💳 Save money on credit card processing with one of our top 5 picks for 2024
These services make invoicing easier and more convenient than ever and allow you to get paid faster than you would with manual invoicing.
WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
REVIEWED BY
Lead Staff Writer
Stop wasting time, energy, and office supplies with manual invoices and cashing checks, and consider online invoice payment processing. Sending online invoices and accepting online payments benefits you and your customers. And the best part? You can get paid faster — so why not give it a shot?
Whether you’re already using accounting software and want an integrated solution or you’re starting from scratch, there’s an online invoice payment solution for you. We’ll look at the benefits of online payments, the invoicing cycle, and a few great options to consider for your business. Keep reading to learn more about getting paid faster and easier than ever with online invoice payments.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Summary | Next StepsSummary |
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CDGcommerce
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Stripe Payments
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Square Invoices
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FreshBooks
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QuickBooks Payments
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Dharma Merchant Services
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PayPal Invoicing
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Authorize.Net
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Braintree Payment Solutions
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Stax
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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
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Table of Contents
Invoices typically contain a list of the products or services purchased, individual pricing (such as charges per hour or a set fee), the total sum due, and a due date or payment terms.
As a small business owner, you may send invoices to your customers for products or services you provide. You may also receive invoices from vendors, suppliers, and other businesses when you purchase supplies, inventory, equipment, or other products or services needed for business operations.
An “invoice payment” is a payment made toward the sum of this invoice. For example, if you receive an invoice for $100 for supplies, the $100 payment you submit is the invoice payment.
There are a variety of ways to accept invoice payments. A business may take cash in person, a personal check, or a money order. However, many businesses are using technology to simplify invoice payments.
Some offer the option of paying by phone using a virtual terminal. Others are investing in services and software that allow customers to pay their invoices online with a debit card, credit card, ACH payment, or even mobile payment services, such as Apple Pay.
We’re going to focus our attention on online invoice payments. If you aren’t offering this option to your customers, keep reading to learn why this method is necessary for your business and how to get started.
Why should your business accept online invoice payments? Manual invoice creation, slow shipping times, delays by accounts payable and accounts receivable departments, invoicing errors, and waiting for the check can drag out the invoicing process. In other words, it can potentially take weeks to receive payment for products or services that have been provided.
A study by FIS and Amalto shows that 39% of invoices in the United States are paid late. Of these late invoices, 61% are delayed due to an invoicing error. The study also shows that 11% of customers never receive an invoice.
Concerned about spending money to automate your invoicing process? Your costs could actually be less by implementing online invoicing. In 2010, according to an article on Billtrust on how much invoices cost, a company using a high level of automation paid $6.31 to process an invoice, while companies with low levels of automation spent nearly $16 — a difference of nearly 250%!
Still not convinced? Let’s break down the many benefits of online invoicing for your business:
Ready to start accepting online invoice payments? Start your search with these top payment services, including payment processors, merchant accounts, and payment gateways. These services make invoicing easier and more convenient than ever while also allowing you to get paid faster than you would with manual invoicing.
| Monthly Fees | Processing Fees | High-Risk Businesses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDGcommerce | $0-$199/month | Varies by plan | |
| Stripe Payments | $0/month | 2.9% + $0.30/online transaction | |
| Square Invoices | $0-$20/month | Starts at 2.9% + $0.30 | |
| FreshBooks | $19-$60/month | 2.9% + $0.30 for most transactions | |
| QuickBooks Payments | Starts at $0/month | Starts at 2.99% for online payments | |
| Dharma Merchant Services | $12-$15/month | Starts at interchange + 0.10% + $0.08/transaction | |
| PayPal Invoicing | $0/month | Starts at 2.99% + $0.49 | |
| Authorize.Net | $25/month | 2.9% + $0.30/transaction | |
| Braintree Payment Solutions | $0/month | 2.59% + $0.49 | |
| Stax | $99-$199+/month | Starts at $0.08 + interchange |
Pros
Cons
CDGcommerce is a merchant services provider that offers many great features at competitive pricing with no hidden fees. Notable features include a free payment processor, multiple pricing options, processing for high-risk businesses, and a free virtual terminal. You can also add on mobile payments, credit card terminals, or a traditional POS system at competitive prices.
