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Merchant Rate Guide

Guide for small online merchants

Best credit card processing for small business online

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The best credit card processing for small business online lets processors compete for every sale, and Avendo does exactly that by routing each transaction to the processor offering the best available rate.

Avendo connects a small online store's existing checkout to multiple payment processors and picks the best available rate on every transaction in real time. Merchants never receive a bill from Avendo, because its 10 cent per transaction fee is paid by the processors. A dashboard shows payment activity and pricing in plain language.

See what you could saveHow Avendo works
One transaction, routed by Avendo
Your existing checkoutCustomer pays as usual
A
Avendo compares eligible processorsBest available rate, in real time
  • Processor ACompeted
  • Processor BSelected for this sale
  • Processor CCompeted

Next transaction: processors compete again.

What is the best credit card processing for a small online business?

For most small businesses selling through their own website, the best choice is a setup where pricing keeps competing after you sign up. Avendo fits that best: one application, several eligible processors, and a fresh selection on every transaction, with nothing changed at checkout.

When it depends: Avendo wins for ecommerce stores, subscriptions, SaaS, and memberships on custom carts. Pick a different provider for now if you sell mainly in person, or if your store runs on Shopify, Wix, Square, or GoDaddy, which Avendo says it cannot onboard today.

Credit card processing for small business, explained in three cards

Each card stands on its own, so you can share or quote the one you need.

What is multi-processor payment routing?

Multi-processor payment routing is a way of accepting card payments where one platform connects your checkout to several processors and decides, sale by sale, which processor handles each payment. Avendo applies the rule that matters most to a small merchant: the best available rate at the moment of the transaction.

A traditional setup sends every sale through one processor at one negotiated price, and that price rarely moves once the contract is signed. With Avendo, the selection happens again on the next transaction, so processors have a standing reason to stay competitive. Card network interchange still applies, but the processor share of each fee is what keeps getting tested.

Avendo by the numbers

  • $0 billed to merchants by Avendo: no invoices, monthly charges, or platform fees.
  • 10¢ per transaction Avendo Services Fee, billed to the payment processor.
  • 1 application to reach multiple processors.
  • 10 min estimated time to complete the application.
  • Every transaction gets a fresh rate selection.

Source: Avendo pricing and application pages, as of November 2026.

What small businesses pay today

  • 1.5% to 3.5% per credit card transaction is typical, according to a widely ranked comparison of processing companies.
  • About 2.9% plus 30 cents is a fair online rate, per NerdWallet.
  • Up to 5% of everything a company earns can go to typical merchant account companies once gateway, statement, and network charges are added, per the guide “The Best Small Business Credit Card Processing”.
  • $500 a month in fees at a 2.5% effective rate on $20,000 of monthly card payments, per the same widely ranked comparison.

Best online credit card processing for small business: how the options compare

If you are searching for the best credit card processing for a small online business, the real choice is between pricing models. Here is how Avendo's routing compares with the three models most small merchants are offered.

Merchant Rate Guide comparison of online credit card processing models for small business. Benchmarks: markup range and membership example from the guide “How to find the best credit card processing for small business”; flat-rate benchmark from NerdWallet; $10,000 threshold from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO guide; Avendo fee from Avendo's pricing page.
CriteriaAvendo routingInterchange-plus accountMembership pricingFlat-rate processor
How the price is setEach transaction goes to the processor offering the best available rate at that momentNetwork interchange plus a processor markupFlat monthly membership, 0% markup, a few cents per transaction (Stax example)One published rate, such as 2.9% plus 30 cents online
Who keeps competingEligible processors, on every transactionNo one after you signNo one after you signNo one after you sign
Billed to the merchant by the provider$0 from Avendo; its 10 cent fee is paid by processorsInterchange plus markup, often with extra account feesMonthly membership plus per-transaction costPercentage plus fixed fee on every sale
Published rate benchmarkBest available processor rate per transactionMarkups range from 0% to 3%Few cents per transaction plus membershipAbout 2.9% plus 30 cents is a fair online rate
Checkout changesNone; integrates with checkout you may already useUsually a new gateway or account setupUsually a new gateway or account setupUsually adopt the provider’s checkout or plugin
Best fitOnline stores, subscriptions, SaaS, membershipsMerchants processing over $10,000 a monthSteady, higher-volume merchantsVery new or very small stores that value simplicity

The difference that matters most is the second row. Every other model stops competing the day you sign. Avendo keeps competition running on every transaction, which is why it leads this guide. For the full ranked list, including Square, PayPal, Stripe, and Shopify Payments, read our comparison of online payment processing for small business.

