The best merchant account service lets you receive credit and debit card payments both online and in person from your clients. Additionally, you also get extra payment processing tools like virtual terminals, point-of-sale (POS) systems, payment gateways and card-reading devices. Merchant accounts can also be categorized into four segments, including local, offshore, direct and high risk. Our top 10 picks will help you to identify the best merchant services for your payment transactions.
Last Updated July 2022
Helcim
Payment Cloud
ProMerchant
FiveStars
Stax
Leaders
Merchant One
Flagship
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Helcim is one of the best credit card processors for small businesses that process more than $5000 monthly because it has a one flat price and a monthly contract which you can leave anytime without paying a termination fee. Helcim gives a rate lock guarantee, which cannot increase the pricing. It has competitive rates and is cheaper than most credit card processors because it uses the interchange plus charging model for credit card transactions.
Their rates are cheaper than their competitors. With Helcim, you will access features such as point-of-sale software, QR code payments, and a hosted online store. Other features available are a virtual terminal, recurring payments and invoicing. It can integrate with other software such as Quickbooks online and desktop and shopping carts such as Magento. All these features do not come at an extra cost.
Payment Cloud is the best merchant service for small startups. The merchant service also suits business models that operate in a high-risk industries such as the transport market, e-commerce, and diet programs. Payment Cloud boasts an excellent 98% approval rating zero cost comparison, as well as a quick gateway and account setup. The service also gives NFC, EMV, Swipe and contactless transactions – best for most merchants.
Payment Clouds has flexible policies that often appeal to merchants. For instance, you get zero cancellation fees, zero setup fees, and next-day payments. Furthermore, you can also get excellent same-day setup as well as 24/7 live technical customer support.
The merchant service is also popular, thanks to its impressive integration with a wide array of business apps, like Shopify, WordPress Woo, BigCommerce and more.
ProMerchant is the right choice for small businesses who operate in high-risk industries. The merchant service provides monthly contracts and zero gateway setups and cancellations. Noteworthy, ProMerchant also ships with a free EMV terminal at sign up.
Business owners get the freedom of selecting either the interchange-plus charge transaction fee or the interchange-plus fixed percentage rates. These options allow you (the merchant) to make an educated decision on the type of plan that suits your revenue stream. Moreover, you can always tweak your requirements, thanks to ProMerchant’s monthly contracts.
ProMerchant provides same-day approvals and processes payments within 72 hours of request. The merchant service also offers similar rate structures to American Express that you can use on Visa and MasterCard – a big plus.
Fivestars is another excellent merchant service for processing credit cards. The service specializes in giving brick and mortar businesses leverage payments. Subsequently, this encourages taking part in loyalty programs and to create the infrastructure for running motivated target marketing.
According to Fivestars, they are prepared to give you any workable rate and can integrate with your existing POS system with zero hidden charges. As such, if you run small physical business models like spa, food courts, salon, and retail shops, we recommend Fivestars.
If you’re a small business that transacts heavily, then Stax is a good start. Stax sells monthly contracts and has zero transaction fees.
You can also view built-in analytics, API and get support for e-commerce payments, all thanks to its digital dashboard called Stax Pay. The service also sports one of the best 24/7 customer support. The best part, you can terminate your contract early without incurring any cancellation fee.
Leaders is an excellent merchant service choice if you enjoy low rates. The card processing service is part of Paysafe Group and has operated for 20 plus years. Leaders is popular among several businesses, thanks to its low rates. Moreover, Leaders has an impressive approval rating of 98% - an encouraging aspect to consider when choosing a merchant service.
Leaders also sells a policy that can boost your confidence in them. It states that if its package can’t save you money within 6 months of your contract, you’ll get a $500 compensation fee. Best part, Leaders works well with Clover POS system as well as QuickBooks. You also get unbeatable 24/7 customer support and a vast knowledge-based system with useful information to help you troubleshoot any problem. What’s more, Leaders offers extra value-added services like cash advances, gift cards, loyalty programs, and POS systems.
MerchantOne offers everything from an entire POS system to a card swiper for your mobile devices. They customize their packages to fit your business needs. They accommodate all sorts of businesses, including large enterprises and small organizations. Their monthly fee is $ 6.95, and it gives you access to 24/7 customer support services. However, their prices vary depending on the type of business. They don’t believe in leases, so you won’t be signing any contracts. They can set you up with a merchant account within 24 hours. They accept Visa, American Express, Discover, and Mastercard. They have plenty of credit card machines and hardware to choose from. They use advanced technology to make transactions easy.
Flagship is your best bet if you’re a small business owner. Flagship merchant service best identifies with the multiple options it offers its users. Furthermore, it’s been voted as leading merchant service for 8 years now. This is because Flagship is the best solution for a wide pool of businesses, including mobile, online, MOTO, in-store and more. You also get multiple payment options like EMV, NFC, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and more. As such you can rely on Flagship to process your credit and debit card payments as well. The best part, Flagship doesn’t have commitment contracts and no cancellation fees.
What’s more, Flagship lets you select your preferred free hardware from Clover Mini POS system. Alternatively, you’re also free to choose from the EMV certified terminal when signing up. Additionally, Flagship gives a robust business management portal where you can monitor your transactions online. There’s also an offer of funding at sign up as well as cash advances nearing $150,000. Top of the list is the processing rate cover. This means that you receive a $200 AmEx gift card compensation if the service can’t offer the cheapest processing costs.
Helcim
Payment Cloud
ProMerchant
FiveStars
Stax
Leaders
Merchant One
Flagship
OUR RATINGS
Our Research Has Helped Millions of Users To Get Lowest Prices From Leading Providers.
Compare the best brands side by side
Work only with suppliers you choose
Compare quotes to save money