10 Best Credit Card Processing Companies Of 2024

Stripe is a long-standing and top-rated credit card processing company that has quickly become the best credit card processing company for online merchants and mobile app-based sellers. Similar to Square, Stripe uses a flat-rate fee structure but with slightly lower rates per transaction for in-person and keyed-in credit card payments—without a monthly fee. In my opinion, Stripe outshines its competitors in terms of online payments since it accepts all types of mobile wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, and popular international wallets such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. I also like how modern and user-friendly it is, much like PayPal.

Corin Dolan is the owner at AccuTech Communications, and he has a few things he likes about using Stripe for his business: “Stripe has been integral to our operations due to its developer-friendly ecosystem and robust security measures. Its API seamlessly integrates with our system, allowing for efficient transaction processing that is crucial in the tech and communications sector. Particularly, Stripe’s ability to handle recurring payments and international transactions with ease makes it an excellent option for businesses looking to automate and expand their payment systems globally.”

General Features

Stripe is a feature-packed credit card processing service that accepts nearly every payment type, including major payment networks such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, as well as mobile payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay and even international payment providers. Payments aside, it also comes with a user-friendly dashboard where users can easily manage payments, handle disputes and issue refunds. Additionally, it has data export capabilities, invoicing, contactless payments and is PCI compliant.

Pricing and Fees

When it comes to pricing and fees, one unique aspect of Stripe is that it lets merchants accept payments or recurring charges with ACH debit, ACH credit or wire transfers for a 0.8% fee (capped at $5). However, what I don’t like about it is how expensive its hardware can be.

Monthly fee:

• Stripe does not charge a fixed monthly fee to use its credit card processing service.

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
• Online payments: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: 3.4% + 30 cents per transaction

Hardware costs:

• Stripe Reader M2: $59 per terminal
• BBPOS WisePOS E: $249 per terminal
• Stripe Reader S700: $349 per terminal

Stripe’s credit card readers integrate with popular e-commerce and accounting software, including Shopify, WooCommerce and Xero. Payouts are typically available within two days but you can also choose instant payouts for an additional 1% (50 cent minimum).

Reputation

While Stripe is widely revered as one of the best credit card processors on the market, there is a clear divide between users who either love it or hate it. On Trustpilot, nearly 50% of its reviewers gave it a perfect 5-star rating, with a large majority of these users commenting that its support is top-notch. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, over 40% of reviewers gave it a 1 out of 5-star rating, with the vast majority experiencing the same issue that their account had been suspected or closed unexpectedly.

Customer Support

Stripe offers 24/7 customer support by email, chat and phone. But not only does it provide support around the clock and through a variety of channels, it is also highly rated. In my experience, its support team has been quick to get a hold of and very patient and helpful—and dozens of user reviews share similar feedback on their experience with support.

Who Should Use It

Small businesses that want the flexibility to accept a wide variety of credit card and mobile wallet payments, as well as businesses that are looking to accept recurring payments

Learn More: Read our Stripe Review.

Formerly Fattmerchant, Stax is a payment processing company that offers a rare subscription-based model with low per-transaction fees added to the interchange rate. Subscriptions start at $99 per month based on monthly credit card processing volume, and per-transaction fees range from eight cents to 10 cents based on plan tier and type of sale. It also offers several software packages ranging from $49 to $129 per month that include dashboards, reporting and ACH processing, as well as invoicing, Text2Pay and advanced reporting and support.

General Features

Stax has a robust feature set that gives users the ability to accept payments from all major payment networks, such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Google Pay, Apple Pay and numerous others through payment integrations. What I like is that with Stax, you can also choose from several add-ons, including surcharging, lending, one-click shopping cart, QuickBooks Online Pro Sync and same-day funding, giving users more versatility. It also offers industry-specific solutions for retail, professional services, field services and healthcare.

Pricing and Fees

Unlike many of its competitors, Stax does not offer a free, transaction fee-only plan. Instead, it uses a subscription model with a flat monthly fee determined by sales volume and low transaction fees.

Monthly fee (by annual sales volume):

• Processing up to $150,000: $99 per month
• Processing $150,000-$250,000: $139 per month
• Processing over $250,000: $199-plus per month

Payment processing fees:

• Pricing varies depending on how the payment is accepted (e.g., in-person, keyed in or online) but ranges from eight cents to 10-plus cents (per transaction, plus interchange rate).

