Unhappy with PayPal’s merchant services? Looking for a new processor? Whatever your reason for not choosing PayPal’s credit card processing, there are plenty of other options. Check out our choices for fair, affordable and practical alternatives to PayPal.

Frustrating as it may be, applying for a business loan (or other sources of funding) can have a negative effect on your credit. Knowing the difference between soft and hard credit inquiries can help you keep your credit score intact while going through the loan shopping and application process. How much can a loan application […]

CCBill offers a powerful platform for billing & recurring payments. The company even works with high-risk businesses, especially those in the adult entertainment industry. More surprisingly, the company discloses its rates. But is it a worthwhile contender for your business? Check out our review to find out.

Discover Personal Loans offers personal loans that can be used for funding a start-up business. Borrowers with good credit would do well to consider Discover Personal Loans as a source of funding for their business start-up. Be cautious about their high interest rates and stringent borrower qualifications.

CardConnect is a merchant services provider and major ISO of First Data (now Fiserv). The company offers a full range of high-quality products and services (including an excellent integrated payments platform). However, lengthy contracts, high termination fees, and inadequate pricing transparency make it a poor choice for most small business owners.

LendingPoint offers loans to consumers who have credit scores in the 600-680 range. It is a useful tool for people without the best credit profiles. It is suitable for startups but because of its narrow focus, the funding might work out for a very small number of entrepreneurs.

Prosper offers personal loans that can be used for business purposes. Prosper loans are easy to apply for and easy to pay off. Be cautious of hidden fees or other unexpected clauses. Prosper is best suited for startups.

The EMV liability shift is well underway and customers have started dipping those cards. At this point, most small business owners are probably wondering why the heck everybody is talking about chip-and-PIN cards when everybody seems to be using chip-and-signature. What’s the difference between chip-and-PIN and chip-and-signature cards?  Back Up a Minute. Let’s go over […]

PayPal offers a comprehensive suite of services for merchants, from the mobile POS app (the focus of this review) as well as online card processing, business financing, POS partnerships, and much more. Want to use PayPal POS to get paid? PayPal Here is becoming PayPal Zettle — read our updated review for more about features and pricing.

For such a large, traditional processor, Elavon offers a few advantages. The company deserves credit for eliminating its early termination fees and disclosing its flat-rate pricing plans. At the same time, it loses a few points for not disclosing the availability of interchange-plus pricing and for inconsistent customer service and support.