Best Credit Card Processing Companies
for Small Business 2026
11 credit card processing companies, scored on what a small business would actually pay at its size and on how it gets paid: in person, online or by invoice. Every price is checked on the processor's own pages.
By Riley Park · Last verified: November 2026
What this review contains
11 Credit Card Processing Companies, Reviewed & Tiered by DDR Score™
Most small businesses get paid mainly one way, so we score each processor separately for each way it's built for, rather than giving one number that rewards features you'll never use. A processor is never marked down for a way of getting paid it doesn't offer; it just isn't listed there. We group processors into performance tiers rather than a strict ranking, because several score too closely for our own methodology to reliably tell apart.
In-person & POS: for shops, cafés, salons and anyone taking cards at a counter or on the go, usually with a point-of-sale (POS) app.
These scores are a starting point, not a verdict. The tier a processor lands in tells you how it performed against our methodology, not how it will work for your business. List what you need (how customers pay, your shopping cart or accounting software, how fast you need deposits), narrow the field to two or three, and check each one's terms before you sign. The DDR Score for payments weighs Cost 40%, Core Features (our features checklist) 25%, User Sentiment 20% and Company Credibility 15%; full methodology.
Find Your Fit: Get a Personalized Payment Processor Recommendation
Still deciding? Answer a few quick questions for a personalized recommendation.
DDR Spider™: Credit Card Processing
Cheapest Credit Card Processing at Your Size
The cheapest processor changes with how much you take in and how big each sale is, because some charge a monthly fee and others a percentage. These are the lowest total costs at published prices for the business sizes behind our Cost scores, including plan fees and the cheapest card reader spread over three years. Lowest cost isn't the whole picture: the DDR Score also weighs features, how reliably you get paid and what merchants say.
| Way of getting paid | Business size | Lowest cost | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| In person | $10K a month, $35 sales | Helcim | About $239 (2.39% of sales) |
| In person | $50K a month, $60 sales | Stax | About $1,113 (2.23% of sales) |
| In person | $150K a month, $45 sales | Stax | About $3,000 (2.00% of sales) |
| Online | $5K a month, $60 sales | Helcim | About $150 (3.01% of sales) |
| Online | $30K a month, $80 sales | Helcim | About $850 (2.83% of sales) |
| Online | $100K a month, $75 sales | Stax | About $2,439 (2.44% of sales) |
| Invoices | $8K a month, $800 invoices, half paid by bank transfer | Helcim | About $125 (1.56% of sales) |
| Invoices | $40K a month, $2,500 invoices, half paid by bank transfer | Zoho Payments | About $622 (1.56% of sales) |
Published prices only; custom quotes and fees for leaving (such as Stax's $750 when you close your account) aren't included. Price your own mix in the fee calculator, or see where the cheapest option changes on its sale-size chart.
Other Payment Processors Worth Knowing
Processors that come up alongside the ones we score. None has a DDR Score yet: either its pricing or terms aren't published in full, it serves a different kind of business, or there isn't enough search interest for a full review. Each line is limited to what we verified on the company's own pages.
| Processor | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Not yet reviewed by DDR | Runs its own processing and point-of-sale systems. You need a Bank of America business checking account; no contract or cancellation fee. | 2.65% + 10¢ in person, 2.99% + 30¢ online, 3.50% + 15¢ typed in; software from $10/mo |
| Wells Fargo Not yet reviewed by DDR | Processes in its own name on Clover's equipment and software, with rates that drop automatically at $40,000 and $80,000 a month. Deposits go to a Wells Fargo business account; no contract or cancellation fee. | 2.60% + 15¢ in person, 3.50% + 15¢ online and typed in (lower at higher volume); $9.95/mo plus a $10/mo PCI (card-security) fee |
| Chase Payment Solutions Not yet reviewed by DDR | Publishes its card rates but not its monthly fees, contract length or cancellation fee, and its own pages give two different typed-in rates. | 2.6% + 10¢ in person, 2.9% + 25¢ online, 3.5% + 10¢ or + 15¢ typed in |
| Other banks Not yet reviewed by DDR | Most resell another company's processing: TD Bank, KeyBank and Huntington sell Clover (see our Clover score), and Capital One, Fifth Third and Regions sell Worldpay. Some carry long contracts, such as PNC's and Truist's three-year terms. | Varies by bank; Truist's cancellation fee is $500 |
| Dharma Merchant Services Not yet reviewed by DDR | Interchange plus (the card bank's fee passed through, plus a published markup), with no cancellation fee; a $49 account-closing fee applies. | $20/mo + the card bank's fee (roughly 1% to 3%, based on card type) + 0.15% + 8¢ in person or 0.20% + 11¢ online |
| Finix Not yet reviewed by DDR | Interchange plus for one flat monthly fee, with no cancellation fee. The fee only pays off for businesses taking in a lot each month. | $250/mo + the card bank's fee + 15¢ per sale (Amex adds 0.30%) |
| Shopify Payments Not yet reviewed by DDR | Only for Shopify stores. Shopify charges an extra 2% (Basic) to 0.2% (Plus) on orders paid through any other processor, so most Shopify stores use it. See which processors work with each store platform. | 2.9% + 30¢ online on Basic, lower on bigger plans |
| Airwallex Not yet reviewed by DDR | Online payments only in the US for now; in-person payments are listed as coming soon. | 2.80% + 30¢ online |
| Payment Depot Not yet reviewed by DDR | A membership-pricing brand whose pricing and terms match Stax's, and whose site has pointed to Stax's terms. See our Stax score. | Membership price not published |
| Toast, SpotOn, Lightspeed, Jobber and similar Not yet reviewed by DDR | Restaurant, retail and field-service software with payments built in: you choose the software first and the payments come with it. | Varies; Toast doesn't publish the card rate for its starter plan |
Verified on each company's own pages, November 2026. Listing a processor here is not a recommendation.