Hardware costs:

• Stax offers a wide range of hardware and equipment; however, pricing is custom-based on factors such as requirements and purchase volume.

It’s also worth noting that Stax sells its own customizable countertop terminals and can seamlessly integrate its software with other terminals, as well as most POS systems and other business tools.

Corin Dolan, owner at AccuTech Communications, appreciates Stax’s pricing model: “Stax offers a unique value with its subscription-based pricing model. For a business like ours, where transaction volumes can be high, Stax’s predictable pricing helps in budgeting and financial forecasting. The transparency in fees means there are no surprises at the end of the month, which is greatly appreciated from a managerial perspective.”

Reputation

In general, Stax is a well-regarded credit carding processing company that’s recognized for its user-friendly platform and helpful support. It has a solid 4.2 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot from nearly 1,000 users—75% of whom gave it a 5-star rating. However, users in the past have had an issue with its lack of a support phone number, which is something it now offers.

Customer Support

When it comes to support, Stax offers highly rated phone, email and live chat support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. My experience with Stax support aligns with user reviews, in that I have found getting assistance to be easy. It also offers a comprehensive help desk right from the Stax Platform as well as a concierge service with its higher-cost packages.

Who Should Use It

High-volume sellers who want low interchange-plus credit card processing fees and versatile sales and business management add-ons

Learn more: Read our full Stax by Fattmerchant review.

Square has become one of the biggest names in the credit card processing world, known for its easy-to-use and all-in-one system. What I like is that it offers a free mobile credit card reader that plugs into any smartphone or tablet and free point-of-sale (POS) software so you can begin taking mobile, in-store and online credit card payments in minutes.

Jeff Luna, one of our advisory board members, adds, “Square is great for small businesses because it’s easy to set up and user-friendly. Perfect for your phone and great for side hustles and sole proprietors.”

I also appreciate that it’s one of the more modern and user-friendly processors in the market, alongside Stripe and PayPal. The Square Plus POS software offers advanced retail and restaurant features for as little as $29 per month.

General Features

Square is a versatile provider that gives businesses a number of ways to accept payments—whether that’s online, in-person or by phone. It has a large selection of hardware options, from a simple mobile card reader to comprehensive payment terminals and registers. It also offers features such as buy now, pay later, instant transfers, built-in security, advanced analytics and reporting and banking services. Additionally, all users get transparent pricing, fraud prevention, dispute management, end-to-end payment encryption, PCI compliance and phone support.

Pricing and Fees

What I find advantageous about Square is that it keeps things simple for business owners with flat credit card processing rates based on the type of sale, regardless of the credit card used. Square also doesn’t charge any startup, refund, cancellation or PCI-compliance fees. Funds from transactions are available in one to two business days or instantly for a 1.5% fee per transfer.

Monthly fee:

• Basic features: Free
• Advanced features for retail and restaurants: Starts at $29 per month

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction
• Online payments: 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: 3.5% plus 15 cents per transaction

Hardware costs:

• Square Reader for magstripe: Free for your first reader, and each additional reader is $10
• Square Reader for contactless and chip: Starts at $49 or $66 with the charging dock
• Square Stand for contactless and chip: $149 or $14 per month for 12 months
• Square Terminal: $299 or $27 per month for 12 months
• Square Register: $799 or $39 per month for 12 months

Square works on mobile devices and also offers register and payment hardware for retailers, restaurants and more to help businesses scale and grow. Loyalty, marketing, appointment scheduling and advanced inventory features come with upgraded plans or paid add-ons.

Reputation

As one of the most recognizable names in payment processing, Square is a very popular choice across various industries and business sizes. It has a solid reputation for its ease of use, which makes it easy for onboarding and training staff, and reliability, which enables businesses to accept payments no matter where their customers are or which payment method they prefer. It has a 4 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot from over 4,400 users—of which nearly 85% gave it a 5-star rating.

Customer Support

Square provides live phone support 24/7 for paid accounts, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, PT, for free accounts, plus a complete online knowledge base with video tutorials.

Who Should Use It

Small businesses looking for fast and easy setup and predictable credit card processing fees

Learn more: Read our full Square review.

PayPal has grown into a payment powerhouse that supports all types of credit card processing and Venmo app payments, and it has a variety of POS terminals and card readers, giving users a good deal of flexibility. Its basic plans offer simple flat-rate fees based on the type of sale and no monthly fees.

