Home » Blog » Credit Card Processing » Best Online Payment Processors For Small Business ? Save money on credit card processing with one of our top 5 picks for 2026 ? Save money on credit card processing with one of our top 5 picks for 2026 The best online payment processors include options for new, growing, global, and high-risk businesses. WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY Erica Seppala Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina. Editor & Senior Staff Writer WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY Editor & Senior Staff Writer Jun 30, 2026 UPDATED We researched the best online payment processors based on pricing, contract terms, payment features, integrations, ease of use, and overall value. Here are our top picks. Skip the reading — get matched in 60 seconds Answer five questions about your volume, ticket size, and industry, and we’ll rank these processors for your business. Compare Our Top Picks Stripe Payments Best For Custom Checkout Stripe is a good fit for businesses that need a customizable online checkout with strong developer tools. Stripe supports online payments, subscriptions, invoicing, payment links, fraud prevention, international payments, local payment methods, and in-person payments through Stripe Terminal. It’s best for businesses that want more control over checkout design, payment flows, and platform integrations. Excellent developer support Supports international transactions Occasional account stability issues Technical skills required Not for high-risk businesses Best For Global Businesses Airwallex is best for online businesses that sell internationally and want to manage payments across multiple currencies. Airwallex supports global payment acceptance, local payment methods, multi-currency accounts, international transfers, payment links, shopping cart integrations, corporate cards, expense management, and bill pay. It’s best suited for online and cross-border businesses, not in-person sellers or high-risk merchants. No annual or monthly fees No long-term contracts Streamlines global payments Not for high-risk businesses No in-person transactions Durango Merchant Services Best For Hard-To-Place Businesses Durango Merchant Services is best for online businesses that need help getting approved for payment processing. Durango specializes in high-risk and hard-to-place merchants, including businesses that may not qualify with mainstream payment processors. It offers online credit card processing, payment gateways, shopping cart integrations, eCheck/ACH support, fraud tools, and dedicated account support. High-risk specialist Offshore merchant accounts Dedicated account managers Undisclosed pricing ETFs, contracts, and tiered pricing Best For Low Volume Square is best for new and low-volume businesses that want an easy way to accept online payments. Square offers simple signup, flat-rate online processing, Square Online, payment links, invoices, subscriptions, inventory tools, and a free POS system for businesses that also sell in person. It’s a solid starter option for sellers that want low upfront commitment and room to grow. Predictable flat-rate pricing No mandatory monthly fees Strong POS support Occasional account stability issues Not cost-effective for high volume Dharma Merchant Services Best For Nonprofits Dharma Merchant Services is best for established nonprofits that want transparent online payment processing and donation tools. Dharma offers interchange-plus pricing, discounted nonprofit rates, MX Merchant access, virtual terminal tools, payment links, recurring billing, customer data storage, and ACH/eCheck processing. It also integrates with 4aGoodCause for donation pages and event registration. No monthly minimums Month-to-month with no ETFs Highly ethical company Not for low-volume merchants Not for high-risk merchants Best All-In-One Online Processing Helcim is best for established online businesses that want a full merchant account with transparent interchange-plus pricing. Helcim includes online payment processing, hosted payment pages, a virtual terminal, invoicing, recurring billing, ACH/EFT support, inventory tools, and API options. It’s available to US and Canadian businesses and can also support in-person payments when needed. No long-term contracts or ETFs No monthly account fees Excellent customer support Not for low-volume businesses No high-risk business support Best For High Volume Stax is best for higher-volume online businesses that can benefit from subscription-style payment processing. Stax charges a monthly membership fee instead of a percentage markup on card transactions, which can help established businesses save as volume grows. It supports online payments, invoices, recurring billing, hosted payment pages, ACH, text payments, integrations, and in-person processing. Many gateway integrations eCommerce and Saas features Shopping cart integrations Expensive for low volume Not for high-risk businesses Best For High-Risk Businesses PaymentCloud is best for online businesses that need high-risk merchant account placement and hands-on support. PaymentCloud works with multiple banks and back-end processors to help hard-to-place merchants get approved. It supports online payment gateways, virtual terminals, shopping cart integrations, ACH/eCheck processing, contactless payment requests, PCI compliance, data migration, and dedicated account management. Free credit card terminal Excellent customer support Online store integration No publicly disclosed pricing Contracts may apply

