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Best eCommerce Merchant Accounts In 2024

Learn about the services you'll need to launch an eCommerce business, including payment services, merchant accounts, shopping carts, payment gateways, and shipping.

    Chris Motola

  • Last updated onUpdated

    • Nicolette Kier

  • REVIEWED BY

    Nicolette Kier

    Expert Contributor

Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.

If you want to sell online, you’ll need an eCommerce merchant account, which is simply an account that processes your customers’ online payments and transfers the funds to you, the merchant. Today, you also have the choice of signing up for a dedicated eCommerce merchant account or using a payment service provider, which performs the same basic functions as a merchant account but doesn’t come with so many fees and complicated processing rates.

This article briefly discusses the services you’ll need to accept credit cards online and the features you should look for in your merchant account provider. We also researched several different eCommerce merchant services providers to help you decide which one is right for your business.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

CompanyBest ForNext StepsBest For
Stripe Payments

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  • Best overall eCommerce platform
  • No monthly fees
  • Flat rate transaction fees
  • Best overall eCommerce platform
  • No monthly fees
  • Flat rate transaction fees

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PaymentCloud

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  • Best for high-risk businesses
  • $15 monthly fee
  • Tiered and interchange-plus pricing
  • Best for high-risk businesses
  • $15 monthly fee
  • Tiered and interchange-plus pricing

Visit Site

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CDGcommerce

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  • Best for scaling businesses
  • $0 - $199 monthly fee
  • Flat-rate, interchange-plus, or subscription pricing
  • Best for scaling businesses
  • $0 - $199 monthly fee
  • Flat-rate, interchange-plus, or subscription pricing

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Square

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  • Best for new businesses
  • $0 - $79 monthly fee
  • Flat rate transaction fees
  • Best for new businesses
  • $0 - $79 monthly fee
  • Flat rate transaction fees

Visit Site

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Dharma Merchant Services

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  • Best for nonprofits
  • $15 monthly fee ($12/mo for nonprofits)
  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Best for nonprofits
  • $15 monthly fee ($12/mo for nonprofits)
  • Interchange-plus pricing

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Helcim

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  • Best merchant agreement terms
  • No monthly fee
  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Best merchant agreement terms
  • No monthly fee
  • Interchange-plus pricing

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Host Merchant Services

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  • Best merchant account services
  • $14.99 monthly fee
  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Best merchant account services
  • $14.99 monthly fee
  • Interchange-plus pricing

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Table of Contents

What Is An eCommerce Merchant Account?

An eCommerce merchant account is a dedicated bank account where funds from your online payments are deposited until they can be transferred to your regular business bank account. eCommerce merchant accounts include payment processing services, a payment gateway, online shopping carts, and sometimes even a full website. You must apply for and be approved for a merchant account and you’ll typically get a custom payment processing rate based on your industry, time in business, risk level, and sales volumes, among other factors.

A dedicated eCommerce merchant account is useful for businesses looking for a more cost-effective payment processing rate, high-risk businesses that can only process payments through certain payment services providers, and businesses looking for an account that won’t be unexpectedly frozen.

Note: eCommerce businesses require a payment gateway to take payments. We’ll discuss the exact functions of payment gateways below, but essentially, payment gateways are the online version of credit card terminals and are used for facilitating secure online transactions.

What Is An eCommerce Merchant Services Provider?

An eCommerce merchant services provider is a payment processing service that offers the ability to accept payments online, straightforward payment processing rates, and integrations to other business management software.

Not all eCommerce merchant services providers offer full merchant accounts. For example, companies like Square and PayPal are payment service providers (also known as third-party payment processors) that process payments for you but do not give you an individual merchant account.

You may choose to work with a payment service provider if you want to accept payments online but don’t want to wait to get approved for a merchant account, pay fees for things like maintaining your account and PCI compliance, or get a confusing custom payment processing fee.

Note: For this article, we’re considering traditional merchant account providers and payment services providers as “merchant accounts” since both types of payment services allow you to take payments online.

