A payment gateway is a service that allows online shoppers to securely enter their payment information. The gateway reads, encrypts and transmits data from credit cards, online wallets and other payment methods to authorize a transaction, meaning that it helps verify that the payment is legitimate. Payment gateways are a necessity for online businesses.
The best payment gateways help you become a sales powerhouse by minimizing fees and offering a simple experience — for you and your customers. Payment gateway providers often also provide payment processing services. Consider your sales volume, coding skills and overall payment needs to find the right payment gateway for your business.
Best Payment Gateways
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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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Helcim Learn more on Helcim's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0 | Learn more on Helcim's secure website | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
PayPal Payflow | Best for Doing everything in one place | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 2.59% + $0.49 | $0 $0 Payflow Link; $25 Payflow Pro | |||
Adyen | 5.0/5 Best for Omnichannel option | 0% + $0.13 Plus interchange for Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + $0.23 for AmEx. | $0 | |||
Authorize.net | Best for More complex payment needs | 2.9% + $0.30 for All-in-One option. | $25 | |||
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 |
Our pick for
Overall payment gateway
Stripe
Learn more
on Stripe Payments' secure website
Monthly fee
$0
Stripe has built its product around maximum customizability, giving developers the tools to build a payment experience that meets the specific needs of a website, app or service. For those who want a low-tech option, Stripe Checkout has prebuilt checkout pages that don't require a high level of technical expertise to use.
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
Interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes
Helcim
Learn more
on Helcim's secure website
Monthly fee
$0
Businesses with limited monthly volume benefit from Helcim’s no-minimum interchange plus pricing. Larger businesses can take advantage of the pricing tiers Helcim offers, which get cheaper as you do more business, beginning at $50,000 per month.
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 $50,000 per month.
Cons
- Interchange-plus pricing can benefit merchants, but it’s harder to predict.
- You’ll need at least $50,000 in monthly card sales before you can take advantage of Helcim’s better rates.
Our pick for
If you also have a storefront
Square
Learn more
on Square's secure website
Monthly fee
$0
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Square’s easy-to-use tools enable business owners to have a professional online presence without specialized tech skills. For example, Square’s Payments API lets you take payments on sites built using Wix, WooCommerce and similar services without the need to code, just by logging in to your Square account on your site’s settings page. If you’d like, you can build a site for free using Square as a host. (Some features, like a custom domain name, cost extra.)
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
A built-in banking partner
Chase Payment Solutions℠
Learn more
on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website
Monthly fee
$0
Monthly fee in some instances.
This service from Chase uses Authorize.net and offers competitive flat-rate pricing. You’ll get your money the next business day, which is faster than the two-day norm with many other processors, provided you use a Chase business checking account.
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
Doing everything in one place
PayPal Payflow
Monthly fee
$0
$0 Payflow Link; $25 Payflow Pro
There’s not much PayPal doesn’t do. It offers payment processing and payment gateway-only options. It’s a leader in developing and accepting payments in innovative ways, including through subsidiary Venmo, QR codes, payment links and buy-now-pay-later financing. It’s tough to find another company that does this much under one roof.
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
More complex payment needs
Our pick for
Accepting a variety of payment types
Braintree
Payment processing fees
2.59% + $0.49
credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only).
Monthly fee
$0
Braintree, which is owned by PayPal, rivals Stripe from a customization standpoint. But unlike Stripe, Braintree allows customers to pay with PayPal and Venmo, another PayPal-owned entity — so you get those options plus the ones Stripe offers (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) all via one gateway.
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 picks for the best payment gateways
Stripe: Best overall payment gateway
Monthly cost:
- $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).
Payment processing:
- 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.
Adyen: Best omnichannel option
Monthly cost: Free.
Payment processing:
- Interchange plus 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.
Helcim: Best interchange-plus pricing for businesses of all sizes
Monthly cost: Free.
Payment processing:
- 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 transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.
PayPal Payflow: Best for doing everything in one place
Monthly cost:
- $0 for Payflow Link.
- $25 for Payflow Pro.
Payment processing:
- 1.9% plus 10 cents for PayPal or Venmo QR code payments over $10.
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person credit and debit card payments.
- 2.59% plus 49 cents for online credit and debit card payments.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for PayPal Payments transactions (PayPal, Pay Later, Pay with Rewards, Venmo).
Square: Best if you also have a storefront
Monthly cost:
- $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.
Payment processing:
- 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
Monthly cost:
- $0 if you use Braintree for a merchant account and a payment gateway.
- $49 per month plus 10 cents per transaction if you use Braintree as a payment gateway only.
Payment processing:
- 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction for credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only).
- 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5). Discounts available for enterprise businesses.
Chase Payment Solutions: Best for a built-in banking partner
Monthly cost: Monthly fee in some instances.
Payment processing:
- 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
Monthly cost: $25 per month.
Payment processing:
- 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction for a merchant account plus a gateway.
- 10 cents per transaction plus 10 cent daily batch fee for a payment gateway only.
How to choose the best payment gateway for your small business
The best payment gateway depends on the specific needs of your business. You’ll want to take into account the payment gateway’s total cost, which will include the monthly fee, transaction fees and any additional fees. Also important to consider are factors such as your business’ transaction volume, whether you require a full point-of-sale system and how much coding knowledge is needed to integrate and customize the gateway.
Payment gateway costs
The cost of using a payment gateway is generally broken down into two main components:
- 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.
Some companies have additional costs, like PCI compliance fees or setup fees. Our top picks generally don’t charge these additional fees. If you're trying to keep costs down, see NerdWallet's selections for cheapest payment gateways for more options.
Pricing models
If you’re using a payment gateway that offers payment processing services, you’ll have to choose between flat-rate pricing, which is consistent, and interchange-plus pricing, which is variable.
- Flat-rate: For new or seasonal businesses or for those that process less than about $5,000 a month, a flat-rate pricing model, like Square or PayPal uses, may make more sense. Flat-rate pricing is more expensive per transaction than interchange-plus pricing, but providers that use this pricing model often don’t charge a monthly fee. This pricing model also makes it easier to predict and forecast transaction costs because the fees are less variable over time than with interchange-plus pricing. Flat-rate pricing is usually found with payment service providers, which make setting up an account easy.
- Interchange-plus: If you process more than about $5,000 a month and particularly if you value having more transparency into your processing fees, then an interchange-plus model like the one Adyen or Helcim uses could be a better fit for your business. You’ll need a merchant account, which takes a bit more effort to set up, but the savings can be worth the time and effort.
Technical expertise
Some gateways, like PayPal Payflow, allow for a high level of customization but require coding skills to make the most of the customizable features. Other gateways, like those from Stripe and Adyen, offer a simple copy/paste coding option or options with no coding at all for those who are less tech-savvy in addition to a more code-heavy option that requires development skills.
If you want to take advantage of a more advanced and customizable payment gateway option but don’t have the necessary coding expertise within your team, it’s possible to hire freelance development help to get up and running. Stripe, for example, partners with several agencies that offer this service.
Payment processing needs
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.
Last updated on August 17, 2023
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.