It’s one of the most common questions we get.
No one offers every payment method at the cheapest price with all the features. Each processor has its own strengths and weaknesses, so the choice will depend on the particulars of your business.
Some are very cheap, but that comes with tradeoffs. For example, Melio processes ACH payments for free, but it lacks broad integrations, meaning many businesses will have to manually upload invoices.
While there's no single 'best' processor, the right choice for you becomes clear when you answer a few key questions about how your business operates.
Do you process a large volume of payments?
If your weekly revenue exceeds $50,000 or you need to process single transactions over $20,000, you should stick with larger, more established players like Authorize.net or CSG Forte. While their fee structures can be more complex, their systems are built to handle high volume without flagging transactions for fraud. You can often negotiate lower fees at this scale, making them a more reliable and cost-effective choice in the long run.
Do you need recurring or subscription payments?
If autocharging customers is core to your business, a dedicated platform like Zoho Subscriptions is invaluable. When choosing a payment processor to connect to it, be aware that some, like CSG Forte, only offer this feature through expensive third-party partnerships (like Chargify), adding unnecessary cost and complexity. Players like Stripe and PayPal have robust, native subscription support.
Do you take payments in a physical location?
Square has long been the leader for its ease of use. For those who are highly cost-sensitive, PayPal's Zettle and the newer Helcim offer lower transaction fees, though sometimes with usability tradeoffs. If you only process cards in person occasionally, setting up a full terminal may not be worth it. Stripe allows for manual card entry, which has a slightly higher fee but avoids the overhead of PoS hardware.
Do you transact in multiple international currencies?
If you frequently deal with international payments and currency conversion, your choices narrow to the established global players. Look closely at PayPal, Stripe, and CSG Forte. Be sure to compare not just their transaction fees but also their currency conversion fees, as this is where costs can add up quickly. Hybrid services like Bill.com can also be a strong option for managing international accounts payable and receivable.
You'll have to compare the cost and features of each service in more detail. To make it easy, we've collected the details for the most popular processors in a handy grid below. This is a living document, so check back for updates as the Fintech landscape changes.
If you're already confused, let us make it easy.
Schedule a Free Consultation| Authorize.net | CSG Forte | PayPal | Stripe | Square | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $25 (Gateway Only: $35) | $75 application fee + $12/mo. | $0 | $0 | $0+ |
| ACH | 0.75% (Gateway Only: 30¢ per transaction) | 30¢ per transaction | 3.49% + 9¢ | 0.8% ($5 max) | 1% (min. $1) -- but only via internal invoicing app |
| Credit Card | 2.9% + 30¢ | Visa/Mastercard 2.75% + 25¢, AMEX/Discover 3.5% + 25¢ | 2.9% + 49¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ (manually keyed 3.4% + 30¢) | 2.9% + 30¢ (manually keyed 3.5% + 15¢) |
| PoS | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.7% + 5¢ | PayPal Zettle 2.29% + 9¢ | 2.7% + 5¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ |
| Activation Period | Usually immediate with existing merchant account | Typically 24 hours | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Usually immediate with existing bank account |
| Clearance Period | varies based on risk, typically 5 business days | varies based on risk (expect 5 business days) | up to 21 days at first, later varies by risk (5 business days for eChecks) | 7 days at first, 3 days after eligibility | Typically 1-2 business days for CC; 3-5 business days for ACH |
| International Payments | +1.5% | +1% (additional 1% if currency conversion required) | Rates are unclear. Perhaps as much as 2.9% + region-specific fee | +1.5% (additional 1% if currency conversion required) | Not accepted |
| No. of Countries | 5 | 120 | 203 | 25 | N/A |
| Currencies | 11 | Many | 25 | Many | N/A |
| eChecks | 0.75% | 25¢ | 0.5% ($10 max) | No | No |
| Autocharge | Yes | Through partnership w/Chargify | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dispute fee | unreported | $25 | $20 | $15 | $0 |
