Andrea Herrera

Amazon Pay is a highly secure online payment processing platform. With an Amazon Pay checkout, shoppers can pay for orders using the information stored in their Amazon account. Businesses pay flat-rate transaction fees with no startup or monthly fees. Amazon Pay has features specifically designed for online, mobile, and voice (Alexa devices) payments. Other tools include analytics reporting, recurring payments, pre-orders, and fraud prevention. In our review, Amazon Pay earned an overall score of 3.53 out of 5. Although it is an easy and effective ecommerce payment option, it didn’t make our list of the best online payment processors because of its limited payment types and slow deposit times. In our Amazon Pay review, we found it to be a worthy addition for businesses that focus on online sales. It integrates easily with ecommerce providers like Shopify and BigCommerce and is good for accepting and managing international payments. Amazon Pay is a quick and convenient payment option for Amazon shoppers, which number 300 million. Since Amazon Pay uses the Amazon payment details of your customers, it results in faster checkouts and, thus, reduced cart abandonment rates. It also provides advanced fraud protection. Amazon Pay is extremely easy to use and allows customers to purchase from your website using their Alexa devices. It also offers discounted rates for qualified nonprofit organizations. This can be a great way to accept donations without losing too much capital to processing fees. However, due to high demand, this program is currently available by invitation only. Despite its ease of use, it’s best as a supplemental payment option and not as your sole merchant account. Merchants who would like to use it will still need to go through the Amazon Seller identification verification, which could take several weeks and then only shoppers that have Amazon accounts can check out using Amazon Pay. Amazon Pay doesn’t offer tools for in-person transactions so if you have a physical store, look at our list of the best retail credit card processors for other options. If you need a comprehensive merchant account provider, check our guide on the best merchant services for small businesses. Also, Amazon Pay does not support high-risk businesses and is quick to hold or freeze funds. If you have a high-risk business, you’ll need to apply for a specialized high-risk merchant account. Amazon Pay Deciding Factors Top Amazon Pay Alternatives Amazon Pay charges a flat-rate processing fee plus a standard authorization fee of 30 cents per transaction. The processing fee depends on whether you are accepting cross-border or local payments. It has discounted rates for qualified nonprofits. Additionally, the provider offers a pay-as-you-go subscription and does not charge any monthly or cancellation fees. However, it does not offer volume discounts or custom rates, so these transaction fees are pricey for high-volume businesses. Another drawback is its mandatory tiered reserves, where a portion of your processing funds will be set aside and held by Amazon. Fees Amazon Pay does not impose a chargeback fee if you want to contest a chargeback over goods that are covered in Amazon’s Payment Protection Policy. Otherwise, requesting to challenge a claim will cost you $20, which is about the industry average ($15–$25). Reserve Policy It is important to know that all Amazon Pay merchant accounts are subject to reserve requirements. This is done to minimize the risk brought about by transaction disputes and claims. Generally, reserves can be frustrating for businesses because they eat into your cash flow, especially if you are not expecting them. The required reserve amount is tiered based on a percentage of payments processed over a period or the value of all unresolved transaction disputes for the same period. *Order Defect Rate: percentage of orders that have received negative feedback While low-risk merchants typically won’t have reserves when working with a traditional merchant account, reserves are common for high-risk businesses and businesses working with aggregate or online processors such as Amazon and PayPal. New Amazon Pay merchants will need to wait 14 days before receiving the funds from initial transactions. After this initial hold, deposits will take three to five business days for funds to reach your bank account. Hardware Amazon Pay doesn’t have any hardware. Because it’s purely for online commerce, there’s no need for hardware to administer in-person transactions—like card readers and cash drawers. You can use Amazon Pay via desktop, mobile, and browser. Technical Requirements Setup & Application Signing up for a merchant account with Amazon Pay starts with completing an online form on the website. To set up an account, local businesses will need a US-based phone number, credit card issued by a US-based bank, checking account with a US-based bank, and a business taxpayer ID, EIN, or personal Social Security number. A couple of things you need to note, however, is that it can take 20 to 30 days for merchant application approval, and all accounts are subjected to the tiered reserve. Be sure to read the policy in Amazon Pay’s Merchant FAQs and ask all your questions. Once you have your business account, the dashboard is relatively easy to get used to, and you can use it to set up notifications, check high-level analytics, and manage integrations. You can also store and update customer payment information. Contract & Merchant Agreement Terms Customer agreement and policies are available on Amazon’s help center. You’ll find both general merchant terms of