Top Providers
- Square: Best for brick-and-mortar businesses
- Flat-rate pricing: 2.6% + 10¢ for in-person transactions
- Free POS software and mobile card reader
- Suitable for businesses with lower sales volumes
- Helcim: Best for high-volume businesses
- Interchange-plus pricing: 0.4% + 8¢ for in-person transactions (up to $50,000 monthly)
- No monthly fees and volume discounts
- Transparent pricing and free merchant tools
- Stripe: Best for online businesses
- Flat-rate pricing: 2.9% + 30¢ for online transactions
- Supports 135+ currencies
- Strong integration capabilities for e-commerce
- Stax: Cheapest for businesses processing over $5,000/month
- Subscription model: $99/month and up
- 0% markup on interchange fees
- 8¢ per in-person transaction, 15¢ per online transaction2
- Payment Depot: Offers membership pricing model
- Transparent pricing structure
- Good for businesses with higher transaction volumes1
Factors to Consider
When choosing a credit card processor, consider:
- Transaction volume and average ticket size
- In-person vs. online sales
- Integration needs with existing systems
- Additional features like invoicing or POS software
- Customer support quality
For businesses processing less than $10,000 monthly, flat-rate providers like Square may be more cost-effective. For higher volumes, interchange-plus pricing from providers like Helcim or membership models like Stax could offer better savings4.
Remember to compare pricing structures, additional fees, and contract terms before making a decision. Some providers, like Swipesum, offer free services to help businesses find the right processing partner5.