale terminals are compatible with your online payment system.
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Here are our top picks for online payment processing services.
Best Online Payment Processing Services
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Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square Learn more on Square's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Hybrid businesses | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square's secure website |
Stripe Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website | 5.0/5 Best for API customization | In-person: 2.7% + $0.05 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 | Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website | ||
Shopify Payments Learn more on Shopify Payments' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for E-commerce platform integration | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $39.00 Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan. | Learn more on Shopify Payments' secure website | ||
Helcim Learn more on Helcim's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Interchange-plus credit card processing | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0.00 | Learn more on Helcim's secure website | ||
PaymentCloud | 4.5/5 Best for High-risk merchants | 2.4% + $0.10 to 3.5% + $0.25 on average. | $0.00 to $50. | |||
Amazon Pay | 4.5/5 Best for Streamlined checkout | 2.9% + $0.30 For online and mobile. | $0.00 | |||
Adyen | 4.0/5 Best for Omnichannel commerce | 0.6% + $0.13 Plus interchange for Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + $0.23 for AmEx. | $0.00 | |||
BlueSnap | Best for Splitting payments with other vendors | 2.9% + $0.30 Or customized rate for large-volume businesses. | $0.00 | |||
Stax by Fattmerchant Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Membership-style pricing | In-person: 0% + $0.08 Online: 0% + $0.15 Plus interchange | $99.00 and up. | Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website |
Our pick for
Hybrid businesses
Square’s free POS plan comes with a magstripe reader for in-person purchases and includes an e-commerce website for opening your business up to online customers. It’s a low-cost solution for hybrid businesses that want to sell goods and/or services both in-person and online.
Square
Learn more
on Square's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Square’s free plan offers payment processing options for hybrid businesses that sell goods or services both in-person and online. You can purchase POS hardware for accepting payments in-store and build a free e-commerce website that lets customers choose to pick up their purchase or have it delivered. Square automatically syncs your online and in-person orders and inventory.
Pros
- Offers a free mobile card reader and free POS software plan.
- Can subscribe to related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- No chargeback or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Complex businesses might prefer a processor that integrates with more specialized POS systems.
Our pick for
API customization
Stripe is a highly customizable option for business owners who have developer experience and want to take a hands-on approach to designing their online checkout experience. In addition to incorporating customized brand elements, you can add contact details, legal policy information and additional checkout form fields.
Stripe
Learn more
on Stripe Payments' secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
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 online checkout options.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- 24/7 phone and chat support.
- Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
Cons
- Doesn’t sell full countertop POS terminals.
- Deposits can take up to two business days.
Our pick for
E-commerce platform integration
Shopify’s main draw is its popular e-commerce platform that lets you build your own online storefront and accept a variety of payment types. You can choose from more than 100 template themes and customize details from there. Similar to Stripe, Shopify is best for online-first businesses.
Shopify Payments
Learn more
on Shopify Payments' secure website
Monthly fee
$39.00
Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.
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.
Our pick for
Interchange-plus credit card processing
Most online payment processing services on this list use flat-rate pricing, meaning they charge the same amount per transaction no matter how interchange rates fluctuate. This can be convenient for businesses dealing with small transactions, but interchange-plus processing is typically more cost-effective, especially as you begin to sell more.
Helcim
Learn more
on Helcim's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Unlike flat-rate payment processors that charge the same transaction fee across different types of credit cards, Helcim uses an interchange-plus pricing model. This means your business saves when a customer uses a card with low interchange rates. Helcim also offers volume discounts if you process more than $50,000 monthly, which is a plus for high-volume businesses. And if you need hardware for taking payments in-person, the company sells its own smart terminal and mobile card reader, too.Read full review
Pros
- Interchange-plus pricing structure can help businesses save money.
- Quick setup; approvals usually take a day.
- Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
- Syncs directly with QuickBooks Online and Xero.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
Cons
- Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Doesn’t offer services to businesses in certain high-risk industries.
Our pick for
High-risk merchants
Businesses in industries that are considered high-risk — like CBD, dropshipping, nutraceuticals and travel agencies — may struggle to find a traditional online payment processing service willing to work with them. This is where PaymentCloud comes in.
PaymentCloud
Payment processing fees
2.4% + $0.10
to 3.5% + $0.25 on average.
Monthly fee
$0.00
to $50.
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
- Works with high-risk businesses.
- Same-day deposits available for low-risk businesses.
- New merchants may qualify for a free terminal.
- 24/7 support.
Cons
- Website isn’t transparent about processing rates.
- May charge PCI compliance fees.
- Some plans require a contract and charge steep termination fees.
Our pick for
Streamlined checkout
Amazon Pay lets businesses integrate Amazon’s checkout experience into their own online store. Since so many people are familiar with Amazon, adding this payment method could have the potential to increase your conversion rates.
Amazon Pay
Payment processing fees
2.9% + $0.30
For online and mobile.