service and specific policies on the use of the different Amazon products. The customer agreement, in particular, is the general terms and conditions for any Amazon user (both buyer and seller), so make sure to read the document thoroughly before signing up for an account. The sections relevant to your merchant account are: General terms: Covers stipulations on establishing your account, which may include undergoing a credit investigation, establishing a reserve, receiving payments and chargebacks, Amazon fees and taxes, contract terms and termination, and confidentiality Seller accounts: Details the terms and conditions for creating and maintaining a merchant account, accepting payments, depositing funds, and chargeback protection Marketplace Web service (MWS): Now referred to as Selling Partner API (SP-API); for sellers who want MWS, terms and conditions cover the use and access to APIs and tools specific for this service Credit Card Association agreement: Highlights the terms associated with accepting payments through card networks (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, etc.) on Amazon Pay Amazon Pay supports most of the common payment methods, like credit/debit cards and mobile wallets. You can also accept international payments and set up pre-orders and recurring payments. There are also Amazon store cards that may be used by selected merchants. However, Amazon Pay is surprisingly incompatible with Amazon gift cards and does not offer any tools for in-person transactions. Although Amazon Pay gets relatively low scores for its lack of diversity in accepted payment types, we gave extra points for its ability to accept voice payments via Alexa devices—there is no other payment processor that offers this feature. Amazon Pay’s strengths are in its easy ecommerce integration and extensive developer resources. Most ecommerce platforms allow users to add Amazon Pay to their websites by simply adding their Amazon Pay account information and turning the feature on. It is simple to set up and use, making it a no-fuss platform for merchants with limited technical resources. It is also backed by the same security and fraud protection technology on Amazon.com, making it a safe and secure online payment service. We gave Amazon Pay perfect scores for its ease of use, user reviews, and integrations. It lost points for pricing because of its lack of discounts for high-volume merchants. At zero monthly fees, Amazon Pay is an easy addition for small businesses that accept online payments. It is easy to integrate with most ecommerce platforms where you simply need to turn the feature on and enter your Amazon Pay merchant account details. For more customized websites, there are extensive developer resources and built-in code generators that make it easy to use with minimal coding. Aside from its ease of use and developer support, another notable feature of Amazon Pay is its integration with Alexa that lets users pay with voice commands. It will be a huge step forward if Amazon Pay also offers tools for in-person transactions in the future. What Users Say in Amazon Pay Reviews Overall, Amazon Pay users are happy with the platform. Reviewers enjoy the simplicity of the program and the convenience for both merchants and customers. However, some reviews noted that fund transfers can be delayed for new clients and accounts can be suspended with little to no warning. Capterra: Amazon Pay got 4.6 out of 5 stars from around 55 reviews on Capterra. While most of the users particularly liked its ease of use and customer service, some wish they could use it for more than receiving online payments. G2: On G2, around 510 reviews gave Amazon Pay 4.5 out of 5 stars. Users mostly comment on the security of the transactions and really like the cashback options. However, there are some complaints about fees. FinancesOnline: While there are only 17 reviews on FinancesOnline, Amazon Pay received a 98% user satisfaction rating. Reviewers comment on the secure and convenient checkout, but one user notes the limit should be higher than $10,000. Trustpilot: Reviewers were mostly negative on Trustpilot, and Amazon Pay earned 1.3 out of 5 stars based on 110+ reviews. Merchants are disappointed with account suspensions that come with no explanation and the withholding of funds. However, one shopper reviewing Amazon Pay praised the cashback perks. Reviews of Amazon Pay are a mix of merchants and shoppers. However, when reading through the reviews, we noticed the following trends from merchants: Methodology: How We Reviewed Amazon Pay We test each online payment processor ourselves to ensure an extensive review of the products. We then compare pricing methods and identify providers that offer zero monthly fees, pay-as-you-go terms, and low transaction rates. Finally, we evaluate each according to a range of payment processing features, scalability, and ease of use. The result is our list of the best online payment processors. However, we adjust the criteria when looking at specific use cases, such as for different business types and merchant categories. This is why every online payment processor has multiple scores across our site depending on the use case you are looking for. Click through the tabs below for our overall online payment processor evaluation criteria: Amazon Pay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Bottom Line Amazon Pay is a quick and easy solution if you need an easy, foolproof, and trusted way to set up online payments. However, if you’re looking for something long term and can provide many business tools, you may want to opt for something more flexible.

