25 Best Merchant Account Services for Ecommerce in 2026

Payouts is a financial technology platform designed for businesses to automate and manage vendor payouts, particularly in industries such as affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and gaming. 

Why I picked Payouts: It offers a global accounts feature that allows your business to hold and manage funds in multiple currencies, making international transactions simpler and reducing the costs associated with currency conversions. Another benefit is Payouts.com's payout automation. This feature automates the process of sending payments to vendors and partners, reducing manual work and the chance of errors.

Payouts Standout Features and Integrations

Features include a vendor relationship suite that streamlines onboarding, verification, and compliance through a unified platform. The site also emphasizes flexible payout methods, supporting various payment methods such as eWallets, bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies.

Integrations include Everflow, CJ Affiliate, Awin, PayPal, Venmo, Payoneer, NetSuite, Priority, Workday, Skrill, and Tune.

Stax Pay is a valuable payment processing platform designed to support businesses and SaaS platforms with cost-effective payment solutions. It features automated subscription billing to help manage recurring payments and reduce late or failed transactions. Additionally, Stax Pay supports compliant surcharging, allowing businesses to pass on credit card processing fees to customers while adhering to industry standards.

Why I chose Stax Pay: Stax Pay is an all-in-one platform that not only simplifies payment processing but also provides a range of capabilities such as surcharging, equipment, lending, mobile payments, and e-commerce solutions. This breadth of services, combined with a commitment to transparency and customer support, positions Stax Pay as a versatile and reliable partner for businesses seeking merchant account services.

Stax Pay also offers up to 40% savings on payment processing fees to assist businesses in managing their transactions efficiently.

Stax Pay Standout Features and Integrations

Features include payment processing, invoicing, inventory management, recurring billing, customer management, financial reporting, multi-location support, and customizable digital receipts. The platform also provides advanced security features, integration capabilities with various business tools, and real-time transaction monitoring.

Integrations include Slack, Zapier, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and CRMs. Additionally, Stax Pay allows for easy integration of payment processing capabilities into software and mobile apps with comprehensive mobile software development kits in Javascript and Python, and a language-agnostic RESTful API.

Payment Depot is a highly-rated merchant account provider, owned by Stax. Its membership-style offering helps customers save on fees, but its credit card processing capabilities are where I think the company really shines.

Why I picked Payment Depot: If you’re a B2B business that processes a lot of credit card payments, I think you’ll love Payment Depot’s offering. It uses a payment gateway called PayTrace, which automatically fills data fields required to get level II and level III rates on business cards. Combine this with Payment Depot’s flat membership fee, and it’s a solid offering. As long as you don’t want a load of cutting-edge features, I think you’ll find Payment Depot hard to beat.

Payment Depot Standout Features and Integrations

Features aren’t quite as bountiful with Payment Depot as other providers in this list, if I’m honest. What you see is what you get. One feature I think brick-and-mortar merchants might love, however, is the wide range of POS equipment, courtesy of Clover, that Payment Depot provides.

Integrations include most major e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Magento, as well as Quickbooks, Revel, NCR, and Authorize.net.

Swipesum is a payment processing service that combines consulting with a wide range of back-end payment solutions, making it a flexible option for businesses of all sizes. Acting as an advisor, Swipesum provides tailored payment solutions by assessing a business's needs and matching them with the best options available, all without locking users into a single provider.

Why I picked Swipesum: Swipesum’s merchant account services stand out for businesses seeking versatility and optimization in their payment processing. It operates independently of specific processors, offering companies the flexibility to connect with the best-suited payment solutions for their needs—all from Swipesum's platform. Beyond simply processing transactions, Swipesum audits merchant statements and manages rate negotiation, helping businesses lower transaction fees over time.

Swipesum Standout Features and Integrations

Features include a powerful AI-based feature that scans and audits transaction statements, detecting and addressing hidden fees and potential savings. Additionally, their service includes chargeback management, helping reduce fraud-related costs by tackling disputes early. Finally, Swipesum’s dedicated account management provides direct, accessible support.

Integrations include Shopify, NetSuite, Stripe, Square, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, QuickBooks, Sage, Oracle, Salesforce, and Zoho. 

CardX by Stax is a payment processing tool that allows businesses to accept credit card payments at 0% cost, ensuring compliance with surcharging regulations. It offers online, in-office, and in-person payment processing solutions, enabling businesses to keep 100% of their credit card sales while automatically adhering to all rules and regulations.

