Best Merchant Account Providers For Small Business
Compare the best merchant account providers for small businesses, including options for in-person, online, mobile, and high-risk payments.
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WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Editor & Senior Staff Writer
UPDATED
Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.
We evaluated top merchant account providers based on pricing, service features, contract terms, and user reviews. These are our top picks.
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| Provider | Best For | Monthly Fee | Payment Processing Rates | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best For Customization | $10 - $20/month | Starts at Interchange + 0.4% + $0.10 | |
 | Best For eCommerce | $99-$199+/month | Starts at $0.08 + interchange fee per transaction | |
 | Best All-In-One Provider | Starts at $0/month | Interchange + 0.15-0.40% + $0.06-$0.08 | |
 | Best For Low Volume | $0 - $149/month | Starts at 2.4% - 2.6% + $0.15 | |
 | Best For Nonprofits | $15-$20/month | Interchange + 0.10-0.30% + $0.08-$0.11 | |
| Show More Options | ||||
 | Best For Chase Customers | $0 - $9.95+ | Starts at 2.6% + $0.10 | |
 | Best For High-Risk Businesses | Not disclosed | Start at 0.15% | |
 | Best For Small Ticket Sales | $0 - $20/month | Interchange + 0.20-0.35% + $0.09-$0.10 | |
| Show Fewer Options |
Payline Data
Best OverallBest For Customization
Payline Data is best for businesses that want a full-service merchant account with options for low-risk, nonprofit, healthcare, and some high-risk industries.
Payline offers interchange-plus pricing, gateway options, a free virtual terminal, ACH processing, Clover hardware, mobile payments, shopping cart integrations, accounting integrations, fraud tools, chargeback support, and custom pricing for higher-volume businesses.
Ideal Business Type
Service businesses, retail, eCommerce
Processing Model
Interchange-plus
Free POS App
PROS
- Healthcare & nonprofit discounts
- Free virtual terminal
- Supports some high-risk industries
CONS
- High interchange-plus rates
Stax
Best For eCommerce
Stax is best for higher-volume businesses that can save with subscription-style payment processing.
Instead of charging a percentage markup over interchange, Stax uses a monthly membership model with a small per-transaction fee. It supports online, in-person, mobile, ACH, invoice, recurring, QR code, and text payments, plus shopping cart, API, POS hardware, and QuickBooks integrations.
Ideal Business Type
eCommerce, high-volume
Processing Model
Membership
Free POS App
PROS
- Suited for high-volume businesses
- Strong eCommerce features
- Simple flat-rate pricing
CONS
- Not for high-risk businesses
- Potentially high monthly fee
Helcim
Best All-In-One Provider
Helcim is best for growing B2B and B2G businesses that want a full merchant account with no monthly software fee.
Helcim offers interchange-plus pricing, automatic volume discounts, mobile and in-person payments, invoicing, an online store, a virtual terminal, card vaulting, ACH payments, customer portals, and Level 2/3 data tools that can help qualifying businesses lower processing costs.
Ideal Business Type
B2B/B2G, service businesses
Processing Model
Interchange-plus & cash discount
Free POS App
PROS
- Automatic volume discounts
- Lower fees for B2B/B2G
- Excellent customer support
CONS
- Not for high-risk businesses
- Expensive for low volume
Square
Best For Low Volume
Square is best for low-volume businesses that want easy signup, flat-rate processing, and built-in POS tools.
Square offers payment processing, mobile and tablet POS apps, invoicing, virtual terminal payments, ACH payments, online selling, industry-specific POS plans, and a wide range of card readers and POS hardware. It’s a low-commitment option for newer or smaller businesses with straightforward processing needs.
Ideal Business Type
Retail, restaurant, service businesses
Processing Model
Flat-rate
Free POS App
PROS
- Free POS plan and online store
- Industry-specific features
- Easy to set up and use
CONS
- Account stability issues
- Not for high-risk businesses
Dharma Merchant Services
Best For Nonprofits
Dharma Merchant Services is best for nonprofits, B2B businesses, and established merchants with higher monthly processing volume.
Dharma offers full-service merchant accounts, interchange-plus pricing, nonprofit discounts, B2B processing tools, invoicing, virtual terminal payments, payment links, donation buttons, HIPAA-compliant billing options, lodging tools, and Clover, First Data, and Verifone hardware.
Ideal Business Type
High-volume businesses and nonprofits
Processing Model
Interchange-plus
Free POS App
PROS
- Low payment processing rates
- Discounts for nonprofits
- Volume discounts
CONS
- Not for high-risk businesses
- Account closure fee
Chase Payment Solutions℠
Best For Chase Customers
Chase Payment Solutions is best for businesses that want merchant services from a direct processor with banking support.
Chase offers payment processing, mobile payments, virtual terminal access, eCommerce integrations, card readers, and same-day funding for eligible Chase business checking customers. It’s a good option for businesses that already bank with Chase or want payment processing and business banking under one provider.
Ideal Business Type
Chase bank account owners
Processing Model
Flat-rate
Free POS App
PROS
- Large direct processor
- Month-to-month contracts available
- Interchange-plus pricing available
CONS
- Monthly fee for eCommerce
- Contract required for free terminal
PaymentCloud
Best For High-Risk Businesses
PaymentCloud helps hard-to-place merchants find high-risk payment processing through its network of banks and back-end processors.
Businesses get application support, high-risk industry experience, mobile payments, virtual terminal access, ACH and eCheck processing, gateway options, chargeback tools, fraud prevention, and QR code payments. Pricing is custom, and terms can vary based on business type, risk level, and underwriting.
Ideal Business Type
High-risk businesses
Processing Model
Flat-rate, interchange-plus, tiered
Free POS App
PROS
- High-risk specialists
- Great public reputation
- No monthly minimums
CONS
- Undisclosed high-risk pricing
- Expensive for low-risk merchants
Host Merchant Services
Best For Small Ticket Sales
Host Merchant Services is useful for businesses with small average tickets, including laundromats, car washes, convenience stores, and small theaters.
HMS offers low-risk and high-risk merchant accounts, a small-ticket processing program, EBT payment support, mobile terminals, POS options, online gateways, a virtual terminal, and cash discounting. Pricing varies by industry, and high-risk merchants should expect higher rates.
Ideal Business Type
Small ticket sales, grocery and convenience stores
Processing Model
Interchange-plus
Free POS App
PROS
- EBT program available
- Suitable for small ticket sales
- Good customer support
CONS
- Expensive for low volume
- Monthly fee applies
How To Find The Best Credit Card Processor For YOUR Business
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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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