4 Must-Have Features For An eCommerce Merchant Account

There are some essential eCommerce-related features you’ll want in a payment processor.

Online Shopping Carts

An online shopping cart is software that allows customers to view your products and add them to a virtual cart for purchase. Your online shopping cart has to integrate with a payment gateway for customers to be able to securely enter payment information. It also has to integrate with your merchant account so you can transfer their payments to your business bank account.

You can connect your eCommerce merchant account to a popular, secure online shopping cart builder like Shopify or BigCommerce to build a beautiful online store and ensure a simple, secure payment process. Alternatively, choose an eCommerce merchant account like Square or Helcim that comes with a built-in online shopping cart for an even more straightforward eCommerce payment setup.

Payment Gateways

A payment gateway is a software service that securely uploads a customer’s payment information (credit/debit card numbers, bank account numbers, etc.) after they enter it online, encrypts it for security purposes, and sends it to your payment processor or merchant account for payment approval. If the customer has the funds in their bank account to cover the purchase, the transaction is approved and the customer’s online checkout is a success.

Again, payment gateways are required for eCommerce businesses to take payments. Sometimes payment gateways are integrated into an eCommerce service provider’s offering while other times you can add a different payment gateway to your merchant account.

For example, Stripe accounts have the Stripe payment gateway service built in. Host Merchant Services, on the other hand, is a full merchant account provider with a built-in payment gateway as well as integrations with popular third-party payment gateway services like Authorize.Net.

In addition to helping facilitate online transactions, payment gateways provide security services to protect your customers’ credit card information, databases that can store your customers’ information (name, billing address, credit card numbers, etc.) to make future checkouts faster, and recurring billing functions.

Support For Alternative Payment Methods

The more alternative payment methods you can accept, the more customers you can accommodate at checkout.

Credit and debit card payments are a given. You may also consider taking Discover and American Express cards, digital wallet payments such as Apple Pay, eCheck/ACH payments, and popular international payment methods (if you’re selling in several countries.)

Note: ACH payments are great for billing customers on a recurring schedule since they are automated, reliable, and typically cost less in payment processing fees. We highly recommend building ACH payments into payment pages if you sell subscriptions, services, or memberships. B2B businesses that invoice should also consider implementing ACH payments.

Software Integrations

Most businesses use several software products to manage their operations and take payments. Software integrations connect different products so they can communicate data and reduce the amount of data entry you have to do.

For example, connecting your online shopping cart with your accounting software means you won’t have to repeatedly enter the same data into different software.

Some eCommerce merchant services providers, like Stripe and Square, connect with virtually any cloud-based software available. Other eCommerce merchant account providers, like Helcim and Host Merchant Services, offer an open API (application program interface) for you to connect your merchant account to any online shopping cart and accounting software.

Note: Working with an API can be difficult. Consider hiring a developer if you’re not very tech-savvy or choosing a popular payment services provider if you want all your business management systems to work cohesively.

Best eCommerce Merchant Accounts

The best eCommerce merchant accounts for online businesses combine excellent shopping cart tools, payment gateways, and security features to make online transactions simple and easy.

Our top choices include:

Compare The Best eCommerce Merchant Services

Type Of Merchant Services Standout Features Monthly Account Fee Payment Processing Structure Payment Processing Rate
Stripe Payment Service Provider Numerous software integrations, developer features $0 Flat-rate 2.90%
PaymentCloud Merchant Accounts High-risk merchant accounts, payment gateway integrations $15 Tiered, interchange-plus Custom
CDGcommerce Merchant Accounts High-risk merchant accounts, several payment processing structures $0-$199 Flat-rate, tiered, interchange-plus 2.9% or interchange-plus rates
Square Payment Service Provider Free plan available, numerous software integrations $0-$79 Flat-rate 2.6%-2.9%
Dharma Merchant Accounts Nonprofit discounts, several credit card terminal integrations $12-15 Interchange-plus Interchange + 0.1%-0.2%
Helcim Merchant Accounts Free plan available, transparent merchant agreements, strong customer service $0 Interchange-plus Interchange + 0.15%-0.5%
Host Merchant Services Merchant Accounts Free website, gift card and loyalty program builder $14.99 Interchange-plus Custom