How We Evaluate Payment Processors: The DDR Score™ Methodology
Every processor on this page is scored using the DDR Score™, Data Driven Reviews' proprietary four-pillar evaluation methodology. Scores are determined independently of commercial relationships. For payments, Cost takes the place of Unique Capabilities, and Cost and Core Features are scored separately for each way of getting paid.
Frequently Asked Questions: Credit Card Processing for Small Business
What is the best credit card processing for small business?+
It depends on how your customers pay you. In DDR's scores, Helcim leads for in-person payments, Helcim and Stripe for online payments and Helcim for invoices. If you take payments all three ways from one account, Square and PayPal score about the same. Find Your Fit shows which suit your business and what each would cost you.
How much do credit card processing fees cost a small business?+
Most of the flat-rate processors we score charge about 2.3% to 2.7% plus up to 15¢ for a card tapped or inserted in person (about $2.38 to $2.75 on a $100 sale), and about 2.9% to 3.5% plus up to 30¢ online. Interchange-plus processors pass on the card bank's fee (roughly 1% to 3%, depending on the card) and add a smaller markup, which usually comes out cheaper. Monthly plan fees, card readers and extras such as chargeback fees add to the total. The fee calculator works out your monthly cost with each processor.
What is the cheapest credit card processing for a small business?+
It changes with your size. At published prices, Helcim is cheapest for in-person payments at $10K a month (about $239 a month in fees) and Stax at $150K a month; online, Helcim is cheapest at $5K a month. Cheapest isn't always the best fit: compare features, payout speed and contract terms too.
Do I have to sign a contract for credit card processing?+
Usually not. Square, Stripe, PayPal, Helcim and GoDaddy Payments have no long-term contract or cancellation fee. Check the terms where they exist: U.S. Bank's linked terms set a three-year term, Stax's terms include a $750 deconversion fee when you leave, and Clover's terms depend on who sells it to you. Some banks also set three-year terms.
Can a payment processor hold my money?+
Yes. Every processor can hold payments or keep a reserve (money held back in case of refunds or disputes), and holds are the most common serious complaint across the whole category, most often on new accounts or after an unusually large sale. Each review says how often it comes up for that processor compared with the rest. How to avoid a hold.
Can I get a lower credit card processing rate?+
Sometimes. Helcim's markup drops automatically at $50,000 and $100,000 a month, and Wells Fargo's rates drop at $40,000 and $80,000. Square (above $250,000 a year), Stripe, PayPal, GoDaddy (above $100,000 a year) and QuickBooks (above $2,500 a month, "up to 25% off") offer custom pricing if you ask, but don't publish it. Above roughly $20,000 a month it's worth asking for a quote.
What's the difference between a merchant account and Square or Stripe?+
A merchant account approves your business individually before you start (Helcim and U.S. Bank work this way). Square, Stripe and PayPal are payment facilitators: they sign you up quickly under their own account, which is faster to start but can mean more reviews and holds later. Both kinds run identity and business checks when you apply.
Is "free" credit card processing really free?+
No. Surcharging and cash discount programs add a fee for customers paying by credit card, so the cost moves to your customers rather than disappearing, and rules vary by state and card network. Our Cost scores assume you pay your own fees.
Why aren't Shopify Payments, Chase or Toast scored?+
Shopify Payments is only for Shopify stores, and Toast's payments come with its restaurant software, so you choose the platform first. Chase publishes its card rates but not its monthly fees, contract or cancellation terms. All three are listed under Other Payment Processors Worth Knowing.
How does DDR score payment processors?+
Cost (40%) is what a year of processing would cost at set business sizes, from published prices only. Core Features (25%) checks each processor against a published list for each way of getting paid, including dispute tools, payout speed and hold terms. User Sentiment (20%) reflects recurring themes in what merchants say, and Company Credibility (15%) checks whether fees, contracts, hold policies and what applying involves are disclosed. No processor pays for a score. Full methodology.