Why I picked CardX by Stax: CardX by Stax stands out for its seamless surcharging compliance and automated compliance, making it easy for businesses to accept credit cards at 0% cost. This makes it the best choice for businesses looking for a payment processing solution that is fully compliant and allows them to keep all of their sales revenue.

Additionally, CardX by Stax provides secure payment options for online, in-office, and in-person transactions, and ensure compliance with all rules and regulations. Their automated compliance and cost-saving features make them a leader in surcharge compliance for businesses and government and educational institutions.

CardX by Stax Standout Features and Integrations

Features include transparent pricing, no hidden fees, compliance with surcharging regulations, easy integration, enhanced convenience, efficiency for businesses, customer support, real-time reporting, secure transactions, and fraud prevention tools.

Integrations include Stax Pay, Stax Connect, Stax Bill, Stax Processing, and Click to Pay.

Helcim is a suite of payment solutions that help businesses take payments online and in-store. They offer many of the same features as other merchant account services on this list, but what sets Helcim apart is their pricing. There are no monthly fees and you get the lowest interchange rate for every transaction.

Why I picked Helcim: I think the company offers exceptional value for money, plain and simple. Helcim uses an “interchange plus” pricing model, which means the cost for each transaction fluctuates based on the underlying interchange rate. So when payments are processed at a lower interchange rate, your business gets the savings, not Helcim. I also think businesses will appreciate the fact that the company decreases its margin the more payments you process with them.

Helcim’s pricing structure also means you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription to access the platform. I like that point-of-sale software, online checkouts, and virtual terminals are all available for free.

Helcim Standout Features and Integrations

Features like an online checkout, card reader, and virtual terminal are just a small part of Helcim’s appeal in my view. I think what really sets the company apart from other businesses in my list is its pricing, as discussed above, and its customer service—who you can contact by phone, email, or social media.

Integrations let you connect Helcim with a range of third-party tools. These are split into three groups: accounting services (like QuickBooks), shopping carts (like Magento), and billing systems (like Great Exposure).

Merchant One is a full-service credit card processing provider with a focus on custom solutions. The company provides a range of payment solutions, but every package is tailored to merchants.

Why I picked Merchant One: I think the company’s flexibility is unrivaled. You don’t need to buy specific hardware to use Merchant One’s payment gateway service, for instance. That’s because the company provides a range of advanced API and SDK-based features that allow you to deploy Merchant One’s software on your existing terminals. I like that you aren’t left to figure this out on your own, either. The company provides integration examples, an integration guide, and API documentation.

Merchant One Standout Features and Integrations

Features include the merchant gateway service I have described above for card not present and online transactions. I think merchants will also appreciate that Merchant One provides several credit card terminals, as well as a range of Clover products, all pre-loaded with its software. iPhone and Android card readers are also available.

Integrations are possible through Merchant One’s API, meaning you can connect the company’s software to any existing POS hardware.

EBizCharge is a merchant account service that helps B2B businesses accept credit card and eCheck payments across multiple sales channels—online, in person, over the phone, and on mobile. It integrates directly into ERP, CRM, accounting, and ecommerce platforms to manage payments where you're already working.

Why I picked EBizCharge: I picked EBizCharge because it gives you full control over your merchant account services without needing extra tools. You have the flexibility to collect payments through email links, virtual terminals, hosted checkouts, or in person using EMV machines. It also supports saved cards, recurring billing, and auto payments, which help reduce manual work. Invoices and payments sync automatically into your accounting system, cutting down on errors. 

EBizCharge Standout Features and Integrations

Features include a customer portal where clients can log in to view and pay open invoices at their convenience. The reporting tools let you sort, filter, and export payment data based on over 50 criteria, giving you visibility into everything from late payments to processing trends. For security, the platform uses tokenization, encryption, and customizable fraud modules.

Integrations include Acumatica, QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Magento, BigCommerce, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, WooCommerce, Volusion, and Shopify.

Stripe is a global payments platform that provides software and APIs to help businesses take payments. Like Stax, it offers a range of additional features such as invoicing terminal solutions, but it's particularly geared towards online businesses.

Why I picked Stripe: Speed and simplicity. That’s the two words that come to mind when I think of Stripe Checkout. It’s probably the easiest tool in my list to use to create a hosted checkout page, integrate it with your website platform, and start taking payments. I love that you don’t need to know how to code to get started, either. But if you are more technically minded, then you can use Stripe Elements to design your own payment flow. It’s basically got something for everyone.

