Square is great for some businesses, but it’s not right for everyone. Many merchants and entrepreneurs need what Square can’t provide: better pricing at high volumes, better account stability, or an even more robust feature set. Check out these Square competitors to find a solution that works for your business!

Wondering how to accept credit card payments without a merchant account? Learn what third-party payment processing is, and the pros & cons for small businesses.

A free credit card swiper can be tempting for small businesses, but some are better than others. Check out our rundown of the best free card readers.

A particularly confusing and misunderstood fee is the monthly minimum. Rather than a direct fee, it’s the minimum amount in processing fees you’re required to pay your provider monthly. If your processing fees fall short of this minimum, you’re billed the difference; if not, there’s no extra charge.

ACH Payments and wire transfers each have their uses. If you wish to send or receive smaller payments that can be scheduled and paid out automatically, ACH is likely the way to go. However, if you have larger, one-time transfers that are time-sensitive, then wire transfer is pretty much your only choice.

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.

PCI compliance involves adhering to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) standard established by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) to protect customer credit card information from cyber threats. This is a critical measure for preventing data breaches and ensuring customer trust.

You need to be PCI compliant. This isn’t just a matter of complying with a bureaucratic regulatory requirement or avoiding a PCI non-compliance fee. A data breach that exposes your customers’ cardholder data can have a catastrophic effect on your business, and following proper PCI compliance procedures is your best method of ensuring that this never happens to you.

A merchant account is designed to temporarily hold funds from credit and debit card transactions until they can be settled. When processing is complete, these funds will then be deposited into the merchant’s business bank account.

This article will explain the four PCI merchant risk levels and show you how to figure out which one applies to your business. Don’t worry — it’s really very easy! We’ll also review the various requirements that apply to each of these levels.