Best Credit Card Processing Companies

Helcim is a strong choice for low-risk businesses that want a full-service merchant account with transparent interchange-plus pricing.

It works well for retail, eCommerce, mobile sales, and businesses that sell both online and in person. Helcim includes tools for invoicing, recurring billing, ACH payments, hosted payment pages, POS, and API access, but it is not a fit for high-risk merchants.

Stax is a good fit for established businesses that process enough card sales to benefit from membership-style pricing.

Instead of a percentage markup, Stax charges a monthly fee plus interchange and a small per-transaction fee. It works well for eCommerce, SaaS, and retail businesses, but the monthly fee may not make sense for very low-volume merchants.

Payline Data is a flexible merchant account provider for healthcare businesses, qualified nonprofits, and some high-risk merchants.

It uses interchange-plus pricing and supports virtual terminals, Level II/III data, multiple gateways, shopping cart integrations, QuickBooks, developer API access, and Clover equipment. It may not be the cheapest option, but it’s a strong fit for businesses that need more than basic flat-rate processing.

Square is one of the easiest ways for new or low-volume businesses to start accepting credit cards in person, online, by invoice, or on the go.

It’s a strong fit for small retailers, food service businesses, freelancers, and mobile sellers that want flat-rate pricing and built-in POS tools. However, Square is an aggregated processor, so higher-volume merchants may outgrow its pricing or face a higher risk of account holds.

Dharma Merchant Services is a solid option for nonprofits, restaurants, and low-risk retail businesses that want transparent interchange-plus pricing.

Dharma offers discounted nonprofit pricing, Clover hardware, virtual terminals, B2B tools, and surcharging support. It uses month-to-month billing with no long-term contracts, but it's not recommended for businesses processing under $10,000/month or high-risk merchants.

Durango Merchant Services is a solid option for high-risk businesses and merchants that may not qualify with standard credit card processors.

Durango supports high-risk and international merchant accounts, mobile payments, eCheck processing, shopping cart integrations, and in-person payments. Pricing is custom and not fully disclosed upfront, but Durango offers interchange-plus and tiered pricing based on industry, risk level, and processing history.

Airwallex is a strong choice for low-risk eCommerce businesses that sell internationally and need global payment tools.

It supports multi-currency accounts, global transfers, batch payments, developer APIs, shopping cart plug-ins, corporate cards, approvals, and spend management. Airwallex doesn't support in-person processing, so it’s best for online businesses rather than retailers or restaurants that need POS hardware.

Host Merchant Services is a good fit for high-volume businesses that want transparent interchange-plus pricing and no long-term contract.

Host offers the HMSExpress gateway, virtual terminal, mobile processing, eCommerce web hosting, and access to Clover POS hardware and software. It also accepts many high-risk businesses, though high-risk merchants should expect different pricing and contract terms.

CDGcommerce is a strong option for eCommerce businesses that want a full-service merchant account with flexible pricing.

Depending on processing volume, CDGcommerce offers flat-rate, interchange-plus, and membership pricing with month-to-month billing. It also supports retail, virtual terminal, gateway, and some high-risk processing, though high-risk merchants should go through full underwriting to reduce the risk of holds or shutdowns.