CDGcommerce also offers exceptional customer support, including 24/7 phone support. Its customer service and top-quality products have allowed this company to hold a 97% customer retention rate. Its public reputation is excellent, with very few negative customer reviews.
Pros
Cons
Stripe offers a variety of developer features that make it an ideal choice for online businesses, especially SaaS businesses or any business that accepts recurring payments. You have the option to use a Stripe plugin or integrate the payment service via one of its integration partnerships. You can use Stripe with your existing invoicing solution or send invoices through Stripe Billing.
Businesses can accept payments online, in person, or via mobile apps with Stripe. Stripe also has a comprehensive set of developer tools for quick and easy integration.
Get Started With Stripe Payments
Invoice Limit
UnlimitedPricing
$0-$20/monthBusiness size
Small to mid-sized businessesGet a free card swiper from Square at no cost when you create a free account. Claim your card reader.
Pros
Cons
Square Invoices is part of the Square ecosystem and integrates seamlessly with other Square products, including Square POS and Square Installments. This free option is ideal for businesses that already use Square, but it's an easy transition for businesses that are new to Square, as well.
Square Invoices has a well-designed UI and is easy to use once you grasp everything Square offers. Square Invoices users like the ease of use, mobility, and customizability of invoices.
Get Started With Square Invoices
Accounting Method
Accrual OnlyPricing Range
$19-$60/monthBusiness Size
Smaller to mid-sized businesses with a limited number of usersPros
Cons
FreshBooks Payments integrates with your FreshBooks accounting software, allowing you to add an online payment option to your invoices easily. Payments are automatically recorded to your FreshBooks account, so there's no more worrying about reconciliation.
You'll also be able to take advantage of features such as recurring invoices and other automations. FreshBooks Payments also doesn't require a separate merchant services account. Transparent pricing, good customer support, and easy setup all add to the reasons why we like FreshBooks Payments.
Pros
Cons
QuickBooks Payments has a lot of benefits, especially if you're already using QuickBooks software. The biggest draw for many users is that QuickBooks Payments seamlessly integrates with QuickBooks accounting software. Payments are automatically reconciled to invoices, helping you keep your books balanced.
QuickBooks Payments also has solid customer service and a good reputation among its users. If you already use QuickBooks or are looking for a full accounting and invoicing solution, QuickBooks Payments may be the right choice for you.
Get Started With QuickBooks Payments
Pros
Cons
Dharma Merchant Services has a vast selection of products and services to help your business tackle accepting online invoice payments. This includes B2B processing, the MX Merchant virtual terminal and invoicing system, and MX Merchant Express mobile processing. If you need a payment gateway, Dharma has you covered by offering the choice between Authorize.Net and NMI Gateway.
Other benefits of Dharma include transparent pricing with no contracts, early termination, PCI compliance fees, or batch fees. This certified green business has an outstanding reputation among its customers and consistently provides solid customer support.
Get Started With Dharma Merchant Services
Invoice Limit
UnlimitedPricing
$0/monthBusiness Size
Freelancers & small businessesPros
Cons
If you're looking for an all-in-one solution that's easy to set up and use for accepting online payments, look no further than PayPal. You can send invoices and receive online payments exclusively using PayPal's business products and services, or you can use a PayPal integration with your existing third-party solutions.
PayPal offers a variety of additional features and benefits for merchants, including customizable invoices with no monthly fees, mass payouts, and the PayPal Here mobile processing app. PayPal also has solid customer service and tech support and is viewed favorably by most users.
Get Started With PayPal Invoicing
Pros
Cons
Authorize.Net offers payment processing services that integrate with numerous third-party shopping carts. You'll also receive free virtual POS software (with a card reader available for a fee), a free mobile POS app (again, a card reader is available for an additional fee), the Customer Information Manager that allows you to store customer data securely, and Automated Recurring Billing.