“Everyone knows PayPal. Using it comes with brand recognition and makes customers feel secure in paying you. There are hundreds of integrations out there with shopping carts and it’s easy to use,” adds Jeff Luna, a payment processing expert and our advisory board member.

In my experience, setting up a PayPal merchant account takes just minutes and you can start selling right away. PayPal offers some of the most flexibility in terms of payments, allowing customers to pay with their PayPal and Venmo accounts, QR codes, subscriptions and recurring payments, and even cryptocurrency. PayPal also offers lower flat-rate credit card processing fees with upgraded accounts that range from $5 to $30 per month.

General Features

PayPal is a very versatile and modern payment processor, despite that it’s one of the bigger (and older) names in the industry. It gives users a great deal of flexibility with its wide variety of card readers and terminals that integrate with its Zettle POS system, which I have found to be a reliable and comprehensive POS solution. It also integrates with many e-commerce, accounting and POS apps, including Shopify, QuickBooks, BigCommerce and WooCommerce. Additionally, users can accept payments in installments, create custom invoices, or send a payment link so that they can get paid online without processing it via a website.

Pricing and Fees

To meet the needs and budgets and businesses of all sizes, PayPal offers a variety of plans and payment terminal types. It also has a variety of payment options, each with its own payment processing fees, so it’s worth being aware of how much each payment type costs.

Monthly fee:

• Basic features: Free
• Advanced features: Plans start at $5 per month

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction (using PayPal Zettle)
• Online payments: 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: 3.49% plus 9 cents per transaction (using PayPal Zettle)
• Venmo payments: 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction
• QR Code Payments: From 2.29% plus 9 cents

Hardware costs:

• Tap to pay mobile contactless payments app: Free (available on iOS and Android)
• Card reader: $29 for your first card reader, then $79 for each additional card reader
• POS terminal: $199 per terminal
• POS Terminal with built-in barcode scanner: $239
• POS Terminal kit with printer and dock: Starting at $269

Reputation

PayPal is one of the most recognizable names in the industry. While the payments powerhouse has had mixed reviews over the years and over its varied service offerings, its credit card solutions are regarded by users as highly versatile and reliable. It’s also revered as one of the easier solutions to use, likely due to its various payment options from accepting payments via links or invoices, via your mobile device (no terminal attachment required) or via terminals and complete POS systems.

Customer Support

Support is available by live chat and phone, seven days a week between the hours of 6:00 a.m. PT to 6:00 p.m. PT, as well as a comprehensive knowledge base, community of users and resolution center for handling transaction or account issues. For me, however, the limited support availability is disappointing and it may be problematic for businesses that operate outside of these hours.

Who should use it:

Small businesses that value versatility as well as simplicity given its variety of payment solutions, ease of use, and scalability.

Learn more: Read our full PayPal review.

Clover is a popular credit card processing company amongst small retailers and restaurants. It is similar to Square in that both offer easy-to-use POS software, native hardware options and integrated flat-rate payment processing. However, I find that Clover offers businesses more flexibility with custom-tailored POS systems and hardware packages than Square, though it lacks a free plan like many of its top competitors.

Jeff Luna, our advisory board member, says that Clover is “great as a full POS system. It is good if you want to keep track of inventory or need something that plays well with other apps.”

General Features

Since Clover offers tools, features and plans designed specifically for retail as well as food, professional and home services, it is a great fit for those in said industries, such as restaurants, law firms or landscaping businesses. It offers a variety of payment terminals, giving businesses a good deal of flexibility and invoicing options. However, one issue I have found with Clover is that while it claims most funds will be available the next day, in reality, funds are generally available within one to three business days. On the other hand, a unique feature of Clover is that it allows you to return any device within 60 days.

Pricing and Fees

Clover offers simple flat-rate credit card processing fees that range from 2.3% plus 10 cents for swiped transactions to 3.5% plus 10 cents for keyed-in transactions. Its plans range from $14.95 to $310 per month, based on plan type, tier and hardware needs. For example, if you buy a terminal or register hardware upfront, you’ll get the lowest monthly fees. Or, you can pay more per month and have no upfront terminal or register costs.

Monthly fee:

• Plans start at $14.95 and increase to over $300 per month, depending on your industry and payment processing needs.