Monthly fee
$0.00
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.
Our pick for
Omnichannel commerce
Lots of online payment processing services accommodate both online and in-person transactions, but Adyen helps create a more seamless customer experience across each of those channels. For example, it gives customers the option to buy online but return in-store or vice versa. It can also support larger businesses with multiple online sales channels as opposed to just one.
Adyen
Payment processing fees
0.6% + $0.13
Plus interchange for Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + $0.23 for AmEx.
Monthly fee
$0.00
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 subscription or termination fees.
- Consolidate data across multiple online and in-person sales channels.
- Global payment options available.
- 24/7 emergency phone and email support.
Cons
- Pricing models differ by card, which can be confusing.
- No accounting integrations.
- Must give at least two months’ notice before terminating contract.
- Must reach out for hardware costs.
Our pick for
Splitting payments with other vendors
BlueSnap’s payment splitting capabilities are ideal for businesses that work with other vendors to help carry out their services and need to share customer payments accordingly. Payments can be split by percentage or specific dollar amounts.
BlueSnap
Payment processing fees
2.9% + $0.30
Or customized rate for large-volume businesses.
Monthly fee
$0.00
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
Membership-style pricing
Stax’s membership-style pricing model gives high-volume businesses access to lower interchange-plus fees, which can make the monthly subscription cost worth it, especially in the long run.
Stax by Fattmerchant
Learn more
on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website
Monthly fee
$99.00
and up.
Stax’s membership-based pricing model is meant for small businesses processing at least $5,000 in credit card transactions monthly. In addition to a monthly subscription cost, it charges a small margin on top of interchange rates. Optional add-ons include custom branding, next-day funding, shopping cart integrations and ACH processing.Read full review
Pros
- Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
- Unique add-on features, like custom branding.
- No long-term contracts.
Cons
- Not a good option for businesses with low sales.
- Pricing isn't as transparent as competitors.
Square: Best for hybrid businesses
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.
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $60 for Square Restaurant Plus plan.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.
- $89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
- $192 and up for Square Restaurant Essentials Bundle.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail Premium plan.
- 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.
Online, in-person and recurring billing.
Accounting software such as QuickBooks Online, e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce and marketing platforms such as Mailchimp and Linktree.
- 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.
- Paid plans required for advanced POS features.
» MORE: How much does Square cost?
Stripe: Best for API customization
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.
- $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).
- 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.
Online, in-person and recurring billing.
Accounting software like Xero and e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce.
- 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.
- No online store hosting or support.
- Limited POS features that rely on third-party apps.
- Requires technical expertise.
» MORE: A full breakdown of Stripe fees
Shopify Payments: Best for e-commerce platform integration
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.
Shopify e-commerce plans:
- $29 for Shopify Basic when billed annually (or $39 when paid monthly).
- $79 for regular Shopify when billed annually (or $105 when paid monthly).
- $299 for Shopify Advanced when billed annually (or $399 when paid monthly).
- Custom pricing for Shopify Plus.
- All e-commerce plans come with POS Lite for selling in-person. Upgrading to POS Pro for brick-and-mortar businesses costs an extra $89 per location.
Shopify’s alternative solutions for mainly selling in-person:
- $5 for Starter plan, which includes one POS Lite location.
- $79 (when billed annually) for Retail plan, or $89 when paid monthly; includes one POS Pro location.
- 2.5%, 2.7% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
- 2.4%, 2.5% or 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
Online, in-person and recurring payments.
Accounting software, including QuickBooks, and marketing apps, including Mailchimp.
- 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.
- Paid monthly plans required.
Amazon Pay: Best for streamlined checkout
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.
$0.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for web and mobile transactions.
- Extra 1% for cross-border transactions.
Online and recurring payments.
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.
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent transaction rates.
- 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.
BlueSnap: Best for splitting payments with other vendors
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.
$0.
2.9% plus 30 cents or customized rates for large-volume businesses.
In-person, online and recurring payments.
Shopping carts, including BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), WooCommerce and WordPress, and marketing services, including HubSpot.
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent transaction fees.
- In-person and recurring payment options.
- Customer support by phone, message and chat.
- No online store hosting.
- No proprietary POS.
Helcim: Best for interchange-plus credit card processing
Why we like it: Helcim stands out as a low-cost payment processing option for both online and in-person transactions, thanks to its interchange-plus pricing model and lack of PCI compliance, setup or cancellation fees. Businesses processing more than $50,000 in credit card transactions each month will experience the greatest savings. For businesses processing online payments, Helcim offers tools for online checkout and subscriptions, as well as hosted payment pages.
$0.
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.
Online, in-person and recurring billing.
Accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero. Shopping cart integrations include WooCommerce.
- Interchange-plus pricing structure can help businesses save money.
- Quick setup; approvals usually take a day.
- Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
- Syncs directly with QuickBooks Online and Xero.
- Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Doesn’t offer services to businesses in certain high-risk industries.
» MORE: Best point-of-sale systems
Adyen: Best for omnichannel commerce
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.
$0.
- Interchange plus 0.60% and 13 cents per transaction for Visa and Mastercard.
- 3.3% plus 23 cents for American Express.
- 3%-12% plus 13 cents for other payment methods, depending on transaction type.
- 40 cents per transaction for ACH direct payment.
Online, in-person and recurring payments.
Shopping carts, including BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) and WooCommerce.
- Potentially lower rates than flat-rate fee competitors, depending on card network interchange fees.
- In-person and recurring payment options.
- Proprietary POS dashboard.
- Minimum transaction requirement to avoid an additional fee.
- No live customer support.
- No online store hosting.
PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk merchants
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.
Starts at $10. You have to call to get pricing information.
Quote-based.
Online, in-person and recurring payments.
Accounting software like QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks, plus shopping cart integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce.
- 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.
- Monthly fee required.
- No transparent fees.
- No online store hosting or support.
- No proprietary POS system.
Stax: Best for membership-style pricing
Why we like it: Small online businesses with high sales volume may benefit from Stax’s membership-style pricing structure and e-commerce integrations. Instead of charging a flat rate for all transactions, Stax charges a monthly fee and then passes interchange savings to the merchant.
- $99 if you process less than $150,000 per year.
- $139 if you process between $150,000 and $250,000 per year.
- $199 and up if you process more than $250,000 per year.
- Interchange plus 8 cents for in-person transactions.
- Interchange plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Online, in-person and recurring payments.
Accounting software like QuickBooks Online and e-commerce platforms such as BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Magento.
- Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
- Unique add-on features, like custom branding.
- No long-term contracts.
- Not a good option for businesses with low sales.
- Pricing isn't as transparent as competitors.
Online payment processing lets you accept debit card, ACH and credit card payments from customers shopping online. The full process involves a few different phases behind the scenes.
Generally, online credit card processing services provide a payment gateway for the customer, which allows them to securely enter their card information online. The gateway then passes that information along to the payment processor. And from there, the processor verifies that the transaction is legitimate and oversees the transfer of funds from the customer’s bank (also known as the issuing bank) to the business’s bank account. Deposit times range from same-day to multiple business days, depending on the online payment processing service.
Your role in the process is to subscribe to an online credit card processing service, sync it with your website and customize your customers’ checkout experience, if desired.
How do you accept payments online?
This guide provides the background knowledge you need to factor in payment processing costs, pricing models and online payment method options to find the right fit for your business.
To accept payments online, expect to subscribe to the following products. Most online payment processing services offer all-in-one solutions to make the process simpler.
- Merchant account: Before credit card funds reach your business’s bank account, where you can withdraw them, they’re held in a merchant account. Payment service providers combine multiple businesses’ funds into one merchant account, whereas other processors provide individual merchant accounts. While individual merchant accounts are more customizable and oftentimes more stable, the application process can be extensive.
- Payment gateway: Payment gateways are like messengers for online transactions — they securely capture customers’ credit card information and send it to the payment processor.
- Online payment processor: Processors’ main job is to facilitate the flow of funds from the customer’s bank account (issuing bank) to the business’s bank account (acquiring bank). Our explainer on how payment processors work outlines the process in more detail.
How do payment gateways work?
Payment processing services and payment gateways are often provided in tandem, but they play two different roles in the overall process.
Here are several factors to consider while comparing online payment processing services.
Your sales channels
If your business completes sales entirely online, you can keep it simple by sticking with a payment processing service that specializes in online transactions.
If you also process in-person transactions, you might choose an option that offers in-house POS hardware and mobile card readers. That way, you don’t have to worry about integrating your POS system with a third-party payment processing service.
Cost
Going with your e-commerce platform’s in-house payment processing service is likely the easiest option, and it might even save you time. But it’s possible that integrating with a third-party processor could save you money in the long run. That’s why it’s important to forecast your monthly sales volume and average purchase price, so that you can confidently run the numbers and decide which option is most cost-effective.
You can also keep costs down by avoiding services that charge additional fees for PCI compliance, termination or setup.
Integrations
Scrolling through your e-commerce platform’s payments integrations is an easy way to narrow down your options. Not all platforms are compatible with multiple online credit card processing services. If you sell goods or services in-person, too, make sure the payment processing service integrates with your POS hardware.
Customer service
If your online business’s payment processing services crash, you could miss out on valuable sales. Make sure your online credit card processing service offers phone support or live chat options in case you need a quick fix. Reading reviews can be a great way of gauging the quality of a product’s customer support, too.
If you’re still deciding which service is right for you, NerdWallet’s online payment processor quiz can help you land on the best match.
Last updated on May 17, 2024
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.