It’s pretty common for online businesses to serve a global audience, which is another reason to choose Stripe. The platform supports over 135 currencies, as well as localized options like Alipay.

Stripe Standout Features and Integrations

Features that I think set Stripe apart from other tools in my list include its suite of pre-built payment products. This includes a checkout page, recurring billing functionality, and payment links, as well as payment processing. If you’re a developer, then you’ll love that Stripe makes it easy to build your own payment tools with access to APIs and low-code solutions.

Integrations are available with dozens of business tools, including e-commerce platforms like BigCommerce, bookkeeping software like Bench Accounting, and data platforms like Databox.

Fiserv is a merchant account and payments services provider for retailers and omnichannel brands.

It unifies in-store, online, and mobile acceptance—via Carat for enterprises and Clover for SMBs—so finance and ops teams can reconcile faster, reduce risk, and scale without re-platforming.

Why I picked Fiserv:

Coverage across channels is the headline: Clover gives smaller operators an all-in-one POS with invoicing, inventory, and hardware options, while Carat standardizes omnichannel acceptance and tokenization for large brands.

The company’s ISV Partner Program and 400-plus app catalog make it practical to embed payments inside your existing tools instead of forcing a rip-and-replace.

Add real-time rails, fraud tooling, and portfolio management, and you get a processor that can grow from single-store to multi-market without a dead end.

Standout features and integrations

Features include business management tools that offer a comprehensive dashboard with integrations to over 400 applications, helping you streamline operations. The growth tools, such as gift card and loyalty programs, are designed to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. Additionally, the Carat global commerce platform is tailored for large businesses, unifying transactions and improving customer experiences.

Integrations include Adyen Payment Gateway, Alipay Payment Gateway, Allpago (PPRO) Gateway, Amazon Pay, ANB Payment Gateway, Authorize.net Gateway, BlueSnap Gateway, Braintree Gateway, CardConnect Gateway, Chase Orbital Payment Gateway, Checkout.com Payment Gateway, and Citi Payment Gateway.

PayPal is probably the best-known online payment platform. It gives businesses the ability to take payments online and in person and offers built-in integrations for almost every e-commerce platform and CMS.

Why I picked PayPal: You’ve probably already used PayPal to buy something online or send money to a friend. Using it for your business isn’t very different, which is why I think it’s perfect for the non-technical founder. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that customers expect to see a PayPal option at checkout, either.

I like the fact that PayPal also has native integrations with every major e-commerce platform, including Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. You can even use its POS offering, Zettle, to accept payments in person.

PayPal Standout Features and Integrations

Features include the full range of payment solutions — the minimum I’d expect from a big brand like PayPal. Functionality-wise, it doesn’t disappoint, however. You can add PayPal to your existing store or create a new checkout page with the platform. In-store payments are available through Zettle card readers, and reporting dashboards make it easy to keep track of everything.

Integrations come as standard for most major e-commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. PayPal also integrates with bookkeeping tools like Xero and marketing tools like Keap.

Chase Payment Solutions is the merchant account service of Chase, the country’s biggest bank. It offers a suite of payment solutions, including some of the fastest funding rates in the business.

Why I picked Chase Payment Solutions: In my opinion, one of the biggest problems with the payment processing industry is having to wait several days or even a week to access the money you're owed. I know this delay can significantly hinder your cash flow, especially if you have to juggle rent payments, payroll, and paying your suppliers.

That’s why I recommend Chase Payment Solutions if you’re looking to improve your cash flow. One of the biggest benefits of using the country’s biggest bank to take payments is that they let you access funds the same day without additional fees. The only hitch is you'll need to open a Chase business checking account.

Chase Payment Solutions Standout Features and Integrations

Features like the ability to get same-day payments (if you have a Chase business account) and exceptional payment security are to be expected from the country’s biggest bank, if you ask me. But I like how Chase Payment Solutions also offers a terminal for in-person payments and a customer intelligence platform to help you make better decisions.

Integrations include the major players that you'd expect, such as accounting platform FreshBooks and e-commerce platforms BigCommerce and Shopify

Paysafe is a merchant account and payments platform that consolidates card, wallet, cash online, and cryptocurrency acceptance for ecommerce, retail, and iGaming teams.

