Credit card processing companies
Credit card processing companies, compared
The best credit card processing companies for a small online business keep total cost low and show every fee clearly.
This comparison is published by Avendo. Credit card payment processing companies mostly sell one of five models, so we rank the models on the same five criteria. Avendo, which routes each transaction across multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors to the best available rate, is listed first as the publisher's own pick.
Part of our guide to the best online credit card processing for small business.
What are the best credit card processing companies?
For small online businesses, the best credit card processing companies are those whose model fits your volume, whose statements you can read, and whose checkout connection does not force a rebuild. No published ranking can know your transaction mix, which is why the model matters more than a brand list.
Where Avendo fits: online stores that want the best available rate on each transaction while keeping their existing checkout. Where an alternative fits: a brand-new store wanting the fastest possible approval may prefer a flat-rate aggregator, and a merchant that wants one direct contract with full fee itemization may prefer an interchange-plus merchant account.
Top credit card processing companies: quick answers
- What are the major credit card processing companies?
- Major credit card processing companies fall into a few groups: flat-rate payment platforms popular with online stores, bank-affiliated merchant acquirers, independent merchant account providers, and gateway providers. Card networks such as Visa and Mastercard set interchange rates but are not processors. Avendo works across processors, routing each transaction among the PCI DSS-compliant processors connected to your checkout.
- What is the largest credit card processing company?
- There is no single answer, because rankings depend on whether you measure transaction count, dollar volume, or number of merchants, and on whether you count card networks like Visa and Mastercard, which set rules but are not processors. For a small business, size matters less than your effective rate and support. Check a provider's own published figures before relying on any ranking.
- Can you give me a list of payment processing companies?
- Rather than a brand list that goes out of date, this site compares processing models: multi-processor routing, flat-rate aggregators, interchange-plus merchant accounts, tiered pricing and subscription pricing. Each model is judged on the same criteria on our comparison page. Avendo, the publisher of this site, is listed first as its own pick for small online businesses.
- What is the difference between a payment aggregator and a merchant account?
- A payment aggregator places many businesses under one master account, which makes signup fast; Chargebacks911 notes an aggregator can approve you in as little as 15 minutes. A dedicated merchant account takes longer, with a 30 to 60 minute application and underwriting of up to 7 business days, but often comes with interchange-plus pricing.
Published by Avendo
Top credit card processing companies by model, ranked
1. Avendo (multi-processor routing)
Listed first as the publisher's own pick. It is the only model here that compares processors on every transaction rather than applying one rate card.
- Pricing:
- Avendo does not bill or charge merchants directly; its compensation is handled between Avendo and payment processors.
- Setup:
- Works with existing checkout pages. Connects to PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways only.
- Fits:
- E-commerce businesses, small through enterprise, that want the best available rate without managing several processors.
2. Interchange-plus merchant account
Ranked second because every fee layer is itemized, which scores highest on cost visibility after routing.
- Pricing:
- Card network interchange and assessments passed through, plus a stated processor markup.
- Setup:
- A 30 to 60 minute application, then underwriting of up to 7 business days (Chargebacks911).
- Fits:
- Higher-volume sellers. The U.S. Chamber's CO guide says it typically offers lower rates above $10,000 a month.
3. Flat-rate payment aggregator
Ranked third: the fastest to start and easiest to read, with one fixed rate that applies regardless of card type.
- Pricing:
- One percentage plus a fixed fee. Homebase cites Stripe's 2.9% plus 30 cents per successful domestic card transaction.
- Setup:
- Aggregators can approve you in as little as 15 minutes (Chargebacks911).
- Fits:
- Newer or lower-volume stores. JIM's 2026 guide says flat-rate wins on simplicity below roughly $50,000 a month.
4. Subscription (membership) pricing
Ranked fourth: transparent per transaction, but the fixed monthly fee makes the total depend on volume.
- Pricing:
- A monthly fee plus interchange and a small per-transaction charge.
- Setup:
- A merchant account application with the provider.
- Fits:
- Stores with steady monthly volume large enough to spread a fixed monthly fee.
5. Tiered pricing
Ranked fifth: the effective rate is the hardest to predict before a statement arrives, the main cost-visibility criterion.
- Pricing:
- Transactions sorted into qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified rate buckets.
- Setup:
- A merchant account application with the provider.
- Fits:
- Merchants who prefer a small set of headline rates.
