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 clears ~$50k or you run single transactions over $20k, prioritize processors with proven risk controls and enterprise support such as Authorize.net or CSG Forte. Expect more paperwork, but you often get lower, negotiable pricing at scale and fewer false fraud flags, making them more cost effective in the long run.
What to look for: interchange-plus pricing, virtual terminal, robust dispute tools, and bank relationships.
Tradeoffs: setup can be slower; interfaces are less modern than developer-first tools.
Do you need recurring or subscription payments?
For subscriptions or auto-billing, use a billing layer (e.g., Zoho Billing) and connect a processor with strong native recurring support. Stripe and PayPal handle subscriptions well out of the box.
Watchouts: some gateways (e.g., CSG Forte) rely on third-party add-ons for subscriptions, which adds cost and complexity.
Nice to have: proration, trials, dunning emails, metered/usage billing.
Is your business considered high-risk?
Some verticals — supplements, CBD, adult, travel, ticketing — are flagged as “high-risk.” Mainstream processors (Stripe, PayPal, Square) often reject or freeze these accounts. Specialized providers, often through banks or ISOs, are a better fit.
What to expect: higher fees, rolling reserves, more paperwork, but stability once approved.
Tip: work with a provider that clearly discloses risk policies and offers a direct support line.
Do you take payments in a physical location?
Square remains the easiest all-in-one for storefronts (hardware + software). PayPal Zettle and Helcim can be cheaper per swipe but may trade off some usability. If you only take cards occasionally and prefer to key them in without hardware, use a virtual terminal from Square, Authorize.net, or Helcim.
Note: Stripe no longer supports manual, keyed-in card entry as a built-in feature. For in-person with Stripe, you’ll use Stripe Terminal hardware or a hosted checkout flow.
Tip: factor in chargeback handling, deposit timing, and staff ease-of-use—not just swipe rates.
Do you transact in multiple international currencies?
If you sell across borders, short-list Stripe and PayPal for broad currency and wallet coverage; CSG Forte is viable where it supports your corridors. Compare not just base fees but also currency conversion and withdrawal costs.
Good to know: tax handling (VAT/GST), local payment methods, and FX markups often matter more than headline card rates.
Back-office: tools like Bill.com can simplify AP/AR across currencies if you’re mixing invoices with card payments.
Are you operating as a non-profit?
Non-profits can often qualify for reduced processing rates or flat-fee programs. Donation platforms (e.g., PayPal Giving Fund, Donorbox) may also provide simpler tax-compliant receipts and recurring giving tools.
Good to know: PayPal and Stripe both offer discounted rates for verified 501(c)(3) orgs.
Tip: choose a processor that integrates with your donor CRM or fundraising platform for easier reporting.
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.
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | $25/mo (Payflow Pro) | Varies by plan/reseller |
| ACH | N/A | 49¢ | 0.5% + 25¢ | Not available for new accounts | Via add-on apps |
| Credit Card | requires separate processor | 2.9% to pay, fees vary to receive | Variable rate pricing | Gateway; rates depend on processor (≈2.9% + 30¢ with PayPal processing) | 2.3–2.6% + 10¢ in-person; 3.5% + 10¢ keyed |
| PoS | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Activation Period | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Usually immediate with existing bank account | Requires credit approval for new merchant account | Usually 1–2 business days | Varies by reseller (often same-day to a few days) |
| 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 | Typically ~2 business days (varies) | Typically 1–2 business days (varies) |
| International Payments | based on gateway | Yes | Yes | Yes (via PayPal processing) | Yes (DCC in supported regions) |
| No. of Countries | based on gateway | 137 | Many | Many | Select regions |
| Currencies | 23 | 106 | USD and CAD | Many | USD; others via DCC (region-specific) |
| eChecks | Yes | Yes | No | Limited / legacy only | No |
| Autocharge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (via PayPal Recurring) | Yes (Clover Subscriptions) |
| Dispute fee | Fee not disclosed | $0 | $15 waived if dispute won | $20 (typical PayPal chargeback fee) | Varies by reseller |
| Limits | depends on processor | $25,000 per day | $25,000 per transaction | Not disclosed | Varies by reseller |
| 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 | Customizable gateway; host checkout on your site; small monthly + per-txn fee | POS-first ecosystem (hardware + software); virtual terminal available |
| Native Zoho Integration | No, use Zoho Subscriptions | No | No | No (use PayPal standard/Checkout instead) | No |
| API | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE | TRUE |
| Mobile App | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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