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: 2.3% + 10 cents per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: 3.5% + 10 cents per transaction

Hardware costs:

• Clover Go (handheld card reader): $49
• Clover Flex (handheld food service terminal): $599 or $35 per month for 36 months
• Clover Mini (complete POS): $799 or $45 per month for 36 months
• Clover Station Solo (terminal): $1,699 or $125 per month for 36 months
• Clover Station Duo (terminal): $1,799 or $135 per month for 36 months

Reputation

While Clover has a good reputation for its unique, industry-specific features that can make all the difference to many businesses, users tend to either love it or hate it. For example, it has a mediocre 3.7 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot from over 1,300 users. Of these users, 50% gave it a 5-star rating and just over 40% gave it a 1-star rating, revealing that while it’s a great payment processor, it’s not the best option for every business.

Customer Support

Clover support is available 24/7 by phone, email and chat. It also has a help center; however, I do not find that it is particularly robust compared to its competitors.

Who Should Use It

Small retailers, service providers and food service businesses looking for an all-in-one POS, register system and credit card processing company

Learn more: Read our full Clover review.

Payment Depot by Stax is membership-based, which charges users a monthly membership fee, interchange fee at wholesale rates and cents per transaction. While it boasts low fees and pricing transparency, I do not like that it doesn’t publish pricing and, instead, requires users to speak with a sales representative over the phone. Like many people, I prefer to avoid a potentially time-consuming sales pitch. However, with wholesale interchange rates averaging around 1.5% to 2.5%, and plans starting at $39 per month, it may be a worthwhile investment for those with a high monthly sales volume.

General Features

Payment Depot offers credit card processing tools and features for businesses of all sizes. It enables businesses to accept all major payment types online, in-person and over the phone. However, it does not offer a wide variety of payment terminals like other providers, such as Square or Clover and it does not offer industry-specific features for those in food service. Additionally, Payment Depot does not have payment by link like PayPal or invoicing tools like many other providers. Granted, where it stands out for me is that it does a good job of providing access to funds within 24 to 48 hours.

Pricing and Fees

Though Payment Depot claims to have transparent pricing, users must speak with a sales representative for membership and pricing information as it is custom-quoted. Its plans work a bit differently than most of its competitors, with a custom monthly membership fee, per transaction fee and wholesale interchange rates based on sales volume.

Monthly fee:

• Plans are custom-quoted based on a variety of factors, but start at $39 per month.

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: Wholesale interchange rate (1.5% to 2.5%) + 10 cents per transaction
• Online payments: Wholesale interchange rate (1.5% to 2.5%) + 15 cents per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: Wholesale interchange rate (1.5% to 2.5%) + 15 cents per transaction

Hardware costs:

• Mobile card reader: Free for your first, then $125 each
• Standalone terminal: $375

In addition to its standard membership options, Payment Depot also offers an interchange plus percentage model, which may be more suitable to certain types of businesses such as cyclical or seasonal businesses.

Sarib Rehman, CEO of Flipcost, has found benefit in Payment Depot’s pricing model: “Their subscription model has been significantly advantageous for us in managing costs. The predictability of their flat-rate pricing eliminates the surprise of variable transaction fees and helps in financial planning—a crucial aspect for businesses watching their bottom line closely. This model can be particularly valuable for businesses with high transaction volumes.”

Reputation

Though Payment Depot is a good value for high-volume businesses, it is not the most popular payment processing provider, nor is it the most widely loved. It has a meager 3.7 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot—despite that nearly 90% of its users gave it a perfect 5-star rating. This illustrates that while the majority of users love it, a certain percentage don’t.

Customer Support

Support is available 24/7 by phone and live chat. In my experience, getting connected was quick, though I haven’t run into any major issues, so I can’t speak to its ability to troubleshoot more pressing matters. However, many users note that Payment Depot’s support can take hours to resolve a problem and that support isn’t always particularly helpful, so it’s something of a mixed bag.

Who Should Use It

High-volume businesses that want low interchange-plus credit card processing rates but don’t need a built-in POS or sales management software.

Learn more: Read our full Payment Depot review.

Helcim offers flat-rate credit card processing fees with no setup, monthly or cancellation fees. The company also offers monthly volume discounts so that businesses that process more each month will pay less per transaction making it a good choice for high-volume sellers and growing businesses. Based on my experience, a Helcim account takes only minutes to set up and payouts are on the faster side, typically within a day or two.

