Best Virtual Terminal Credit Card Processing
Virtual terminals allow small businesses to accept payments remotely or in-person from a computer — with or without a credit card reader.
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Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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We evaluated credit card processors that offer virtual terminals based on contract terms, additional features, pricing, and customer support. These are our top picks.
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Compare Our Top Picks
| Provider | Best For | Monthly Fee | Keyed-In Processing Rate | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall Virtual Terminal | $0/month | Interchange + 0.15-0.50% + $0.15-$0.25 | |
 | Best For Remote Payments | $14.95/month | 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction | |
 | Best For Low Volume | $0/month | 3.5% + $0.15 | |
 | Best For Healthcare | $10/month for healthcare businesses | Interchange + 0.75% + $0.20 | |
 | Best For High-Risk Retail | Not disclosed | Varies | |
| Show More Options | ||||
 | Best For Nonprofits | $15/month for nonprofits | Interchange + 0.10-0.30% + $0.08-$0.11 | |
 | Best For High-Risk eCommerce | Starts at $10/month | Varies | |
| Show Fewer Options |
Helcim
Best OverallBest Overall Virtual Terminal
Helcim is a low-cost virtual terminal option for US and Canadian businesses that want transparent payment processing without a monthly account fee.
Helcim includes a full-service merchant account, virtual terminal, invoicing, ACH transfers, inventory tools, and POS hardware options for in-person sales. Its interchange-plus pricing and automatic volume discounts can work for both low-volume and growing businesses.
Gateways Supported
Helcim Gateway
Processing Model
Interchange-plus & cash discount
Contract Requirements
Month-to-month
PROS
- No long-term contracts or ETFs
- Interchange-plus pricing
- Available in US and Canada
CONS
- Not for high-risk merchants
Clover POS
Best For Remote Payments
Clover is a virtual terminal option for businesses that want remote payment tools with room to add POS features.
Clover Essentials includes virtual terminal access, invoicing, reports, order management, customer management, basic inventory tools, and access to the Clover App Market. Hardware is optional, but pricing and support can vary depending on where you buy your Clover plan.
Gateways Supported
Clover Virtual Terminal
Processing Model
Flat-rate
Contract Requirements
3 years
PROS
- No Clover hardware required
- Includes integrated invoicing
- Clover App Market integrations
CONS
- Monthly subscription fee
Square
Best For Low Volume
Square is a simple virtual terminal option for small businesses that need to take occasional card-not-present payments.
Square Virtual Terminal is included with every account and supports keyed-in payments, ACH transfers, payment links, split transactions, Afterpay, QuickBooks integration, and in-person payments with compatible Square hardware. It’s easy to start with, but higher-volume businesses may save more with a full merchant account.
Gateways Supported
Square Online
Processing Model
Flat-rate
Contract Requirements
Month-to-month
PROS
- Pay-as-you-go billing
- No monthly fees
- Predictable flat-rate pricing
CONS
- Account stability issues
- Can be expensive for high volumes
Payline Data
Best For Healthcare
Payline Data is a strong virtual terminal option for healthcare businesses, nonprofits, and merchants that want transparent interchange-plus pricing.
Payline offers full-service merchant accounts, a free virtual terminal, ACH processing, card readers, terminals, POS systems, Clover equipment, and shopping cart integrations. Healthcare businesses and nonprofits may also qualify for lower monthly account fees and discounted processing rates.
Gateways Supported
Payline Gateway, Authorize.Net, or NMI gateway
Processing Model
Interchange-plus
Contract Requirements
Month-to-month
PROS
- Discounts for healthcare
- Discounts for nonprofits
- Support for high-risk businesses
CONS
- Only available to US-based merchants
PaymentCloud
Best For High-Risk Retail
PaymentCloud is a virtual terminal option for high-risk merchants that also want gateway flexibility and hardware support.
PaymentCloud offers virtual terminal access through compatible gateways, plus mobile processing, shopping cart integrations, ACH/eCheck processing, QR code payments, and custom pricing based on underwriting.
Gateways Supported
Authorize.Net, USAePay, & others
Processing Model
Flat-rate, interchange-plus, tiered
Contract Requirements
Varies
PROS
- No account setup fee
- Free terminal or card reader
- Excellent customer support
CONS
- No publicly disclosed pricing
Dharma Merchant Services
Best For Nonprofits
Dharma Merchant Services is a transparent virtual terminal option for nonprofits, B2B businesses, and established merchants.
Dharma offers month-to-month billing, interchange-plus pricing, a free virtual terminal through MX Merchant, customer database tools, B2B processing, mobile payment options, and nonprofit discounts for qualifying businesses.
Gateways Supported
MX Merchant, QuickPay
Processing Model
Interchange-plus
Contract Requirements
Month-to-month
PROS
- Month-to-month billing and no ETFs
- Discounts for qualified nonprofits
- Highly ethical business practices
CONS
- Not for low volume businesses
- Not for most high-risk businesses
Durango Merchant Services
Best For High-Risk eCommerce
Durango Merchant Services is a virtual terminal option for high-risk eCommerce merchants that need more hands-on account support.
Durango offers high-risk merchant accounts, the Durango Pay gateway with virtual terminal access, recurring billing, customer database tools, fraud protection, eCheck processing, mobile payments, and a dedicated account manager. Pricing is custom, and contract terms may vary by business type and processor.
Gateways Supported
Durango Pay
Processing Model
Interchange-plus & tiered
Contract Requirements
Varies
PROS
- Offshore merchant accounts
- Fair pricing and contracts
- Dedicated account managers
CONS
- No public pricing disclosures
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Erica Seppala
Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
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.
View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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