Stripe Payments: Best Overall Payment Services Provider

Stripe Payments

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Total Rating 4.7
Fees & Rates4.7

Products & Services4.5

Contract5.0

Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0

Customer Service4.5

User Reviews4.1



Pros

  • Predictable flat-rate pricing
  • Extensive international support
  • Advanced billing and subscription tools
  • No monthly fees

Cons

  • Account stability issues
  • Can take technical skill to extract full utility

Why We Chose Stripe As The Best Overall Payment Services Provider

If your business does not take many in-person transactions and you don't need your own dedicated eCommerce merchant account, Stripe, a very popular payment services provider, might be the right option for you.

Stripe is open to merchants worldwide with numerous currency options and support for many alternative payment methods and local payment options across North America, the EU, and Asia. You’ll also find a great selection of marketplace tools, recurring billing options, and invoicing tools. Stripe gives you a payment gateway, a hosted payment page, PCI compliance, and the ability to migrate your customer data if you ever decide to leave. Developers, in particular, will enjoy the excellent tools Stripe offers for customization.

Stripe Features

Stripe offers tons of features, many of which are free. Others can be added to an account for an additional per-transaction fee. Features include:

  • Premade online checkout form
  • Recurring billing and subscriptions
  • Invoicing
  • Advanced security features
  • Dynamic currency conversion
  • Far-reaching international support
  • International payment methods supported
  • Built-in eCommerce integrations
  • Support for cryptocurrency settlement

Related: Read our guide to recurring billing to learn more about recurring billed methods and how to implement recurring billing in a membership-based or service-based business.

Stripe Pricing

Stripe charges the following fees:

  • 2.9% + $0.30 per eCommerce transaction
  • +1.5% for international cards
  • +1% if currency conversion is needed
  • 0.8% with a maximum of $5 per ACH transaction
  • $15 per chargeback
  • No monthly fees

Get Started With Stripe Payments

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PaymentCloud: Best For High-Risk Businesses

PaymentCloud

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Total Rating 4.1
Fees & Rates4.3

Products & Services5.0

Contract2.8

Sales & Advertising Transparency3.9

Customer Service4.2

User Reviews4.0



Exclusive Promo: PaymentCloud will give you $200 if they can't beat your current rate. Get Your Quote

Pros

  • Reasonable rates and fees
  • Free credit card terminal and shopping cart integration
  • Excellent customer service

Cons

  • Long-term contract for high-risk businesses

Why We Chose PaymentCloud For High-Risk Businesses

High-risk businesses such as vape shops, travel agencies, SEO services, and sports betting businesses have fewer payment processing options. However, you shouldn't accept just any payment processor. PaymentCloud is one of the best high-risk merchant accounts available, especially for eCommerce-specific businesses.

PaymentCloud doesn't skimp on eCommerce support, coming with a shopping cart integration, ACH processing, and the ability to use any compatible payment gateway that you want.

PaymentCloud Features

PaymentCloud has a healthy suite of eCommerce features that high-risk businesses can access. These include:

  • Shopping cart integrations
  • Authorize.Net payment gateway
  • eCheck and ACH processing
  • Contactless payment requests
  • Data migration

Related: Read our Authorize.Net review to decide whether this payment gateway is right for your business.

PaymentCloud Pricing

PaymentCloud uses both tiered pricing and interchange-plus pricing models. You will get a custom payment processing rate when you sign up. Your rate will depend on your industry, assessed risk level, and sales volumes, among other factors.

Note: High-risk payment processing rates will vary depending on the payment processor PaymentCloud pairs you with. High-risk payment processing is typically more expensive than low-risk payment processing, so be prepared to get a higher rate on your custom quote.