Authorize.Net supports numerous payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Chase Pay, Visa Checkout, and echecks. You'll also have access to excellent customer support, transparent pricing and sales, and no hidden fees.
Get Started With Authorize.Net
Pros
Cons
Braintree Payment Solutions stands out for its support of numerous payment methods, including debit, credit, ACH Direct Debit, Android, Apple Pay, Venmo, Google Pay, PayPal, MasterPass, and Visa Checkout.
Braintree also offers international processing and allows you to accept payments in over 130 currencies. Add in solid customer support and an excellent public reputation, and you'll quickly see why this solution makes our list.
Get Started With Braintree Payment Solutions
Exclusive Promo: Get your first month free with Stax. Learn More
Pros
Cons
Stax offers a decent amount of features and is easy to use. It also offers a unique pricing structure. Where Stax stands out, though, is its customer support, which customers frequently praise. Stax offers 24/7 phone and email support and a variety of other resources to help you get the most out of the service.
Stax provides invoicing through Stax Pay. You can also add on other Stax merchant services (such as mobile payments, a physical terminal, and an online shopping cart) since they are all compatible to create your personalized payment solution.
Merchant Maverick has been researching the payment processing industry since 2009. Our writers have reviewed hundreds of credit card processors, merchant account services, and mobile payment apps, evaluating each provider carefully on several different metrics.
When comparing different payment processing companies and applications to one another, we consider numerous data points. Our experts start by comparing credit card processing rates, the presence of additional fees, contract length, sales practices, and the presence or absence of additional features and services, like point of sale software. Each provider is judged on its own merits and how well it stacks up to industry standards; then it is weighed against the other providers on the list.
We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure every company or application included meets our internal standards for quality and reputation. Any list of recommended payment processors on our site might contain a mix of standard merchant accounts, third-party payment processors, mobile payment devices, and high-risk payment processors, depending on what our expert feels is the best fit for certain scenarios or business types.
For additional details about Merchant Maverick’s review and rating processes, please refer to any or all of the following methodology pages:
15
Years reviewing payment processors
100+
Providers evaluated
25
Attributes and features assessed per vendor
40+
Years combined experience
Online invoicing isn’t just beneficial for your business; it’s also more convenient for your customers or clients, especially if they can pay their invoices online.
To accept invoice payments online, you have a few different options:
Once you have your online payment solution set up, it’s time to send out your first invoice. Let’s explore the online invoicing cycle so that you know what to expect during the process.
Using your invoicing software, you’ll first create your invoice. Depending on your software’s customization options, you may use a basic template, or you could completely customize your invoice with your company’s logo, colors, and branding.
Your invoice should include several key details, such as:
Once you’ve created the invoice and all information has been verified as accurate, you can send it to your customer.
Your customer then receives an email. Through this email, they can view the invoice. If you accept online payments, there will also be a link or information about how to make a payment.
If your customer is paying the invoice online, they enter their payment information, such as a credit card number or bank routing and transfer numbers, and the amount being paid. Once all information has been entered, the customer submits the payment.
Your invoice has now been paid! If you’re using invoicing software with integrated online payments, your software may do this for you. However, you may have to open the invoice and mark it as paid manually.
If you aren’t using the internet to send invoices and accept payments, what are you waiting for? You’ll save time and money, get paid faster, and simplify your invoicing process — does it get any better than that?
When choosing the right payment processor and payment services for your business, keep a few things in mind. Your budget, processing volume, and experience with software and payment services can influence your decision. Do your research to find the best option for your business, and don’t forget to take advantage of free trials to find the one that works best for you.
Looking for more ways to get paid? With a few easy steps, you can get your invoices paid faster. Another option for increasing your cash flow is to use a factoring company for your unpaid invoices. Before you know it, you’ll be getting paid in no time. Good luck!
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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.
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