Sarib Rehman, CEO of Flipcost, appreciates Helcim’s pricing and features: “Helcim has impressed with its commitment to transparency and lower transaction fees. Our experience with Helcim has shown that they are not just a payment processor but a partner that helps streamline financial operations. Their platform is designed to be intuitive, which reduces the learning curve and aids in quicker adaptation for you and your team.”

General Features

Helcim offers a great deal of flexibility and value to both online and brick-and-mortar merchants with a variety of built-in tools, including a POS, online store, customer relationship management (CRM) software and even an online food ordering tool. Helcim also integrates with dozens of popular accounting software, billing systems and shopping carts, plus sells card readers that work on nearly any device.

Pricing and Fees

While Helcim offers competitive pricing with no monthly fees and low fees, pricing varies based on factors such as your total monthly volume and average transaction amount. On average, users can expect to pay around 1.93% plus 8 cents per transaction for in-person transactions and 2.49% plus 25 cents per online transaction.

Monthly fee:

• Helcim does not have a monthly membership fee

Payment processing fees by sales volume (in-person):

• In-person payments: 1.93% plus 8 cents per transaction (average)
• Online payments: 2.49% plus 25 cents per transaction (average)
• Keyed-in payments: 2.49% plus 25 cents per transaction (average)
• PIN debit card payments: 0.91% plus 8 cents per transaction (average)

Hardware costs:

• Portable card reader: $99
• Helcim Smart Terminal: $329 or $68 per month for five months

Reputation

Though Helcim may not be the most recognizable name in the credit card processing space, it is a highly rated provider with a high 4.4 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot. Users like that it is easy to use, affordable and doesn’t charge a monthly fee, which makes it more accessible to businesses that are just getting on their feet, as well as seasonal businesses that do not consistently process large volumes of payments every month.

Customer Support

Helcim offers 24/7 phone and email support, giving users round-the-clock support availability and with that, peace of mind. However, I personally don’t like that it does not offer live chat support, given that sometimes you don’t have the time to dedicate your attention solely to support by phone.

Who Should Use It

Businesses that want an interchange-plus credit card processing company with built-in sales, customer and inventory management software

Learn more: Read our full Helcim review.

Gravity Payments stands out for its specialization in credit card processing for niche industries. Its custom payment solutions are designed to align with the specific needs of different sectors, including food and beverage, veterinary, outdoor power equipment, retail, legal services and bridal. What I like about it is its use of integrated payments, which helps businesses create a better checkout experience for customers while saving them time. However, this means that the transaction fees for online and keyed-in payments will vary depending on your software integration.

Ozzy Akpek, CEO of Smile Art Design, uses Gravity Payments for his business and shared his thoughts on why he likes it: “Using Gravity Payments has significantly streamlined the way I handle transactions for my small business. Its user-friendly interface allows me to process payments effortlessly, freeing up time to focus on other business areas. What sets Gravity Payments apart is its transparent pricing structure, which eliminates surprise fees, making financial planning simpler and more predictable. Additionally, the customer support is exceptionally responsive and helpful, providing personalized assistance whenever needed.”

General Features

Gravity Payments offers flexible payment processing options for businesses of all sizes, with tailor-made solutions for numerous niche industries, such as medical practices (including veterinarians), boutiques, restaurants, home services and nonprofits. It also offers businesses the option to process payments without surcharging, funding and financing with a quick three- to five-day turnaround time, 24/7 support and more.

Pricing and Fees

In regards to cost, Gravity Payments does not charge a monthly membership fee and instead has a fixed, flat processing fee of 2.5% plus 10 cents per transaction.

Monthly fee:

• There is no monthly fee to use Gravity Payments

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: 2.5% + 10 cents per transaction
• Online payments: Varies by integrated software solution

Hardware costs:

• Gravity Payments has a very large selection of card readers, terminals and POS systems to choose from ranging in price from $64 to $1,999.
• It does not offer monthly payments for hardware like Stax, Square or Clover.

Reputation

Gravity Payments is a lesser-known credit card processing company, so it hasn’t built a widespread reputation like big names PayPal and Square. However, it is a quality solution that stands up to the competition—especially for small businesses and niche industries.

Customer Support

Support is available around the clock, which is not only important for businesses operating outside of standard hours or in different time zones, but also for businesses that are new to using a POS and might need immediate assistance outside of standard business hours.

Who Should Use It

It is a good solution for small businesses and those in niche industries that need custom payment solutions and a great deal of choice when it comes to hardware.

Learn more: Read our full Gravity Payments review.

