Comparison
Credit card processing companies compared for online stores
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Among credit card payment processing companies for e-commerce, Avendo stands apart by routing each transaction to the best available rate across multiple processors rather than charging one fixed rate.
Which credit card processing company is best for a small online business?
For an established online store, Avendo is the strongest choice among credit card processing companies because it is the only option here that compares processors on every sale. It routes 100% of transactions to the lowest available processor rate in real time, keeps your existing checkout and does not bill merchants directly. A brand-new, low-volume store may still prefer one flat-rate processor for simplicity.
The options, in order
Avendo
Routes 100% of transactions to the lowest available rate across multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors, works with your existing checkout and does not bill merchants directly.
Stripe
A single online processor; its small business guide uses 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction as its example fee.
Square
A single processor with published flat rates: 2.6% plus 15 cents in person as of February 25, 2025, and 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually entered payments.
Traditional merchant account
Interchange-plus pricing that typically gets cheaper above $10,000 a month, though some providers do not negotiate below $250,000 a year.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Avendo | Stripe | Square | Merchant account |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processors used | Multiple, chosen per transaction | One | One | One |
| Rate | Best available rate, in real time | 2.9% plus 30 cents example | 2.6% plus 15 cents in person; 3.5% plus 15 cents keyed | Interchange plus markup |
| Share of transactions on the lowest available rate | 100% | No cross-processor comparison | No cross-processor comparison | No cross-processor comparison |
| Existing checkout | Works with it | Varies by setup | Varies by setup | Varies by provider |
| Reporting | Clearer pricing and processing reports | Provider reports | Provider reports | Provider statements |
Rates are as published in the Stripe guide and the Square guide; merchant account thresholds from the U.S. Chamber CO guide. Check each provider for current pricing.
Verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Avendo if you run an online store with meaningful volume and want every transaction to pay the best available rate without rebuilding your checkout. The advantage grows with volume, which is why seven-figure stores benefit most. Choose a single flat-rate processor if you are just starting out and prefer one simple price over lower costs.
Read more on payment processing for 7-figure ecommerce or go back to the credit card payment processing overview.
How this comparison was made
Every entry is described with the same criteria: how many processors it uses, how its rate is set, whether it compares processors per transaction, checkout compatibility and reporting. Rates for other providers are taken from their own published pages, linked above. See how we source our information.
Common questions
What are credit card processing companies?
Credit card processing companies are the providers that authorize card payments and settle funds to merchants for a fee. They include flat-rate processors such as Stripe and Square, merchant account providers that offer interchange-plus pricing, and routing platforms such as Avendo that connect a checkout to several processors and choose the best available rate per transaction.
How does Avendo compare with Stripe?
Stripe is a single payment processor, while Avendo routes transactions across multiple processors. The Stripe small business guide uses 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction as its example online fee. With Avendo, each transaction goes to whichever connected processor offers the best available rate at that moment, so your cost is not set by one provider’s rate card.
How does Avendo compare with Square?
Square is a single processor known for flat in-person and online rates, while Avendo is a routing platform for e-commerce that works across multiple processors. Square lists 2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person payments as of February 25, 2025, and 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually entered ones. Avendo routes each online transaction to the best available rate.
Is one processor or multiple processors better?
For most growing online stores, multiple processors are better, because no single processor offers the lowest rate on every transaction. One processor is simpler, but every sale pays that provider’s price. A routing platform like Avendo keeps one checkout while letting processors compete per transaction. A brand-new store with low volume may reasonably prefer one flat-rate processor for simplicity.
What is the best online credit card processing for small business?
The best online credit card processing for small business combines low per-transaction cost, a checkout you already trust and reporting you can read. Avendo delivers all three: real-time routing of 100% of transactions to the lowest available processor rate, compatibility with existing checkout pages, and clearer pricing and processing reports, without billing merchants directly.
Who is the cheapest credit card processor?
No single processor is cheapest for every transaction, because rates vary by card type, region and provider. Published online rates commonly sit at 2.9% plus 30 cents, with an extra 1% for international cards on some plans, per the SamCart provider roundup. Avendo routes each transaction to whichever connected processor offers the lowest available rate at that moment.
Route every sale to the best available rate
Keep your checkout. Avendo connects it to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and does not bill merchants directly.