There is no single best merchant account or payment gateway for every business. The right shortlist depends on where you sell, which payment methods you accept, your average transaction size and volume, and whether you need in-person hardware, online checkout, subscriptions, or platform payments. The examples below are U.S. provider-published pricing reviewed October 8, 2026; they are not a like-for-like quote or a recommendation for a particular business.
What are a merchant account and a payment gateway?
Merchant services can include the software, hardware, and financial services a business uses to accept card, wallet, and contactless payments. A merchant account is an arrangement with a business and a merchant-services provider that enables card acceptance. A payment gateway is the technology that securely passes payment details between checkout and the payment-processing system.
These functions do not always come from separate companies. Some providers bundle the account, processing, gateway, software, and hardware into an integrated service; other arrangements separate some of those roles. When comparing offers, ask which services are included and which are handled by another provider. Square describes its offer as an integrated combination of hardware, software, services, and risk management for online and in-person payments: Square merchant services.
Which providers belong on your shortlist?
These providers are candidates for different payment setups, not a universal ranking. The rates below are U.S. examples published by the providers and reviewed October 8, 2026. A rate for one channel or payment type should not be treated as the price for every transaction.
#1 Best Overall
- With Square Terminal, you can ring up sales, accept payments, and print receipts, all with one device. Use it at the counter or ring up customers anywhere in your store.
- Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one low rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts.
- Process chip cards in just two seconds.
- Get your money as soon as the next business day.
- Use it cordlessly with the built-in battery, designed to last all day.
| Provider | Published U.S. pricing example | May fit when… | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person tap, dip, or swipe on the reviewed page. | You need an integrated point-of-sale and payment-hardware workflow, particularly for in-person sales. | Confirm the current rate, applicable plan, and whether the hardware model works with your POS setup. The reviewed page does not establish a specific reader model or universal compatibility. |
| Stripe | 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction. The U.S. pricing page also lists an additional 0.5% for manually entered cards, 1.5% for international cards, and 1% when currency conversion is required. | Your business is online-first or needs recurring billing or platform-payment capabilities. | Confirm which additional charges apply to your payment flow and whether you qualify for custom pricing. Stripe says standard pricing has no setup or monthly fee; custom pricing may be available for large-volume businesses, with eligibility varying by market. |
| PayPal | The U.S. fee schedule lists 3.49% plus a fixed fee for domestic PayPal Checkout and 2.99% plus a fixed fee for standard domestic credit and debit card payments. | You are evaluating a specific PayPal checkout or card-payment option for your sales channel. | Choose the exact product in PayPal’s fee table. Rates vary by payment type; fixed fees are denominated according to the currency received, and international commercial transactions add a percentage-based fee to the applicable domestic fee. |
| Adyen | A fixed processing fee plus a fee determined by payment method; the page does not provide one universal all-in rate. | You need pricing assessed against a specific mix of payment methods. | Model your actual payment mix and ask which other products or charges apply. Adyen says other products are priced separately and its payment service has no setup or monthly fees. |
Square’s page describes its system as hardware, software, and services that “can help any business manage payments and risk.” That is Square’s promotional description, not independent evidence of performance. For a reader handling in-person payments, a Square card reader is a product category to investigate, but confirm the specific model’s compatibility with your POS and workflow before buying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare payment fees fairly
A headline percentage alone does not show what accepting payments will cost. Percentage-plus-fixed fees affect small and large transactions differently, while method-specific, international, keyed-entry, and currency-conversion charges can change the total. Do not compare an in-person rate with an online rate as if they covered the same transaction.
Rank #2
- Includes Elavon encryption
- Chip Card / EMV / NFC Compatible
- 2.4’’ Color LCD with backlight
- 192 MB of Memory (128 MB RAM / 64 MB DDR RAM)
- Includes terminal and power supply
- Map your payments. Record the share of sales that are in-person, online, invoiced or manually entered, recurring, and international. Include wallets and local payment methods if you accept them.
- Use your own volume and average ticket. For each channel and payment type, estimate monthly transaction count and value. Apply the provider’s exact rate and fixed fee to that group; add any relevant method, cross-border, or conversion charges.
- Compare the full offer. Ask about setup or monthly charges, minimums, separately priced products, custom-rate eligibility, hardware costs, and any other applicable fees. The provider pages reviewed do not establish that every business will qualify for the same terms.
- Compare like with like. Use the same transaction amounts, locations, channels, and payment methods for each provider. A method-specific model such as Adyen’s should be compared with your actual payment mix, not with a flat-rate example treated as an all-in quote.
You can structure the estimate without assuming a provider’s fee applies to every sale:
Estimated processing charges for a payment group = (percentage rate × payment value) + (fixed fee × transaction count) + any applicable additional charges.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
- Same look and feel as the FD130.
- Upgraded to PCI 5.0.
- Memory: 128MB, Flash: 256MB
- Chip Card / EMV / NFC Compatible
- Processor: Cortex A5 500MHZ
Calculate separately for each rate category, then add the groups. For example, do not combine domestic online cards, in-person transactions, and international payments under one rate if the provider prices them differently. The result is an estimate based on published terms and your assumptions, not a quote; confirm the applicable plan and charges with the provider.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Chip Card / EMV / NFC Compatible
Rank #4
- Verifone VX520 with Smart Card generates new recurring revenues from value-added applications, thanks to an extraordinary increase in memory of 160 MB standard, increasing to over 500 MB
- Included: Terminal, power supply, 1 roll paper
- Mfr Part Number: M252-753-03-NAA-3
- Specs & Features: Dual EMV Condition
Questions to ask before applying
- Is the service available to a business in my country and industry, and what approval or account terms apply?
- What exact rates apply to my sales channels, payment methods, buyer locations, and currencies?
- Are there setup, monthly, minimum, hardware, or separately priced product charges beyond the transaction fees?
- When are funds paid out, and what payout options and terms apply to my account?
- Will the service integrate with my existing ecommerce platform, POS, accounting tools, or subscription workflow?
- Which reader or terminal models are compatible with my software, and what hardware is required?
- How are disputes handled, and what support channels and hours are available?
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
