Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For most eligible US Shopify dropshipping stores, use Shopify Payments for card payments and add PayPal Express Checkout as a supplementary wallet. This combination keeps checkout native, supports Shop Pay, avoids Shopify’s third-party transaction fee on Shopify Payments orders, and gives customers a familiar PayPal option. Choose another processor only when Shopify Payments is unavailable, rejects the business, restricts the product category, or is more expensive after every fee and risk cost is counted.
Quick recommendation by business situation
| Situation | Recommended setup | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible US merchant starting out | Shopify Payments + PayPal Express Checkout | Lowest operational complexity, native checkout, Shop Pay, and no Shopify third-party transaction fee on Shopify Payments orders. |
| Shopify Payments approved but redundancy is needed | Shopify Payments plus a compatible direct third-party provider | Can add coverage, but Shopify and provider fees may make this more expensive. |
| Shopify Payments unavailable or rejected | A Shopify-supported third-party provider, with PayPal if available | Necessary alternative; model the processor fee and Shopify’s additional transaction fee together. |
| High-ticket or high-chargeback products | A specialist processor after written approval | General processors may impose reserves, delay payouts, or terminate accounts as risk changes. |
| Existing negotiated merchant account | Compare net effective cost, approval stability, fraud tools, and support | A lower advertised rate can be outweighed by Shopify fees and weaker integration. |
| International owner targeting US customers | A provider that supports the actual entity, operating country, and payout bank | A US LLC, virtual address, or bank account alone does not establish US processing eligibility. |
| PayPal-only preference | PayPal alongside a card-capable option where possible | PayPal-only checkout excludes shoppers who prefer direct card payment and concentrates provider risk. |
Gateway, processor, and merchant account: what you are actually choosing
A payment gateway transmits payment data for authorization. A processor communicates with card networks and handles the transaction. A merchant account and acquirer provide the banking relationship that settles funds. Shopify Payments combines these functions inside Shopify for eligible merchants; a third-party provider connects through Shopify or redirects shoppers to an external checkout.
Shopify distinguishes direct providers, where customers complete checkout on your store, from external providers, where they are sent to a provider-hosted payment page. That distinction affects conversion, branding, reporting, and the recovery of failed payments.
Compare the complete cost, not a headline percentage:
#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.
- Processor percentage and fixed transaction fee
- Shopify’s third-party transaction fee
- International-card, cross-border, and currency-conversion charges
- Chargeback and refund costs
- Gateway, merchant-account, monthly, app, or integration fees
- Reserves and the financing cost of delayed payouts
Why Shopify Payments is usually the best starting point
Native checkout and reporting
Shopify Payments requires no separate gateway installation for card payments. Orders, payouts, refunds, and fees are visible in Shopify’s operational reports, and eligible stores can use Shop Pay and Shopify’s accelerated checkout features.
Usually lower friction and total cost
When Shopify Payments is your sole card provider, Shopify does not add its third-party transaction fee to those orders. Shopify’s pricing page lists US online standard card rates starting at 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, 2.7% + $0.30 on Grow, and 2.5% + $0.30 on Advanced: Shopify pricing.
Approval is not guaranteed
Eligibility depends on the legal entity, owners, address, bank account, products, fulfillment practices, customer geography, expected volume, refunds, and chargebacks. Shopify Payments is not a way around underwriting. Its terms prohibit fraudulent transactions, payment-network abuse, acting as a payment intermediary, and attempts to circumvent disabled features: Shopify Payments Terms.
Approval can later be followed by an identity review, reserve, payout delay, or restriction after a sales spike, product change, unusual geographic pattern, long delivery times, or rising disputes.
Rank #2
- With Square Handheld, you can accept payments, take tableside orders, or scan barcodes anywhere. With a slim design and comfortable grip, the POS is easy to carry in your palm or pocket. Square Handheld is designed to withstand water splashes and dust. Add an optional protective case for accidental drops. A long-lasting battery and offline payments let you keep selling.
- Slim, pocketable, and lightweight so you can accept payments wherever your customers are.
- Take tableside orders, bust lines, or use the built-in barcode scanner, all with one sleek device.
- A battery that can power through your shift and offline payments let you keep selling, even if your internet is down.
- Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one simple rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts required.
Should you add PayPal?
Usually, yes. PayPal can improve trust and serve shoppers who prefer a wallet, but it should normally complement card processing rather than replace it. Shopify recommends PayPal Express Checkout and says PayPal Standard is not an available integration: Shopify’s PayPal guidance.
Shopify states that PayPal Express transactions are excluded from Shopify’s third-party transaction fee when Shopify Payments is activated. PayPal’s own fee, account review, reserve, dispute, cross-border, and currency rules still apply. Check the exact account terms at PayPal’s Shopify fee table and PayPal US business fees.