Pricing for low-risk payment processing is as follows:

  • Interchange + 0.1% to 0.5% + $0.15 to $0.25 per transaction
  • $15 monthly fee
  • Gateway fee (variable depending on your chosen payment gateway)

Get Started With PaymentCloud

Read our in-depth review

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CDGcommerce: Best For Scaling Businesses

CDGcommerce

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Total Rating 4.7
Fees & Rates4.6

Products & Services5.0

Contract5.0

Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0

Customer Service3.5

User Reviews4.9



Pros

  • Free payment gateway
  • No early termination fee
  • Scales well

Cons

  • US merchants only

Why We Chose CDGcommerce For Scaling Businesses

Most payment processors tend to fall into specialized niches. CDGcommerce takes a slightly different approach, instead offering a flexible array of service options that can allow a business to scale up from periodic, flat-rate payment processing to an interchange-plus payment processing model as its transaction volume grows.

CDGcommerce additionally offers a strong set of tools for online retailers, with excellent reporting tools and a reimbursement plan for fraudulent transactions.

CDGcommerce Features

CDGcommerce features include:

  • Detailed online reporting
  • High-risk payment processing
  • Recurring billing
  • A security service (cdg360)
  • A Fraud Loss Reimbursement Plan (FLRP) for users of the Quantum gateway
  • Interchange-plus, subscription-based, and flat-rate payment processing

CDGcommerce Pricing

Volume discounts are available for interchange-plus and subscription pricing. You’ll pay the following payment processing rates for online transactions:

  • Flat-Rate Payment Processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
  • Interchange-Plus Payment Processing: Interchange + 0.3% + $0.15 per transaction and a $19-$49/month flat fee
  • Subscription-Based Payment Processing: Interchange + $0.10 per transaction and $49-$199/month flat fee

Get Started With CDGcommerce

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Square: Best For New Businesses

Square

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Total Rating 4.8
Fees & Rates5.0

Products & Services4.7

Contract4.3

Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0

Customer Service4.9

User Reviews4.9



Get a free card swiper from Square at no cost when you create a free account. Claim your card reader.

Pros

  • Free online store
  • Predictable flat-rate pricing
  • No monthly fees for basic account
  • Strong POS support

Cons

  • Account stability issues
  • Advanced features may have monthly fee

Why We Chose Square For New Businesses

Square, one of the leading third-party payment processors in the business, began as a convenient and affordable POS system for retail stores and restaurants. That's still where its strengths lie: Square offers quality POS software and hardware for small businesses.

Square now offers one of the best POS systems with eCommerce features, including a free online store and shopping cart support. If your sales are made up of a mix of online and offline transactions, Square can be a great way to do both with minimal fuss.

Related: Read our Square Online review to learn more about the company's free customizable online store builder.

Square Features

Square’s feature set is massive, particularly if you sign up for a premium account. Though many of Square’s features are geared toward in-person transactions, eCommerce merchants can still find a lot to like including:

  • Free online store
  • Premade online checkout form
  • Omnichannel selling
  • Native eCommerce integrations
  • Some international sales and currency conversion support
  • Inventory management
  • Invoicing
  • Cryptocurrency processing

Related: Read our Square POS review to learn more about adding free card-present payment processing to your online business so you can sell online and in person.

Square Pricing

Square Payments, the company’s built-in payment processor, is required for all Square users, and charges the following pricing:

  • 2.6%-2.9% + $0.30 per eCommerce transaction
  • 1% with a minimum of $1 per ACH transaction
  • 3.8% + $0.30 per online CBD transaction
  • $0-$79/month, billed annually

Note: Only the $79/month Premium Square Online plan offers the 2.6% payment processing rate. A higher subscription plan may be worth it for small businesses with higher sales volumes.

Get Started With Square

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Dharma Merchant Services: Best For Nonprofits

Dharma Merchant Services

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Read our Review

Total Rating 5.0
Fees & Rates5.0

Products & Services5.0

Contract5.0

Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0

Customer Service4.8

User Reviews4.7



Pros

  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Nonprofit discounts
  • Transparent pricing

Cons

  • Unsuitable for businesses processing less than $10,000/month
  • Account closure fee

Why We Chose Dharma Merchant Services For Nonprofits

Dharma Merchant Services is a solid choice for any low-risk business, offering competitive interchange-plus pricing and support for the popular Clover line of terminals. eCommerce merchants will be able to choose between Authorize.Net and MX Merchant payment gateways. However, nonprofit businesses, in particular, will appreciate that Dharma offers discounted rates to qualifying 501(c) corporations.

