Best Virtual Terminals of April 2024

on Square POS's secure website

Monthly fee

$0.00

and up.

Square offers a robust virtual terminal without the need for special equipment or devices. You access it through an online dashboard that works on both Mac and Windows POS systems. Some free features include recurring payment options; email, text or print receipts; and a library of products, taxes and discounts.

Pros

No monthly fee.
App and card readers are compatible with iOS and Android devices.
No long-term contracts.
All plans include a free online store.

Cons

Live chat or phone support is limited to weekdays.

Our pick for

Subscription pricing model

Stax is a payment processor that charges monthly subscription fees and a small fee (15 cents per manually keyed-in transaction) on top of interchange rates. But if your small business has a high volume of sales, this subscription pricing model could be cost effective for you. Stax’s subscription plans include access to a virtual terminal.

Stax by Fattmerchant

4.0

on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website

Monthly fee

$99.00

and up.

Stax (formerly Fattmerchant) has a free virtual terminal with all of its monthly subscription packages. You’ll pay the monthly fee plus the applicable interchange rate for each card transaction. Features allow you to customize invoices, automatically send receipts and also set up recurring payments.

Pros

No contract required.
Option for same-day access to funds, including holidays and weekends, as an add-on.
Set up an online store through an add-on.
Mobile app is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

Cons

Technical support is through a ticketing system.

Our pick for

POS flexibility

Clover’s virtual terminal doesn’t come with a monthly subscription cost, but you do have to pay processing fees (3.5% plus 10 cents per manually keyed-in transaction). If you accept in-person transactions, it also syncs up with Clover’s POS devices. You can choose from a simple card reader, countertop terminal system with a customer-facing screen or a handheld POS system.

Clover POS

4.0

on Clover POS's secure website

Monthly fee

$14.95

and up.

Clover offers a wide range of plans to select from, including a virtual terminal with no additional monthly fee. You’ll pay applicable processing rates per each transaction, and depending on the plan you select, Clover may charge a monthly software fee. You can request payments by email, set up tax rates and apply them automatically, and have customers pay online.

Pros

App works with iOS and Android mobile devices.
Next-day deposits to your bank account in most cases.
Online payment option.
24/7 phone support.

Cons

Differing pricing structures depending on business type.

Our pick for

E-commerce integration

Shopify users can accept payments over the phone by logging into the Shopify mobile app and entering customers’ card info. This is convenient for online-first small businesses that already use Shopify to power their site and process online transactions. Shopify doesn’t charge a separate rate for keyed-in transactions.

Shopify Retail POS

4.5

on Shopify POS's secure website

Monthly fee

$39.00

and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89.

Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.Read full review

Pros

No long-term contracts or termination fees.
All plans include an online store.
Built specifically for online sellers.
24/7 chat support.

Cons

No free plan options.
Cannot process cards in offline mode.

Our pick for

Restaurants

TouchBistro offers customizable POS plans for a variety of restaurant types, including quick service, fine dining and bars, and allows you to accept transactions over the phone. Restaurants can choose from a range of add-ons, too, including online ordering, reservations, loyalty programs, marketing tools and profit management.

TouchBistro

3.5

on TouchBistro's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Quote-based.

Monthly fee

$69.00

and up.

For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.Read full review

Pros

24/7 phone, chat and email support.
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.

Cons

Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.

Our pick for

Surcharging option

Manually keyed-in transactions often have the most expensive processing fees, and Dharma Merchant Services’ surcharge option lets you pass those costs (0.2% and 11 cents plus interchange) along to customers who choose to pay with credit card. Online payment processing comes with a monthly fee and includes free access to a virtual terminal through MX Merchant, a separate payments platform.

Dharma Merchant Services

4.5

Monthly fee

$15.00

for most industries; $12 for nonprofits.

Dharma Merchant Services includes free access to its virtual terminal, MX Merchant, with every account. Dharma uses an interchange-plus pricing model for payment processing and also charges a monthly fee. A customer database allows you to store payment information, and you'll have the ability to create quick-payment links on your website.

Pros

No long-term contract.
Mobile app is free and compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Two-day funding for card-not-present transactions.
24-hour customer support help lines.

Cons

Invoicing and recurring billing is an additional monthly fee.
Account closure fee of $49 is charged.

Our pick for

Fast deposits

Having to wait for credit card funds to be deposited into your business account can disrupt cash flow. If your business uses a U.S. Bank checking account, though, you can access same-day deposits with U.S. Bank Merchant Services. Transactions keyed into the virtual terminal cost 3.5% plus 15 cents each.

U.S. Bank Merchant Services

4.5

on U.S. Bank Merchant Services' secure website

Monthly fee

$0.00

and up.

U.S. Bank Merchant Services is an all-in-one solution for banking, payment processing and POS software. Businesses with a U.S. Bank checking account are eligible to receive deposits more quickly than they might with competitors, thanks to the company’s Everyday Funding option. This gives you access to free deposits every day of the week, including weekends. Read full review

Pros

Same-day funding seven days per week for U.S. bank checking account holders.
No PCI compliance fees.
No cancellation fees.
Free POS software plan available.

Cons

POS system onboarding assistance can be costly.
Deposit times are not as quick for merchants using third-party bank accounts.