⏰ Estimated read time: 9 minutes
Accepting credit card payments at your small business can make it quicker and easier for customers to complete their purchase. The task only takes a few seconds, but credit card processing companies are facilitating a complex process behind the scenes.
Whether you want to accept credit card payments online, in person or both will also affect the services and hardware your business needs. Here’s how to accept credit card payments, plus some top processing solutions.
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Stripe
Stripe Payments
NerdWallet Rating
5.0
Starting At
2.7% + 5¢
in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.
Every credit card transaction your business accepts sets off a chain of interconnected events involving multiple financial institutions. Here’s what the process looks like:
- A customer swipes, dips or taps their credit card. If they’re making an online purchase, they enter their card information manually.
- Your card reader or online payment gateway securely captures the card information, and the payment processor transmits the data to the associated card network (such as Visa).
- As this is happening, the payment processor requests information from the card's network, which routes the request to the card issuer (such as Chase or Bank of America).
- The issuer evaluates the request and either approves or denies the payment.
- If the transaction is approved, you can complete the transaction.
- Once the transaction is approved, the payment processor instructs the issuing bank to send funds to the appropriate merchant account.
- The merchant gets access to those funds (minus fees), usually after a couple of business days.
These complex interactions usually only take a few seconds to complete, but you can’t do them without the payment processing company, or the right hardware and software. Finding the right solutions will depend on your type of business.
Brick-and-mortar businesses need a payment processor and a point–of-sale (POS) system to accept card payments. In most cases, your POS system will determine your processor, or at least help you narrow down your options. That’s because certain POS systems are only compatible with their own in-house services. Others may integrate with a handful of outside providers.
POS systems for businesses that sell in person require POS hardware and the POS software that works behind the scenes to record sales and collect other data for your business. One of the simplest forms of hardware used to accept card payments is a credit card reader. Some readers only let you swipe cards, while others allow customers to dip or tap their cards. Established storefronts, however, will probably opt for a countertop POS terminal with a built-in card reader, cash drawer and receipt printer.
If you do business online, you’ll need a payment processor and a payment gateway, as opposed to physical POS hardware, so that customers can securely enter their card information online. Some companies, such as Square, offer an all-in-one solution that pairs POS software and processing services with a payment gateway and tools for building an online store. Others, such as Stripe, are better known for stand-alone payment gateways that you can add to your pre-built website.
Businesses accepting card payments online and in-store should use the same processing company and POS software to track both types of sales. This helps them compare numbers across sales channels and centralize their data under one roof.
» MORE: How to accept payments online
For businesses that do most of their sales at pop-up events or farmers markets, or otherwise operate across multiple locations, mobile card readers may be the best solution to accept credit card payments. POS system providers and payment processing companies often sell their own portable credit card readers that you can pair with a free mobile app on your smartphone.There are also payment apps that let you accept contactless payments with just your phone.
The costs associated with accepting credit card payments extend beyond processing fees alone. Here’s a rundown of each related expense.
Credit card processing fees
Every time a customer pays with a credit card, your business will pay a transaction fee. This fee is a combination of interchange fees (set by issuing banks), assessment fees (set by card networks) and the markup tacked on by payment processors. In general, you'll pay more for online transactions than for in-person transactions due to the former’s higher risk of fraud. The type of card used by the customer also impacts transaction rates. For example, some card networks, like American Express, can be more expensive to accept than others, like Visa.
Costs fluctuate by credit card processing fee structure, too. The two major ones are flat-rate and interchange-plus.
- Flat-rate: These fees are made up of a percentage of the transaction total plus a fixed amount (e.g., 2.9% plus 15 cents). They’re simple to understand because they’re relatively consistent — there’s usually one set rate for in-person payments, one for manually keyed payments and one for online transactions.
- Interchange-plus: These pricing structures include an interchange rate, which varies by credit card network, plus a set markup. The fees are transparent, in that you can see exactly how much is going to the credit card network vs. the payment processor. But the structure can also make it challenging to predict your payment processing costs, since interchange rates vary by card type. That being said, your business saves when customers pay with cards that have lower interchange rates.
The cheapest credit card processing companies for one business won’t necessarily be the same as for the next. It depends on your business’s monthly sales volume, the type of credit cards customers use and whether you accept more online or in-person credit card transactions. Make sure you understand the fee structure and all other associated costs, such as PCI compliance, setup or early termination fees.
Estimate your credit card processing fees
NerdWallet’s calculator can help you estimate how much you’ll pay in processing fees with one company vs. another based on your monthly sales volume.
Monthly POS software fees
In terms of software, you can expect to pay more per month (e.g., $69-$199 and higher) if you need industry-specific features, like recipe costing, or other advanced capabilities. However, there are also free POS systems with basic feature sets that typically include reporting, invoicing and simple staff management tools. If a free software plan isn’t sufficient, you might be able to save by paying subscription costs annually. Some systems offer promotions for doing that as opposed to paying monthly, though you should make sure you like the system enough before committing to it for a year.
POS hardware costs
If you need hardware, you’ll probably have to pay for it upfront, although some companies have flexible payment options that don’t require any money down. Typical prices for credit card readers range from free for a basic reader that connects to a phone or tablet, to upward of $700 for a full POS system.
Once a card transaction is complete, the funds go to a merchant account. In most cases, the money then transfers to the business's bank account in one to two business days.
You might need to open your own merchant account. However, you can also opt to go with the account provided by your payment processing company.
All-in-one payment processors, also referred to as payment service providers, aggregate or group funds from multiple companies that use their services into one merchant account. The funds are then transferred into each individual company’s bank account.
The end result is the same, but there are a few distinctions to consider:
- If you need to start accepting payments quickly: Because payment service providers take care of the merchant account requirement, they’re simple to use, can be set up quickly and are generally cost-effective for smaller businesses. However, they are more prone to disruptions like holds or terminations.
- If you’re a high-volume business: Since opening a merchant account requires an application and review process, the process is often more cost-effective for businesses with high-volume monthly sales.
- If you own a high-risk business: High-risk businesses — like ones with high rates of fraud or chargebacks, or those selling federally regulated items — generally open merchant accounts. The terms and conditions of many payment service providers prevent these businesses from becoming customers. See NerdWallet’s explainer on high-risk merchant accounts for more information.
Our Nerdy Picks
Square: Best for all-in-one payment processing and POS system
Payment processing fees:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Why we like it: Square is a well-known payment service provider that includes card processing with its POS system and proprietary hardware. Square doesn't require a long-term contract or charge setup fees or chargeback fees. It has free and paid versions of its POS systems specific to restaurant and retail businesses.
Stripe: Best for online payments
Payment processing fees:
- 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 4.4% plus 30 cents for international card transactions.
Why we like it: Stripe focuses on online payments with an emphasis on customizability, though it supports in-person payments, too. Its platform allows you to accept card payments without a merchant account. Stripe doesn't charge monthly fees, but you will pay $15 per chargeback.
Helcim: Best for interchange-plus pricing
Payment processing fees:
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.
Why we like it: If you want to accept card payment but don’t need many additional services, check out Helcim. The company supports in-person and online payments, doesn’t require a contract and doesn’t charge a monthly fee. Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing and offers fee discounts when a business has over $50,000 in monthly credit card volume. Its pricing structure works best for businesses with high sales volumes.
Chase Payment Solutions: Best for partnering with a bank
Payment processing fees:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 25 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for keyed transactions.
Why we like it: If you want to use one company for multiple services, consider Chase for your payment processing and your business checking. You can get your money as soon as the same day and its pricing is competitive.
Randa Kriss, a NerdWallet small-business writer, contributed to this article.
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
