Andrea Herrera

A PCI non-compliance fee may be charged by merchant services providers or payment processors when a business does not meet minimum security standards when processing card payments. Fees range from $20 every month up to $5,000 or more, depending on the details of non-compliance and security breach, if any. These security standards—known collectively as the…

PayPal and Braintree are two of the most popular online payment processors. PayPal is good for businesses that need a quick and easy way to start accepting payments online, while Braintree is suitable for merchants looking for more robust and customizable payment processing. PayPal is included among the top providers in our list of the…

Chargebacks can have a significant impact on the revenue, profitability, and reputation of small businesses. Knowing how to dispute and ultimately win a chargeback will help keep the impact on your business to a minimum. Prompt response to a chargeback notice, compelling evidence, and a well-drafted rebuttal letter are some of the things that will…

A chargeback is a reversal of a payment card transaction initiated by a card issuer because of a dispute filed by the payer or customer. Chargebacks can have a significant impact on a small business’ revenue and sustainability but are necessary to ensure consumer protection. Some of the usual reasons for chargebacks include unauthorized transactions,…

Stripe and Authorize.net are two well-known payment processors and payment gateways. When it comes to Stripe vs Authorize.net, we like Stripe as an all-in-one payment processor with maximum flexibility and customizability. On the other hand, Authorize.net is good for businesses that only need a payment gateway. In our evaluation of the best payment processors, Stripe…

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a type of short-term financing that lets your customers pay for purchases over time, often with zero or low-interest rates. BNPL payments first gained traction with online shoppers looking to finance apparel and beauty purchases. While BNPL surged in popularity during the pandemic to finance large purchases, today, people…

SumUp and Square allow small businesses to start accepting payments without monthly costs. When it comes to SumUp vs Square, Square is the more versatile choice for omnichannel payment processing and a more affordable full point-of-sale (POS) solution. On the other hand, SumUp is suitable for low-volume transactions and mobile payment processing, such as for…

PayPal is a widely recognized and trusted online payment platform that allows businesses to securely send and receive money worldwide. It is suitable for small businesses looking for a quick and easy way to start receiving payments for occasional sales. Setting up a PayPal Business account is a straightforward process that involves signing up on…

Tap to pay is a wireless method of making payments by tapping or waving a credit or debit card or a payment device (i.e., smartphone/smartwatch) near a contactless-enabled terminal. Contactless payment uses near-field communication (NFC) technology to transfer data between the card or device and the terminal. Square was one of the first payment processors…

Stax (formerly Fattmerchant) is a subscription-based merchant services provider with wholesale interchange-plus pricing rates, advanced invoicing and billing software, and unique add-on tools like SMS text-to-pay and white-label-customer portals. In our review of merchant service providers, Stax earned an overall score of 3.89 out of 5. Because of its monthly subscription fees, we find Stax…

Every small business that processes credit card payments is required to be Payment Card Industry (PCI)-compliant. PCI compliance involves meeting the 12 requirements outlined by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which is designed to ensure payment security and protect both merchants and cardholders from fraud. Below is the list of the…

Payment Depot is a merchant services provider that enables U.S. merchants to process credit card payments at wholesale rates. Standout features include rate protection, free access to its virtual terminal and payment gateway services, and free equipment reprogramming. In our review of merchant service providers, Payment Depot earned an overall score of 4.01 out of…