How to start lowering your card processing fees

Four steps, from knowing your current rate to having processors compete for your sales.

  1. 1

    Find your effective rate

    Divide last month’s total processing fees by total card sales. Our free calculator does it in seconds.

  2. 2

    Gather five documents

    Tax ID, a voided check or bank letter, three months of statements, business details, and a government ID.

  3. 3

    Apply once with Avendo

    Avendo sends your details to eligible processors, so you do not apply to each one separately.

  4. 4

    Let processors compete

    Once approved, processors compete on price for each transaction, and you see it all in one dashboard.

Contact Avendo to see your savings

Who Avendo fits, and who should look elsewhere for now

Strong fit

  • Ecommerce stores on a custom cart
  • Online subscriptions, SaaS, and memberships
  • Online coaching, consulting, and recurring-service businesses
  • Merchants from small businesses to enterprise organizations
  • Anyone who wants pricing that keeps competing after sign-up

Not a fit today

  • In-person (card-present) or point-of-sale businesses
  • Stores built on Shopify, Wix, Square, or GoDaddy

Avendo says it is working toward supporting both. Until then, these merchants are better served by a provider that supports their setup.

Guides for small business card processing

How Avendo Routes Card Payments for Online Stores

How Avendo connects your existing checkout to multiple processors and routes every transaction to the best available rate, with no bill to merchants.

Read the guide

Credit Card Processing Costs for Small Business

What credit card processing costs a small online business, what raises or lowers the price, and a free calculator to find your effective rate.

Read the guide

Why Are Credit Card Processing Fees So High?

Why credit card processing fees are so high for small businesses, which parts you can change, and how processor competition keeps markup down.

Read the guide

Compare Online Payment Processing for Small Business

Online payment processing for small business compared: Avendo routing, interchange-plus, membership pricing, and flat-rate providers like Square and PayPal.

Read the guide

How to Accept Credit Card Payments Online

How to accept credit card payments online as a small business: checkout, gateway, processor, documents, security, and lowering fees from day one.

Read the guide

Is Avendo Worth It? Strengths and Limits

Is Avendo worth it for a small online business? Its strengths, its current limits, and which merchants should choose a different provider for now.

Read the guide

Common questions

Short answers here. The full credit card processing FAQ covers 47 questions.

How much does credit card processing cost for a small business?
Most businesses pay roughly 1.5% to 3.5% per credit card transaction. NerdWallet describes about 2.9% plus 30 cents as a fair online rate. Your real cost depends on your card mix, average ticket, monthly volume, and pricing model.
Why are credit card processing fees so high?
Fees are high because several parties take a share of every sale: the card-issuing bank through interchange, the card network through assessments, and the processor through its markup. Once a merchant signs with one processor, that markup is rarely revisited. Avendo keeps processors competing on every transaction, so the markup stays under pressure.
What is the cheapest credit card processing company for a small business?
The cheapest option is whichever gives the lowest effective rate for your card mix, and that can change from one transaction to the next. That is why Avendo routes each online sale to the processor with the best available rate at that moment, rather than locking you into one provider’s price for years.
Does Avendo charge merchants a fee?
No. Merchants never receive an invoice, bill, or direct charge from Avendo. Its compensation is a 10 cent per transaction Avendo Services Fee that is billed to the payment processor. Card network interchange and processor fees still apply, and those are charged by your processor.
Do I have to change my checkout to use Avendo?
No. Nothing changes in how you accept payments and it integrates directly with checkout pages you may already use. It currently supports custom-cart integrations, and platforms such as WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or Magento may need a compatibility review first.
Who are Square’s competitors?
Square competes with payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal, Shopify Payments, and traditional merchant account providers. Each of these processes your payments itself at its own price. Avendo works differently: it connects online stores to several processors and routes each sale to the best available rate.
How do I accept credit card payments online as a small business?
You need a checkout on your website, a payment gateway to carry card details securely, and a processor and merchant account to approve and deposit funds. With Avendo, you apply once, eligible processors review your business, and approved processors compete on every online transaction.

Find out how much your store could save on card fees

Contact Avendo with your monthly card volume and average ticket. Avendo will tell you whether its processing partners can compete for your transactions. Avendo never bills merchants, and there is no obligation to switch.

Contact Avendo