| Limits | varies based on risk | varies based on risk | $10,000/day | not disclosed | varies by risk, single transaction limit of $50,000 |
| Notes | Requires 3rd party merchant account and gateway. Fees can vary based on reseller. | Requires gateway. Ancient interface. Bureaucracy often reported as extremely inflexible | PayPal's fee structure is complicated. | PoS solution is difficult to configure (requires API) | "High-risk" businesses like CBD have higher fees and longer holds |
| Native Zoho Integration | CC, ACH | CC, ACH | CC | CC, ACH | CC |
| Native Squarespace | No | No | CC | CC | CC |
| API | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE |
| Mobile App | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WePay | Apple Pay | Braintree | ProPay | Melio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 with their merchant account, otherwise $49/mo + 10¢ per transaction | $39.95 or $69.95 signup plus $39.95 or $69.95 a year | $0 |
| ACH | 1.0% + 30¢ | N/A | 0.75% (max $5) | 30-35¢ | 0% |
| Credit Card | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.59% + 49¢ card/wallet, 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo | 2.4% swiped, 3.35% keyed, 3.2% AmEx | 2.9% |
| PoS | 2.6% + 10¢ | requires separate processor | N/A | Yes | No |
| Activation Period | At least 1 business day | Usually immediate | 1-2 business days | Usually same day with existing bank account | Usually immediate |
| Clearance Period | 1 business day in some cases, usually 2-3 | depends on processor | 2-3 business days (3-5 business days for AmEx) | 7-9 business days at first, 2-3 business days after | 3-5 business days |
| International Payments | Yes | Generally yes, but depends on bank | +1% (additional 1% if currency conversion required) | Yes | $20 per transaction to make a payment, processor fees apply to receive |
| No. of Countries | US only | Many | 44 | US only | N/A |
| Currencies | USD only | USD only | 130 | USD only | USD only |
| eChecks | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Autocharge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Dispute fee | $15 chargeback fee + $25 "research fee" if disputed | depends on processor | $15 chargeback fee, $5 unauthorized ACH fee | $10 ACH, $15 CC, $10 per investigation | Fee not disclosed |
| Limits | $10,000 per transaction, USD only | $10,000 per 7 days or transaction total | not disclosed | SMB Plan: $500 single transaction, $3,000/mo | $20,000 per transaction, Does not accept personal credit/debit cards |
| Notes | Extremely limited support | Apple Pay is not a processor but a digital wallet | Will process Venmo and Apple Pay | Requires a separate app in most cases | Conveniently, lets you pass the CC fee to your customers |
| Native Zoho Integration | CC | No | CC | No | No |
| Native Squarespace | No | CC | No | No | No |
| API | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | FALSE |
| Mobile App | No | Technically | No | Yes | No |
| Chargify | Bill.com | Helcim | PayPal Pro / PayFlow | Clover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $149+ | $39+ per user | $0 | ||
| ACH | N/A | 49¢ | 0.5% + 25¢ | ||
| Credit Card | requires separate processor | 2.9% to pay, fees vary to receive | Variable rate pricing | ||
| PoS | No | No | Yes | ||
| Activation Period | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Requires credit approval for new merchant account | ||
| Clearance Period | depends on processor | 5+ business days for first 5 payments, 2 business days after | up to 5 business days at first, 3-4 business days after | ||
| International Payments | based on gateway | Yes | Yes | ||
| No. of Countries | based on gateway | 137 | Many | ||
| Currencies | 23 | 106 | USD and CAD | ||
| eChecks | Yes | Yes | No | ||
| Autocharge | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Dispute fee | Fee not disclosed | $0 | $15 waived if dispute won | ||
| Limits | depends on processor | $25,000 per day | $25,000 per transaction | ||
| Notes | Chargify is a recurrent billing platform, not a processor | Bill.com is slowly changing to a full accounting solution | Customers report difficulty using the PoS device and mobile app | ||
| Native Zoho Integration | No, use Zoho Subscriptions | No | No | ||
| Native Squarespace | No | No | No | ||
| API | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE |
| Mobile App | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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