Dharma Merchant Services Features

Dharma Merchant Services offers a solid set of features for both eCommerce and brick-and-mortar businesses:

  • Full-service merchant accounts through Fiserv or TSYS
  • MX Merchant integrated payment gateway or Authorize.Net available
  • Cash discount program
  • Full line of credit card terminals, including Verifone Engage V200c, Fiserv FD-150, Ingenico Desk/5000, Dejavoo Z11, Clover POS systems, and more
  • B2B processing app (MX B2B)
  • Nonprofit discount rates

Related: Read our Clover POS review to help you figure out if this Dharma-compatible POS system is right for you.

Dharma Merchant Services Pricing

Dharma Merchant Services charges the following fees:

  • $15/month account fee
  • Interchange + 0.2% + $0.11 per card-not-present transaction
  • Interchange + 0.1% + $0.11 per card-not-present transaction (nonprofits)
  • No gateway fee for integrated gateway (MX Merchant)
  • $10/month for recurring billing (MX Merchant)
  • $20/month for B2B payment processing (MX Merchant)
  • $49 account closure fee

Note: Volume discounts are available on transaction fees.

Get Started With Dharma Merchant Services

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Helcim: Best Merchant Agreement Terms

Helcim

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Read our Review

Total Rating 4.9
Fees & Rates5.0

Products & Services4.4

Contract5.0

Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0

Customer Service4.8

User Reviews4.5



Pros

  • No monthly fee
  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Excellent customer support
  • Automated Level 2 and 3 card data capture to lower interchange rates

Cons

  • Not suited for very low-volume businesses
  • Does not integrate with many other business management tools currently

Why We Chose Helcim For The Best Merchant Agreement Terms

Helcim is a rare company that offers very transparent merchant agreements with no monthly or per-order fees buried in the fine print, which is refreshing for many businesses. Every business that signs up with Helcim gets transparent interchange-plus payment processing and automated volume discounts to maximize your savings.

It also offers several additional payment processing models, including ACH payment processing with Helcim's per-transaction fee capped at $6, a cash discount program, and automated Level 2 and 3 card data capture, which lowers payment processing fees for B2B/B2G businesses.

While the platform isn't quite as extensive as Stripe or Square, Helcim does offer hosted payment pages, an online store builder, and excellent invoicing software. Plus, Helcim offers an open API so you can integrate Helcim as a payment method on your own website or app.

Helcim Features

Helcim’s integrated payments platform offers a variety of services useful to eCommerce businesses:

  • Hosted online store builder
  • Host payments pages
  • International payments support
  • Recurring billing with custom invoice builder
  • Product and inventory management
  • In-person POS software
  • Cash discount program that works for invoices, payment requests, and standard transactions
  • Automated Level 2 and 3 card data capture (e.g. zip code, freight and duty information, commodity codes) using AI

Automated Level 2 and 3 card data capture reduces payment processing fees because the card-issuing banks lower interchange rates when you give them more transaction information. This is a great feature for B2B and B2G businesses that include more transaction information such as tax IDs and accept Level 3 interchange eligible credit cards.

Related: Read our Helcim POS review for more information on accepting payments in person with Helcim’s easy-to-use software.

Helcim Pricing

Helcim charges the following fees for online payment processing:

  • Payment processing starting at interchange + 0.5% + $0.25 per online transaction
  • ACH/eCheck processing at 0.5% + $0.25 per order and $5 per returned or rejected transfer with a maximum per-order fee capped at $6

Note: Helcim placed a custom payment processing rate calculator tool on the company’s pricing page so you can get a payment processing fee estimate before even signing up for a Helcim account.