Merchant One is a top-rated credit card processing company with thousands of near-perfect ratings from users. Its tiered pricing structure offers low monthly fees, with plans starting at $13.95. Granted, what I don’t like about it is that plans are quote-based, so users have to call for information on what they will need to pay to set up an account. However, when you do, you will get a dedicated account representative who will walk you through setting up your account every step of the way, making it one of the easiest platforms to get started with.

“These guys will get you set up quickly for those who are sitting on payments they need to process. Credit can be a hindrance for some systems, but Merchant One has programs to help with that,” adds Jeff Luna, payment processing expert and our advisory board member.

General Features

Merchant One is a full-service provider that processes payments online, in-person and over the phone with a variety of payment terminals to suit nearly any need, from simple iPhone and Android mobile card readers to advanced terminal systems through Clover. What’s unique about it is that it is one of the few providers that includes a dedicated account manager who can help new users get set up in as little as 24 hours.

Pricing and Fees

Merchant One offers one of the most affordable tiered pricing plans in the business at $13.95 per month with low processing rates. Its rates are competitive and range from 0.29% to 1.55% for swiped transactions and 0.29% to 1.99% for keyed-in transactions. Pricing is per quote and based on business type, equipment needs and sales volume. Interchange-plus pricing is available as well.

Monthly fee:

• Plans are custom-quoted but start at $13.95 per month

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: From 0.29% to 1.55% per transaction
• Keyed-in payments: From 0.29% to 1.99% per transaction

Hardware costs:

• It offers a variety of hardware products and works with various terminal brands, including Clover mobile card readers, terminals and POS systems.

Reputation

Merchant One is a very highly rated provider with an above-average 4.9 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot from over 9,000 users. If that weren’t impressive enough, 95% of users gave it a 5-star rating while only 2% gave it a 1-star rating.

Customer Support

Support is available 24/7 by phone. It does not offer live chat or email support, which could be an inconvenience to many users, and worse, its support can take a while to get a hold of. Granted, once connected, I found that its support team is helpful and generally very effective at remedying issues.

Who Should Use It

Due to its ease of use, a dedicated account manager who can help you set up your new account and 24/7 phone support, Merchant One is best for beginners and businesses looking for low monthly pricing, low predictable fees and 24/7 customer support.

Learn more: Read our full Merchant One review.

Elavon presents a standout choice for businesses that operate on a global scale, with its services available in more than 36 countries. The company excels in providing solutions that are industry-specific, targeting sectors as diverse as retail, healthcare and even specialized areas such as golf, thereby affirming that payment processing solutions can, and should, be tailored to a business’s unique requirements. Where it also shines is in its international features for global businesses, such as its dynamic currency converter—something you don’t see with other credit card processing companies—and multi-lingual support.

Jeff Luna, our advisory board member, adds: “Elavon is secure and backed by a large bank.  They are reliable and work all over the globe. If you’re looking to take your business international, they are a good choice.”

General Features

Elavon is a secure and reliable credit card processing company that offers all of the key features a business would expect, such as the ability to accept payments in a number of ways and various payment gateways, including CenPOS, a go-to gateway for those in the automotive, supply chain, distribution, heavy equipment, and manufacturing industries. In addition to offering service in 36 countries, it also has tools to help global businesses accept payments more seamlessly, such as a dynamic currency converter, which automatically displays currencies in the cardholder’s currency.

Pricing and Fees

Unlike many of the leading providers, Elavon offers users a flat service fee or a percentage of the transaction based on the payment method. Pricing is unfortunately custom-quoted; however, rates start at 1.10% + $0.12 cents per in-person transaction.

Monthly fee:

• Custom-quoted

Payment processing fees:

• In-person payments: Starts at 1.10% + $0.12 cents per transaction
• Online payments: Custom-quoted
• Keyed-in payments: Custom-quoted

Hardware costs:

• Custom-quoted

Reputation

As a global payment processing provider, Elavon operates in dozens of countries and with that, has mixed reviews from users. While it is highly rated by its user base in Europe, it has fairly low marks in the North American market, noting issues with refund management and customer support (as I too experienced).

Customer Support

Elavon offers in-house multilingual support 24/7, which can be crucial for international businesses operating across different time zones. However, it’s worth noting that while its support is helpful once you connect, I found it can be difficult to actually get connected to a support agent.

Who Should Use It

Businesses that operate internationally and require industry-specific payment solutions

Learn more: Read our full Elavon review.