Our Nerdy picks for
Best Payment Gateways
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
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 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stripe Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Overall payment gateway | In-person: 2.7% + $0.05 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website |
Adyen | 5.0/5 Best for Omnichannel option | 3.3% + $0.22 Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + 22¢ AmEx; 3%-12% + 12¢ for other payment methods. | $0 | |||
Helcim Learn more on Helcim's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes | In-person: 0.3% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0 | Learn more on Helcim's secure website | ||
PayPal Payflow | Best for Doing everything in one place | N/A credit and debit cards; 3.49% + 49¢ digital payments. | $0 $0 Payflow Link; $25 Payflow Pro | |||
Square Learn more on Square's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for If you also have a storefront | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | Learn more on Square's secure website | ||
Braintree | Best for Accepting a variety of payment types | 2.59% + $0.49 credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only). | $0 | |||
Chase Payment Solutions℠ Learn more on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website | 3.5/5 Best for A built-in banking partner | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.25 | $0 Monthly fee in some instances. | Learn more on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website | ||
Authorize.net | Best for More complex payment needs | N/A for All-in-One option; 10¢ + 10¢ daily batch fee for payment gateway only. | $25 |
Our pick for
Overall payment gateway
Stripe
on Stripe Payments' secure website
In-person: 2.7% + $0.05
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
$0
Pros
- Flat-rate, transparent pricing with no setup, cancellation or monthly fees.
- Supports a wide variety of payment methods and currencies.
- Customer-friendly design.
- Highly customizable checkout flow.
Cons
- Stripe’s best features require a developer to implement fully.
- Limited functionality for in-person retail businesses and restaurants.
Our pick for
Omnichannel option
Adyen
3.3% + $0.22
Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + 22¢ AmEx; 3%-12% + 12¢ for other payment methods.
$0
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.
Our pick for
Interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes
Helcim
on Helcim's secure website
In-person: 0.3% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Plus interchange
$0
Pros
- Helcim’s payment page creator forgoes complex code and instead lets you select the payment elements you want.
- No contract or monthly fee.
- Helcim’s margin on each transaction goes down as you reach higher monthly sales, beginning at $25,000 per month.
Cons
- Interchange-plus pricing can benefit merchants, but it’s harder to predict.
- You’ll need at least $25,000 in monthly card sales before you can take advantage of Helcim’s better rates.
Our pick for
Doing everything in one place
PayPal Payflow
N/A
credit and debit cards; 3.49% + 49¢ digital payments.
$0
$0 Payflow Link; $25 Payflow Pro
Pros
- PayPal develops different ways for consumers to pay, including Venmo and its own service for buy now, pay later.
- One of the most commonly used payment processing platforms.
- Easy to use and integrate with website hosts and shopping carts.
- Transparent fixed fees in 25 currencies.
Cons
- PayPal’s offerings are vast and can be difficult to grasp quickly.
- Payment processing can be expensive for small purchases.
- Not ideal for high-risk or high-volume businesses.
Our pick for
If you also have a storefront
Square
on Square's secure website
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
$0
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Pros
- 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.
Our pick for
Accepting a variety of payment types
Braintree
2.59% + $0.49
credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only).
$0
Pros
- Transparent, competitive pricing.
- No contracts or early termination fees.
- No monthly, PCI compliance or minimum transaction fees.
- Accepts PayPal and Venmo in addition to credit and debit cards.
- Simple checkout page that looks good on web and mobile.
Cons
- Requires web development.
- Not suited for brick and mortar stores.
Our pick for
A built-in banking partner
Chase Payment Solutions℠
on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.25
$0
Monthly fee in some instances.
Pros
- On the cheaper end of flat-rate prices available.
- Next-day payouts available.
Cons
- Requires use of Chase checking for quickest deposits — not a bad thing, unless you’d prefer to bank elsewhere.
- Unclear pricing.
Our pick for
More complex payment needs
Stripe: Best overall payment gateway
- $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).
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.
- 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 1.5% additional fee for international card transactions.
Adyen: Best omnichannel option
- 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.
Helcim: Best interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes
- Interchange plus 0.3% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per manually keyed transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.
PayPal Payflow: Best for doing everything in one place
- $0 for Payflow Link.
- $25 for Payflow Pro.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for standard credit and debit card payments.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for digital payments (PayPal Checkout and Pay with Venmo).
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for card-present or QR payments through PayPal Zettle.
- 2.89% plus 49 cents for online card payments through Payments Advanced or Payments Pro.
Square: Best if you also have a storefront
- $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.
- 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.
Braintree: Best for accepting a variety of payment types
- 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only), transactions in non-U.S. currency or transactions outside the U.S.
- 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5). Discounts available for enterprise businesses.
Chase Payment Solutions: Best for a built-in banking partner
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 25 cents per transaction for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for keyed transactions.
Authorize.net: Best for more complex payment needs
- 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, and $25 per month for merchant account option.
- 10 cents per transaction, 10 cent daily batch fee and $25 per month for payment gateway only.
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
- Monthly fees. This is like your Netflix subscription — you pay the same amount every month in exchange for access to the service. Not all gateways charge a monthly fee.
- Transaction fees. You’re charged every time a customer buys something online.
- Will you need technical expertise? Some gateways give a high level of customization but require coding skills.
- Where else will you accept payments? Payment gateway providers might also offer point-of-sale systems for in-person transactions, multiple-location support and other related services. Unless you want to work with multiple payments companies, find a payment gateway that can address all of your current and future payments needs.