9 Best Ecommerce Payment Gateways & How They Work 2025

Some users report problems with the company’s complex fee structure, resulting in unwarranted fund holds and account closures. In addition to its two offerings for restaurants, Clover’s POS products are designed for personal and professional services and for specialty retailers such as bookstores, boutiques and jewelry stores. For an additional fee of 1.75%, businesses can receive their payments within minutes of the sale.

Chase Payment Solutions℠

There is a growing number of complaints that customers cannot use Visa or Mastercard to pay at checkout and get redirected to PayPal. Square is the most popular in our list, with merchants giving the software a score of 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from about 150 reviews, and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra from about 2,300 reviews. Users love the easy-to-use and reliable software while some complain of frozen funds and poor customer support. If you’d like to learn more about how to save money for your business, check out our article profiling the cheapest credit card processing companies. Every Helcim account includes a free virtual terminal, free access to Helcim’s proprietary payment gateway, a free online store builder, and free in-person POS software. Some PayPal users report frequent crashes of the system, poor inventory management and problems when using the service’s mobile app, while others are dissatisfied with the company’s support staff.

The more options you can give your customers to pay you with, the more likely they are to make a purchase. There are two ways to add a payment gateway to your credit card processing system. The most common – and easiest – method is to use an integrated approach, where your merchant account and payment gateway are both provided by your merchant services provider.

Emerging Technologies in Payment Processing

Handling customers’ sensitive payment information, like credit card numbers, can be nerve-wracking. If you’re using a payment gateway for the first time, you might be worried about mastering the technology. Our research team developed a list of core functions we’d want to see in any payment gateway, as well as some add-ons that aren’t a must but “nice to have.” Stripe checked all the boxes. We also like Stripe’s cost optimization tools, which give business owners detailed insights into transaction costs, so they can figure out how to optimize them. We also think the global payments support makes Stripe a value-add for any business that’s looking to expand into other markets. The best payment gateways also enhance convenience for business owners, for example, with user-friendly reporting dashboards, invoicing tools and a point-of-sale (POS) integration.

International payment options

However, if you’re running a small business or a solopreneur venture, solutions like PayPal or Square might be more practical due to their simplicity and ease of use. Each of these payment gateway in ecommerce solutions has its own advantages and is best suited for specific business models. Your payment gateway in ecommerce must integrate flawlessly with your store’s backend. Whether you’re using Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, or a custom-built website, the integration process should be straightforward. Founded in 2007, Braintree is a global payment provider, especially for eCommerce businesses and retailers. Currently, Braintree serves around 230,000 customers in over 45 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Australia, and more.

For businesses selling globally, Adyen’s localized payment options are particularly beneficial, allowing customers to pay using region-specific methods. If security is a top priority, Authorize.net offers some of the most robust fraud protection tools, making it ideal for businesses dealing with high-risk transactions. However, PayPal’s transaction fees are slightly higher than those of some competitors, which can become costly for high-volume merchants. Additionally, account freezes and withdrawal delays can occur if transactions are flagged for review, making cash flow unpredictable.

  • By default, merchant and payment service providers charge monthly and transaction fees.
  • This means that using PayPal as a gateway allows users to benefit from a secure, trusted system that is already a major player in the payment marketplace.
  • Square, on the other hand, would suit a small business that sells online, in-store, on the go, and maybe in pop-up shops from time to time during events.
  • This guide evaluates 6 of the best options by features, pros, cons, and pricing.
  • Merchant One is focused strictly on its function as a payment gateway service.
  • We called Paysafe customer support during the business hours posted and were able to connect to a person after completing a series of automated prompts.
  • This conflict of interest affects our ability to provide you with unbiased, objective information about the services of Atomic Invest.

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  • This digital pivot enhances customer experience and opens up new avenues for revenue generation.
  • The best payment gateways offer a wide range of standard features, extensive customization options, and strong transaction security at an affordable price.
  • Online payments offer numerous advantages and hold significant importance for both eCommerce platforms and physical stores.
  • The ecommerce payment gateway supports over 40 currencies, making it ideal for businesses that accept payments in multiple currencies.
  • Luckily, there is also the option to connect through messenger or live chat.
  • Any time financial transactions are involved, reliable customer service is paramount.
  • However, you can expect to have to pay them if you integrate a third-party gateway into your account instead of using the one offered by your merchant services provider.

If you aren’t an expert with technology, the thought of configuring and managing a payment gateway may be intimidating. In this case, we recommend selecting a provider with strong customer support, like Merchant One. The provider’s customer service information is easy to find online, and you can reach them over the phone or by email.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, small businesses are increasingly relying on seamless payment gateways to facilitate transactions efficiently. With the surge in e-commerce and online transactions, selecting the right payment gateway has become crucial for small businesses to thrive. Whether you’re running an online store, offering services, or managing subscriptions, having a reliable payment gateway is paramount. In this guide, we’ll explore the five best payment gateways tailored to meet the needs of small businesses in 2024. Stripe is another multifaceted business solution that boasts payment gateway and payment processing solutions.

Alternatively, you can use the funds to pay business expenses or transfer them to your bank account. For this, you’ll need a payment gateway to collect customer’s payment details. Each ecommerce payment gateway has its own strengths and weaknesses, so assessing your priorities will help determine the best fit. Online payments offer numerous advantages and hold significant importance for both eCommerce platforms 6 best payment gateways for small businesses and physical stores. Choosing the right online payment provider depends on various factors outlined below.

Once it receives authorization from the payment processor, the payment gateway sends confirmation back to the ecommerce platform, allowing the transaction to be completed. Stripe sets itself apart with its advanced product suite tailored not just for online retailers, but also for subscription businesses and marketplaces. Most of Stripe’s unique features are primarily geared toward online sales, but you can accept in-person payments using the Stripe Terminal point of sale (POS) system. As for businesses at the other end of the value spectrum, higher transaction fees would be fine if they came with zero monthly fees.

For example, you can send shareable payment links through text message or email so customers can quickly click and pay when they’re ready. Social media apps, website platforms, or gateways will all charge their own fees to enable digital wallets. There are additional fees applicable for cross-border transactions, chargebacks, and other types of charges. For small businesses, ensuring payment security is crucial to building customer trust.

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