Host Merchant Services Best For Service Businesses Host Merchant Services is best for SaaS, subscription, and web-based businesses that need recurring online payments. HMS offers full merchant accounts with interchange-plus pricing, ACH/eCheck processing, payment gateways, virtual terminals, recurring billing, shopping cart integrations, and customer support. It’s a solid option for businesses that need online payments, subscriptions, and bank payment options from one provider. Exceptional customer service Free basic website No long-term contracts or ETFs Expensive for low volume Gateway fee for eCommerce Best For Scalable Processing CDGcommerce is best for online sellers who want pricing options that can change as their processing volume grows. CDGcommerce offers flat-rate, interchange-plus, and membership-style pricing, with plans based on monthly sales volume. It also supports online payments, virtual terminals, recurring billing, shopping cart integrations, reporting, fraud tools, and gateway options including Quantum Gateway and Authorize.Net. Free payment gateway Free virtual terminal Excellent customer support Expensive flat-rate pricing Not for all high-risk businesses Shopify Payments Best For Omnichannel Shopify Payments is best for Shopify sellers that want built-in online payment processing across multiple sales channels. Shopify lets businesses sell through an online store, social media, marketplaces, buy buttons, and in-person with Shopify POS. Using Shopify Payments also helps merchants avoid Shopify’s third-party transaction fees while keeping payments, orders, inventory, shipping, and customer data in one system. Predictable flat-rate pricing International support Excellent online store builder Occasional account stability issues Monthly fee applies Our Rating Methodology Each provider gets 10–15 hours of research, is scored by a subject-matter expert, and is reviewed by a second expert before publication. Ratings are not influenced by our referral partnerships. Best Online Merchant Accounts Frequently Asked Questions What should I look for in an online credit card processor? Look for fair online processing rates , strong security tools, and easy integration with your website or eCommerce platform. You’ll also want clear contract terms, reliable customer support, and features that fit your business, such as recurring billing, fraud protection, or developer tools for a custom checkout. Look for fair online processing rates , strong security tools, and easy integration with your website or eCommerce platform. You’ll also want clear contract terms, reliable customer support, and features that fit your business, such as recurring billing, fraud protection, or developer tools for a custom checkout. Are online processing rates higher that in-person rates? Online payments usually cost more to process than in-person payments because the card is not physically present , which creates more fraud risk. Online payments usually cost more to process than in-person payments because the card is not physically present , which creates more fraud risk. How do I protect my online business from credit card fraud? Use a payment gateway with built-in fraud protection, and enable tools like CVV checks, address verification, and 3D Secure when available. Tokenization can also help protect stored card data. You should also watch for unusual order patterns and set up alerts for suspicious activity. Use a payment gateway with built-in fraud protection, and enable tools like CVV checks, address verification, and 3D Secure when available. Tokenization can also help protect stored card data. You should also watch for unusual order patterns and set up alerts for suspicious activity. What eCommerce platforms work with online payment processors? Most major eCommerce platforms work with popular online payment processors. Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, and similar platforms usually support options like Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.Net, and other gateways. Before choosing a processor, make sure it integrates with your specific platform or offers API support for a custom setup. Most major eCommerce platforms work with popular online payment processors. Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, and similar platforms usually support options like Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.Net, and other gateways. Before choosing a processor, make sure it integrates with your specific platform or offers API support for a custom setup. Do I need a dedicated merchant account for my online store? Not always. Payment service providers like Stripe, Square, and PayPal let you start accepting online payments without applying for a separate merchant account. A dedicated merchant account may be worth considering as your sales volume grows. It takes more setup, but it can offer better account stability and lower rates for higher-volume businesses. Not always. Payment service providers like Stripe, Square, and PayPal let you start accepting online payments without applying for a separate merchant account. A dedicated merchant account may be worth considering as your sales volume grows. It takes more setup, but it can offer better account stability and lower rates for higher-volume businesses. Latest posts by Erica Seppala ( see all ) Employment Hero Review - June 11, 2026 How To Start A Business - April 30, 2026 Finix Review - April 7, 2026 What Is Sam’s Club Point Of Sale By Clover? - September 8, 2025 What Is Costco Merchant Services? - September 8, 2025 10 Things To Look For In A Credit Card Reader How To Choose A Credit Card Machine Or Payment Terminal Best Credit Card Processing Companies Best Credit Card Readers For Small Business A Visual Guide To Credit Card Processing Fees & Rates Compare Providers " * " indicates required fields Questions, Comments, Feedback ? " * " indicates required fields Questions, Comments, Feedback ? " * " indicates required fields Help Us & Earn $30 Want to help shape the future of the Merchant Maverick website? Join our testing and survey community! By providing feedback on how we can improve, you can earn gift cards and get early access to new features. Want to help shape the future of the Merchant Maverick website? Join our testing and survey community! By providing feedback on how we can improve, you can earn gift cards and get early access to new features. Our Experts Recommend PaymentCloud ? PaymentCloud can help almost any business get approved for payment processing. Whether you're looking to save money on processing or to get approved for a merchant account, PaymentCloud can help. Get Started At PaymentCloud We Want Your Feedback! Help us to improve by providing some feedback on your experience today. The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone. Our Experts Recommend PaymentCloud ? PaymentCloud can help almost any business get approved for payment processing. Whether you're looking to save money on processing or to get approved for a merchant account, PaymentCloud can help. Get Started At PaymentCloud Never show me any popup offer again. Maverick Newsletter Signup ? 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