It spans online, in-app, and back-office flows—plus local methods in 100+ markets—so finance and ops can reconcile faster, reduce declines, and sell globally with fewer gaps.

Why I picked Paysafe:

This fit is about breadth plus control: PCI Level 1 security, advanced fraud detection, and recurring billing tools give operators confidence, while multi-currency accounts and local payment methods expand reach without stitching together multiple providers.

It’s also a pragmatic choice for software-led businesses thanks to ISV and developer tooling, pay-by-bank options, and affiliate solutions that can open incremental revenue. If you need deep retail POS, consider pairing with your preferred POS stack; Paysafe’s strength is payments coverage and risk controls rather than store operations.

Standout features and integrations:

Features include card processing, digital wallets, cash online, crypto acceptance, pay by bank, subscriptions and recurring billing, local payment methods with multi-currency accounts, payment acceptance optimization, affiliate solutions, and ISV/platform tooling.

Integrations include Magento, WooCommerce, OpenCart, osCommerce, WHMCS, CS-Cart, Drupal Ubercart, Hikashop, JoomShopping, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Skrill, and PaysafeCash.

PaymentCloud provides a full range of payment processing solutions, but it excels at offering specialist services to high-risk businesses. The company’s high-risk merchant services account is available to almost every business, with a 98% approval rate.

Why I picked PaymentCloud: High-risk retailers need specialist merchant account services —and I think PaumentCloud is probably the best choice in this regard. That’s because the company accepts a range of businesses other providers wouldn’t touch, like adult brands, CBD stores, gun shops, and credit repair companies.

I think merchants will also appreciate that PaymentCloud customizes their payment gateway to guard against the biggest problems facing their industry. They also offer fraud prevention and chargeback monitoring services.

PaymentCloud Standout Features and Integrations

Features that I think high-risk businesses will care about include card-not-present transactions, recurring billing options, chargeback disputes, and fraud prevention services. Another cool feature is that PaymentCloud also lets customers connect their inventory systems and provides in-person terminals—the first of which is free.

Integrations are available for most major software companies. You can connect PaymentCloud to e-commerce platforms like Shopify, CRMs like HubSpot, and CMSs like WordPress.

Skyflow delivers data privacy vaults, like the kind pioneered by Apple and Netflix, to merchants through an API. It’s straightforward for developers to integrate the platform into your online checkout and your store will become PCI-compliant almost immediately.

Why I picked Skyflow: Few merchant accounts take data privacy as seriously as Skyflow from what I’ve seen. While you’ll still need to use a payment provider like Stripe, Skyflow ensures all payments are processed in a secure and PCI-compliant manner. I like that Skyflow is easy to integrate into your checkout process, too. The main functionality is delivered by API, but there are client-side SDKs for iOS, Android, and JavaScript, too.

Skyflow Standout Features and Integrations

Features that I think set Skyflow apart from others center on privacy. The Skyflow Fintech Vault connects to your online store via an API and removes any sensitive payment data from your environment. Everything is offloaded to Skyflow, meaning you become almost instantly PCI compliant. But it doesn’t stop there. I also like that Polymorphic Encryption means data is encrypted at rest and in transit, while the company’s Advanced Data Governance Engine ensures PCI requirements are met. Skyflow also takes a zero-trust approach to data privacy, meaning every access request is never trusted and always verified.

Integrations include a number of pre-built solutions for payment processors, including Stripe, Visa, Experian, Plaid, and Alloy. You can even use the platform to build your own integrations.

Payline Data offers merchant account services that enable businesses to accept various forms of payments, including credit and debit cards, both online and in person. Their solutions cater to diverse business needs, providing tools for seamless payment processing. 

Why I picked Payline Data: I like that Payline Data offers support for high-risk merchants. Unlike many providers, they offer tailored solutions for industries that typically face challenges in securing merchant accounts. This inclusivity ensures that businesses in sectors like travel and credit repair can process payments efficiently.

Payline Data Standout Features and Integrations

Features include advanced fraud protection measures. By partnering with services like Verifi's Cardholder Dispute Resolution Network, they help safeguard your transactions against fraudulent activities and chargebacks. Other features include ACH processing, allowing you to accept direct bank transfers, and a virtual terminal that enables you to process payments from any internet-connected device, facilitating remote transactions. 

Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Authorize.net, NMI, CardPointe, and QuickBooks.