US Shopify Payments costs (rates observed August 16–18, 2026)
The following annual-billing prices and displayed rates came from Shopify’s US pricing page at that time. Monthly billing costs more, card type and location can change the effective rate, and Shopify displayed an additional 1% international-card rate for the listed plans. Verify the offer in your own admin before signing up.
| Plan | Monthly price when billed yearly | Online standard card rate shown | Third-party transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2% |
| Grow | $79 | 2.7% + $0.30 | 1% |
| Advanced | $299 | 2.5% + $0.30 | 0.6% |
| Plus | From $2,300 | Most competitive rates | 0.2% shown on comparison |
Shopify explains that processing fees vary with card type and the card’s associated location: US card-rate details. It also lists PayPal Wallet rates starting at 3.49% + $0.49, although the applicable PayPal rate depends on the account and payment type.
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Rank #3
- A complete countertop point of sale — Combine dual responsive touchscreens, built-in POS software, and durable hardware for a fast, reliable checkout experience.
- Serve customers faster — Run smoothly through busy shifts, complex menus, and big orders with high-speed processing, memory, and responsive touchscreen displays.
- Accept every way they pay — Take all major cards at one simple rate, with no hidden fees or long-term contracts. Receive funds as soon as the next business day.
- Handle real-world demands — Resist everyday spills, dust, and wear with a durable, IP54-rated design.
- Stay reliable through every rush — Maintain strong connectivity and consistent performance through your busiest hours.
Illustration for a $50 order on Basic
- Shopify Payments at 2.9% + $0.30: $1.45 + $0.30 = $1.75.
- PayPal at the displayed starting rate of 3.49% + $0.49: approximately $2.24.
- A hypothetical third-party processor at 2.9% + $0.30: $1.75, plus Basic’s 2% Shopify fee ($1.00), for an illustrative total of $2.75.
The third-party example is not a provider quote. Shopify says its third-party fee is calculated on products after discounts, plus tax and shipping, multiplied by the applicable rate: fee formula.
When a third-party processor makes sense
- Shopify Payments is unavailable for the actual country or entity.
- Underwriting rejects the products or business model.
- The category requires specialist risk handling.
- You have an established merchant account with genuinely better negotiated economics.
- You need a payout schedule, reserve policy, or risk arrangement Shopify cannot provide.
- You need a contingency provider and accept the added fees and operational work.
Confirm the provider inside Settings > Payments for your store. Availability is location-dependent, and names found in old articles may no longer be supported. Authorize.net, Stripe, and Square can be relevant in particular setups, but none should be assumed to connect to every Shopify US store. Check Shopify’s current provider directory and, where relevant, its payment-gateway documentation.
Running both providers
Shopify documents Shopify Payments alongside a direct third-party provider. In that routing model, the third-party provider can handle ordinary cards, while Shopify Payments handles Shop Pay, supported local methods, and in some configurations failed-card recovery. Shopify says third-party transactions incur the applicable Shopify fee, while Shopify Payments transactions used alongside a third-party provider can incur the standard rate plus a 1.25% premium: combined-provider rules. Treat this as a resilience strategy, not an automatic saving.
Dropshipping-specific approval and payout risks
Dropshipping is not automatically prohibited, but the fulfillment model can increase payment risk because you may not control inventory, packaging, carrier performance, or delivery dates. Before applying, prepare:
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Rank #4
- Our team provides expert guidance, onboarding assistance, and payment processing consultation to help businesses deploy Square solutions effectively.
- Complete Business Payment Solution - Accept EMV chip cards, contactless payments, NFC wallets, and traditional credit and debit card transactions. Square Terminal combines payment acceptance, receipt printing, and business management tools in a compact all-in-one device.
- Expert POS Deployment Support - Unlike standard online purchases, SwyftPAY provides hands-on onboarding assistance from payment industry professionals with over 50 years of experience serving retail, restaurant, mobile, and service-based businesses.
- Designed for Growing Businesses - Ideal for retail stores, restaurants, food trucks, service contractors, salons, medical offices, professional services firms, and other businesses seeking a modern payment acceptance solution.
- Equipment ships after signup with Square, through SwyftPAY
- Formation documents, tax ID, and a business bank account in the legal name
- Accurate operating address, owner information, and contact details
- Supplier invoices or proof of supply
- Clear product descriptions without unsupported health or performance claims
- Realistic shipping estimates, tracking procedures, refund and cancellation policies
- Customer-service contact information and an escalation process
- Expected monthly volume, average order value, and customer countries
Do not use a borrowed identity, nominee account, fake address, fabricated documents, or a misleading description of your supplier or shipping time. A non-US owner with a US entity must disclose the real ownership, operating location, bank account, and tax information. Selling to US customers does not itself make the merchant a US merchant.
Why fulfillment affects payment risk
Long or uncertain delivery windows increase “item not received” disputes, refunds, PayPal claims, chargebacks, and reserve reviews. Payment selection cannot compensate for unreliable suppliers. Keep cash available for refunds and supplier bills, retain tracking and delivery evidence, and contact customers before promised delivery dates expire.