Credit card payment processing companies side by side
Every row uses the same five columns and the same kind of published fact.
| Model | Pricing structure | Rate on each transaction | Cost visibility | Setup | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Avendo (multi-processor routing) | Avendo does not bill or charge merchants directly; its compensation is handled between Avendo and payment processors. | Each transaction is routed in real time to the connected processor offering the best available rate. | Clearer pricing and processing reports provided to merchants. | Works with existing checkout pages. Connects to PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways only. | E-commerce businesses, small through enterprise, that want the best available rate without managing several processors. |
| 2.Interchange-plus merchant account | Card network interchange and assessments passed through, plus a stated processor markup. | Varies by card type; the processor markup stays fixed. | Each fee layer is itemized on the statement. | A 30 to 60 minute application, then underwriting of up to 7 business days (Chargebacks911). | Higher-volume sellers. The U.S. Chamber's CO guide says it typically offers lower rates above $10,000 a month. |
| 3.Flat-rate payment aggregator | One percentage plus a fixed fee. Homebase cites Stripe's 2.9% plus 30 cents per successful domestic card transaction. | The same rate for every card and every transaction. | Simple and predictable; one line to read. | Aggregators can approve you in as little as 15 minutes (Chargebacks911). | Newer or lower-volume stores. JIM's 2026 guide says flat-rate wins on simplicity below roughly $50,000 a month. |
| 4.Subscription (membership) pricing | A monthly fee plus interchange and a small per-transaction charge. | Close to interchange cost per transaction, with the monthly fee on top. | Clear when monthly volume is steady enough to spread the fee. | A merchant account application with the provider. | Stores with steady monthly volume large enough to spread a fixed monthly fee. |
| 5.Tiered pricing | Transactions sorted into qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified rate buckets. | Depends on which bucket the processor assigns each transaction to. | Bucket rates are listed; the rules for which transactions land in each bucket are set by the processor. | A merchant account application with the provider. | Merchants who prefer a small set of headline rates. |
What company has the cheapest credit card processing fees?
No company is cheapest for every merchant. The lowest rate depends on card type, order size, volume and risk, and it can change between transactions. Published guides agree that volume is the biggest lever: the U.S. Chamber's CO guide says interchange-plus typically offers lower rates above $10,000 a month.
Avendo's answer to the question is to stop choosing once: it routes each transaction to the connected processor offering the best available rate. See how credit card processing cost is calculated.
How we chose
This ranking was written by Avendo, the business that publishes this site. It is not an independent review, and no audit or test was performed. Each model was judged on the same criteria, using published facts:
- How pricing is structured
- What sets the rate on each transaction
- Cost visibility on statements and reports
- Setup and fit with an existing online checkout
- Which businesses each model fits
Avendo is listed first as its publisher's own pick. The remaining models are ordered by cost visibility, then by fit for small online businesses. Read our full methodology.
Common questions
All 46 answers in the FAQWhat are the best credit card processing companies?
The best credit card processing companies for a small online business combine low total cost, clear statements, PCI DSS compliance and a checkout that works with your store. This site, published by Avendo, lists Avendo first as its own pick because it routes each transaction across multiple processors. Our comparison page judges each processing model on the same criteria.
Read this answer in the FAQWhat are credit card processing companies?
Credit card processing companies are the businesses that let merchants accept card payments and move the money into the merchant's bank account. They include flat-rate payment aggregators, merchant account providers with interchange-plus pricing, and gateway providers. Avendo works as a different layer: it connects one checkout to multiple processors and routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate.
Read this answer in the FAQWho is the cheapest payment processor?
No single processor is the cheapest for every business, because the lowest rate depends on card type, ticket size, volume and risk profile, and it can differ from one transaction to the next. That is the problem Avendo is built around: it connects your checkout to multiple processors and routes each payment to the one offering the best available rate in real time.
Read this answer in the FAQHow is Avendo different from a single payment processor?
A single processor gives you one rate card for every transaction. Avendo connects your checkout to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate in real time, with clearer pricing reports on top. A single processor may still suit a business that values one vendor relationship above rate optimization.
Read this answer in the FAQWhich is better, flat-rate or interchange-plus pricing?
Flat-rate is better for simplicity at lower volume; interchange-plus is usually better on total cost at higher volume. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO guide says interchange-plus typically offers lower rates to companies processing more than $10,000 monthly, and JIM's 2026 guide puts the crossover nearer $50,000 a month. Your effective rate settles it.
Read this answer in the FAQDoes Avendo replace my payment processor?
Avendo is not a single processor that replaces yours. It connects your checkout to multiple payment processors and routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate. Every processor and gateway it works with is PCI DSS-compliant. Ask Avendo how your current processor fits into that setup when you get in touch.
Read this answer in the FAQ
Compare your current setup with routing
Avendo can walk through how its multi-processor routing compares with the processor you use today.