Get Started With Helcim

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Host Merchant Services: Best Merchant Account Services

Host Merchant Services

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Read our Review

Total Rating 4.9
Fees & Rates5.0

Products & Services5.0

Contract5.0

Sales & Advertising Transparency4.7

Customer Service4.6

User Reviews4.8



Pros

  • Transparent interchange-plus pricing
  • Excellent customer service
  • Free website
  • No early termination fee

Cons

  • Annual fee
  • Not suitable for low-volume merchants
  • US-based businesses only

Why We Chose Host Merchant Services For The Best Merchant Account Services

Host Merchant Services is a versatile merchant account provider well-suited to mid-sized businesses, and the company will build a custom solution that fits your business offering. Host Merchant Services also offers Clover POS systems, mobile app integrations so you can build payments into your iOS/Android apps, high-risk merchant accounts, and data breach insurance.

Unlike other providers, Host Merchant Services offers gift card and loyalty program builders for businesses, free web hosting, and multi-location networking.

In general, Host Merchant Services provides excellent merchant accounts along with eCommerce features such as free web hosting that are typically available on payment service provider platforms like Stripe.

Host Merchant Services Features

Host Merchant Services features include:

  • Payment gateway (Transaction Express) offering tokenization and encryption of customer data
  • ACH processing
  • Recurring billing
  • Check-imaging
  • Virtual terminal
  • Wireless processing
  • Shopping cart integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.)
  • Free basic website with hosting
  • Integrations with third-party payment gateways
  • Gift card and loyalty program builder (paid add-on)
  • Mobile app integrations to add fast, secure payments to your custom-built mobile apps

Host Merchant Services Pricing

Host Merchant Services charges the following fees for merchant accounts:

  • Interchange + 0.35% + $0.10 per online transaction (baseline advertised rate for businesses processing over $10K/month)
  • $14.99 monthly fee
  • $24 annual 1099 report fee
  • $20 monthly fee for cash discount program ($0 for businesses processing over $5K/month)
  • $5 monthly payment gateway fee (optional)

Note: Host Merchant Services offers interchange-plus pricing for all businesses. If you’re processing less than $10K/month in sales, the company will provide you with a custom payment processing rate.

Get Started With Host Merchant Services

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Payment Processing Rating Methodology

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.

Weighted Rating Breakdown

Fees & Rates 35%
Contract 20%
Products & Services 15%
Sales & Advertising Transparency 15%
Customer Service 10%
User Reviews 5%

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


How To Choose The Right eCommerce Merchant Services Provider

Whether you choose a payment services provider merchant account or a full eCommerce merchant account depends on your payment processing volumes, industry, and software integrations you want to implement when managing your business, among other factors.

If you have higher monthly sales volumes, own a business in a high-risk industry, or want to sell globally, consider getting your own eCommerce merchant account. Dedicated merchant accounts are less likely to be frozen, offer better payment processing rates for larger sales volumes, and will process payments for high-risk businesses.

If you have lower sales volumes in a low-risk industry or want a more all-in-one solution, consider a payment services provider like Square or Stripe.

Note: At some point, it will be more cost-effective to get your own merchant account with a custom payment processing rate. Be mindful of this once your sales volumes pick up (over $5/K per month.)

Check out our best credit card processing companies for small businesses if you’re looking to sell online and in person.

FAQs: eCommerce Merchant Account

Do I need both an eCommerce merchant account and a payment gateway?

Small businesses need both an eCommerce merchant account and a payment gateway to process online transactions.

What is the best payment gateway for eCommerce?

The best payment gateway for eCommerce is the one that works well with your payment processor. Authorize.Net is a great option, though we’d recommend getting them through a merchant services provider rather than signing up directly.

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Chris Motola

Chris Motola

Expert Contributor at Merchant Maverick
Chris has been writing about small business topics since 2003. He has been featured in Fox Business, ABC News, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates, Newsweek, BizJournals, and other publications. He has a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Writing Arts from SUNY Oswego, and a Masters of Science in Interactive Media from the University of Central Florida. He currently resides in the Hudson Valley region of New York.
Chris Motola
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