December 2025 Offer: Get a free credit card reader from Square Payments
Sign up for a free account with Square and get a complimentary card reader, point-of-sale app, and a suite of tools to run a better, more profitable business. No monthly fees required.
Education: AA Liberal Studies, Limestone University
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.
One form of relief offered to small businesses is the Employee Retention Tax Credit. First introduced in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this tax credit could be claimed by eligible employers on quarterly tax returns. This program was expanded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law in December 2020, making the credit accessible to more employers.
The SBA offers a variety of loan programs that vary according to business needs. Its flagship program is the 7(a) loan program, which offers loans for most general business purposes. However, it also offers special programs such as microloans and disaster loans. Find out more about SBA loans, including who qualifies.
QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software. It has the complex accounting capabilities that small business owners need and supports numerous integrations. Quickbooks Online has a lot to offer in terms of features, accounting, and usability.
What’s a point of sale system? And do you need one? Check out our guide to types of POS software, the most common features, and how to choose a POS system that gives your small business the tools it needs to succeed.
Franchises are a tried-and-true way to start a business, but they can cost a lot of money up-front. Want to buy a franchise, but can’t afford the startup costs? Learn about your best option for starting a franchise with no money right here.
Not accepting credit cards simplies some aspects of running a business, but can a cash-only business really succeed? And how does it affect your overall business? Take a closer look at what going cash-only really means for you.
The business of credit card processing is changing quickly. These days, only the old-line established processors have long contracts with ETFs that penalize you for ending a contract early. Newer processors with different business models can offer you better deals, and you can easily shop around and avoid contracts with ETFs.
Subscription pricing for merchant services is good for businesses with a higher processing volume, as those businesses can save big on markup costs and other credit card processing fees.
From a merchant’s standpoint, the difference between a credit and a debit card matters less than it does to the consumer, but the difference is still detectable because the transactions carry different costs. In fact, because a PIN pad is needed to initiate true debit charges, a merchant must buy a point of sale terminal with a PIN pad before true debit charges can be processed. For larger ticket items, a true debit charge can cost the merchant less to process than a credit charge or a credit path debit charge.
Credit card surcharging has rapidly gained in popularity in recent years as court decisions, and legislative changes have gradually removed legal barriers to the practice. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated this trend. Nonetheless, the question remains: Should you add a surcharge?
Flat-rate credit card processing removes the unpredictability and complexity that can come with other pricing models. We’ll take a closer look at what flat-rate credit card processing is, how it works, and the pros and cons of the model.
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The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