How to set up Shopify Payments and PayPal
Activate Shopify Payments
- In Shopify admin, open Settings > Payments.
- In Shopify Payments, select Activate Shopify Payments.
- Enter the legal business, identity, address, and payout information exactly as documented.
- Complete verification and enable two-step authentication.
- Review the displayed rates, payout schedule, and account terms.
- Place test orders with the relevant card and wallet methods.
- Reconcile authorization, capture, fulfillment, refund, and payout records.
Connect PayPal Express Checkout
- Go to Settings > Payments and open the supported PayPal integration.
- Connect the correct PayPal Business account.
- Confirm its legal name, business details, currency, and payout account.
- Complete PayPal permissions and verification.
- Test a payment and a refund.
- Verify that payment status and fulfillment automation are synchronized.
Connect a third-party provider
- Confirm that the provider appears for the store’s actual country, currency, and plan.
- Identify whether it is direct, external, or app-based.
- Read prohibited-business, reserve, payout, chargeback, and refund terms.
- Obtain approval for the actual products and expected volume.
- Calculate processor charges plus Shopify’s plan-level third-party fee.
- Test authorization, capture, partial and full refunds, cancellation, and chargeback workflows.
What to do if payments are rejected, held, or misapplied
Shopify Payments application rejected
- Read the decision and requested documents.
- Check that entity, address, bank, tax, and owner details match.
- Remove prohibited or inaccurately described products.
- Improve shipping, refund, privacy, and contact pages.
- Prepare supplier invoices and fulfillment evidence.
- Ask Shopify support to correct factual errors.
- Do not create duplicate accounts or misrepresent the business; consider a compatible provider only under its own rules.
Payout placed on hold
- Stop scaling advertising until available cash is clear.
- Answer identity, inventory, shipping, and transaction-history requests promptly.
- Upload tracking and delivery evidence.
- Audit recent orders for fraud or duplicate charges.
- Keep funds for refunds and supplier payments.
- Do not route payments through another account to evade review.
- Tell customers about material fulfillment delays.
PayPal order status is unclear
Check the PayPal transaction and Shopify payment timeline for authorized, captured, pending, or refunded status. Do not fulfill merely because an order exists or manually mark an unpaid order paid. Give Shopify or PayPal support the transaction ID if the statuses disagree.
A provider is missing from Shopify admin
Verify the business location, currency, plan, provider type, and current Shopify compatibility. Shopify says availability depends on location; use the provider directory inside admin rather than an old list: third-party provider guidance.
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Best Value
- WIDE UNIVERSAL FIT: This versatile POS terminal stand comes with adjustable clamping jaws that fit most countertop payment devices. Perfect for retail shops, cafes, diners and commercial counters, and no extra adapters are needed.
- FLEXIBLE ANGLE ADJUSTMENT: Our POS Swivel Stand supports 90°–270° horizontal swivel and 180° vertical tilt, enabling smooth viewing angle shifts for staff and guests; works well with scan to pay qr code sign for cashless counter operations.
- STABLE ANTI-SLIP BASE & CABLE ORGANIZATION: Thick weighted base with anti-slip rubber pads keeps your payment device holder steady during daily frequent use; hidden integrated slot tidies loose wires to maintain neat countertop space.
- DUAL INSTALLATION OPTIONS: This adjustable POS Terminal Stand supports two mounting methods including screw fixation and adhesive paste, quick assembly within minutes for salon, convenience store and food service counters without drilling damage.
- DURABLE CARBON STEEL & ABS CONSTRUCTION: Scratch-resistant sturdy frame delivers long service life; compact desktop size saves counter space, ideal permanent accessory for all businesses using countertop pos device setups.
Refunds, chargebacks, and the real effective cost
Model unsuccessful orders as well as successful ones. Shopify says third-party transaction fees are not returned when an order is refunded, and certain card and currency-conversion fees are also retained: international fee rules. Your effective-cost calculation should be:
Processor percentage + fixed fee + Shopify third-party fee + cross-border/currency fees + chargeback fees + monthly costs + reserve financing cost.
For disputes, preserve product pages, shipping disclosures, customer correspondence, tracking, delivery confirmation, refund records, and the billing descriptor customers see. Pause products or suppliers whose actual delivery performance consistently misses the promise.
Quick Recap
Final decision
- Default: Shopify Payments for cards plus PayPal Express Checkout.
- Alternative: A compatible third-party provider when Shopify Payments is unavailable, unsuitable, or more expensive after full-cost analysis.
- High-risk categories: Obtain written approval from a specialist processor before launch.
- Always: Choose based on eligibility, payout stability, conversion, fraud operations, fulfillment reliability, and net cost—not the advertised processing percentage alone.
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.