Dharma Merchant Services offers a comprehensive merchant services account, with low rates and good customer service. But it’s their approach to surcharging that sets them apart from competitors and makes them an ideal choice for businesses like restaurants that handle a large amount of credit card payments.

Why I picked Dharma Merchant Services: I love that the company offers a surcharge service, which lets you pass on all of a credit card’s processing fees to the customer — something few other providers in this list do. I think it’s one of the easiest ways a company can reduce costs and improve revenue—as long as your customers are happy to pay it. What’s more, the company also offers “interchange plus” pricing, with flat, fixed margins and no monthly fee.

Dharma Merchant Services Standout Features and Integrations

Features are what you’d expect from a decent all-round provider. I like that the company offers multiple payment solutions that incorporate its surcharge capabilities, including a virtual terminal, mobile payment processing software, and online payment links. I’m also a fan of the reporting dashboard that offers a range of pre-built reports and means retailers can start understanding their businesses from day one.

Integrations include most POS hardware systems and MX Merchant.

Flagship Merchant Services isn’t flashy and doesn’t have the best website, in my opinion. But it has the best approach to customer service, and all of the services most small and medium-sized businesses will ever need.

Why I picked Flagship Merchant Services: The company’s commitment to customer service puts it above a lot of other options on this list. If it’s your first time buying a merchant account, Flagship Merchant Services can guide you through the process. Unlike most of the other merchants on this list, you can call them up and speak to a sales rep. You also qualify for free equipment when you open an account and the company promises the best processing rates guaranteed—two great selling points for cash-strapped startups.

Flagship Merchant Services Standout Features and Integrations

Features include everything a first-time retailer needs to start accepting payments, in my view. This includes a free Clover Mini Point-of-Sale or EMV Certified Terminal, e-commerce credit card processing, and fraud prevention services. I like the fact that the offering can scale with you. For example, once you’ve found your feet as a retailer, Flagship Merchant Services also offers API access, so you can customize your checkout flow.

Integrations focus on Clover’s payment processing offering. Flagship’s ecommerce offering Quiq, has API access you can use to integrate with other software solutions.

Stax is a payment technology that offers just about every payment and financial-related service a small or medium-sized business could need. Use Stax to accept payments in a variety of forms, create and send invoices, manage recurring payments, and protect your business with payment security options.

Why I picked Stax: I like tools and platforms that play several roles, allowing you to minimize the number of subscriptions you have to pay. Stax fits the bill perfectly, in this regard. I think you can probably do away with two or three other payment-related tools by making the switch. You won’t need a separate invoicing platform, for instance, or a subscription management tool if you’re a SaaS company. Both of these features are available under Stax’s flat subscription fee.

Stax also works as a payment gateway meaning you avoid having to pay processing fees to middlemen. Stax will even connect with your retail Point of Sale system, allowing you to use the platform to take in-store payments—although you may prefer to use a specialist service like Square, instead.

Stax Standout Features and Integrations

Features that make Stax better than most of the options on this list for most small and medium-sized businesses include an all-in-one payment platform that lets you accept any type of in-person and online payment and invoicing tools. I also like the platform’s subscription management software.

Integrations let you connect Stax to all of your business apps. These include Slack, HubSpot, Quickbooks, Xero, MS Teams, Google Docs, Mailchimp, Asana, Wrike, monday.com, and more.

Square is a comprehensive payment solution that provides hardware and software to physical and online businesses. It can act as your store’s POS, help you create a website, manage your inventory, and report sales figures.

Why I picked Square: You’ve probably seen Square POS hardware when shopping locally. The more I learn about Square, the less I’m surprised. I think they are a popular choice for these kinds of stores for several reasons. Firstly, they offer affordable hardware that brick-and-mortar stores rely on to take payments in person. They don’t charge expensive leasing fees, either, and there is no fee to return the hardware.

Another thing I like about Square is that it provides several software solutions that help store owners manage their businesses. That includes an online store builder, a payment processing solution, payroll services, and inventory management. In the same way that Stripe is an all-in-one solution for digital business, Square is the only solution most physical retail outlets need.

Square Standout Features and Integrations

Features that I think make Square ideal for brick-and-mortar stores include a range of POS hardware suitable for any budget, business-focused software, like inventory management and appointment booking tools, and an online store builder. I also love that you can manage everything from a single app

Integrations are available from the Square App Marketplace. These include native integrations with popular business tools, like QuickBooks, WooCommerce, Jotform, and TrustPilot Reviews.