The leading contactless payment system, Apple Pay, lets your customers pay via their Apple Watch or iPhone (iOS 6 and higher). It is secure for both merchants and customers and costs merchants the same processing fees as regular credit cards. Accepting Apple Pay starts with choosing a compatible payment processor, purchasing an NFC card reader, setting up the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature, adding an Apple Pay button to your online checkout, and letting customers know you accept the mobile payment service. Learn how to accept Apple Pay by following these steps: Step 1: Choose a Payment Processor That Accepts Apple Pay Most payment processors and merchant accounts handle Apple Pay transactions, usually at the same rates they charge for regular credit card transactions. Check the full list of ecommerce platforms and payment service providers that support Apple Pay. If you already have a merchant account, call or check the Help section of its website for how to enable Apple Pay payments. You may need a new card reader or terminal that accepts contactless (tap) payments. Alternatively, Apple Pay’s new Tap to Pay on iPhone feature allows you to use your iPhone instead of an NFC reader to process payments. If you are still shopping for a payment processor, below are some of our top recommendations: : Best overall : Best for storefronts and established businesses : Best for cheap processing fees : Best for Paypal users : Best for online payments : Best for ecommerce and multichannel retailers : Best for those with a merchant account Best Payment Processors Compared See fullscreen table × *For the first reader only. Subsequent readers are $79 each. **Clover NFC devices can be purchased through many different merchant account providers. Rates will vary depending on your provider. Costs of Accepting Apple Pay If you already accept card payments and have a contactless card reader, there are no additional costs for accepting Apple Pay. The fees for an Apple Pay transaction are the same as a card payment transaction. Step 2: Purchase & Install NFC-enabled Hardware Apple Pay—like other contactless payments—uses near-field communication (NFC) technology, which lets two systems communicate wirelessly when in close proximity to each other. Therefore, you need a card reader that has this kind of technology. Most card readers are already so equipped, but there are still a few that aren’t, like Square’s free magstripe card reader. You’ll need to check that your card reader allows tap payments. If in doubt, check the specs or look for the wireless symbol on the reader. Installing NFC Hardware for Apple Pay Setting up your card reader is easy. Instructions may vary by app or point-of-sale (POS) system, but the basic steps are the same. We’ll use Square as an example. Make sure your software or app is updated before pairing your hardware. Step 3: Use Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone Feature If your business is not yet equipped with a card reader that accepts contactless payments, you may still accept Apple Pay using the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature. You will need to use at least an iPhone 11 running iOS 15.5 or later as your contactless card reader. The Tap to Pay on iPhone feature makes use of the iPhone’s built-in NFC reader to capture the payment information. Setting up an iPhone for Tap to Pay Check if your payment processor is capable of accepting payments using Tap to Pay on iPhone. Square and Shopify are two of the few processors equipped with this feature. We’ll use them for this example. Accepting Payments Using an iPhone After setting up your iPhone to accept payments using the Tap to Pay feature, your customers will be able to pay using their iPhone, contactless cards, and Apple Watch. Here’s a guide on how to do this in the Square and Shopify Point of Sale apps. Step 4: Add an Apple Pay Button to Your Online Checkout How easy it is to add Apple Pay to your online store depends on the payment processor and webstore program. Check the Help section of your specific software for instructions, but we’ll look at Shopify and Stripe as examples. Step 5: Let Customers Know You Accept Apple Pay you can add to your brick-and-mortar and online stores. It also has instructions for adding notices to your Maps setting and provides other guidelines. Learn more at Apple Pay. Some payment processors, like Square, offer their own Apple Pay marketing kit. Benefits of Accepting Apple Pay Speed: Apple Pay, like other contactless payments, processes quicker than credit card payments (both chip or stripe) and is certainly faster than cash. That means faster checkouts, shorter lines, and greater customer satisfaction. Secure for customers: Apple Pay tokenizes and encrypts card data, making it hard for fraudsters to access it. It also requires fingerprint verification or authentication using the customer’s phone password. So even if a thief had a customer’s phone, they still can’t get the Apple Pay account. Secure for businesses: When using Apple Pay for online payments, Apple saves all the card information, so you don’t need to worry about saving customer card info. Health: In light of COVID-19, people are more concerned than ever about reducing how often they touch things that others have handled, whether cash or a card reader. NFC payments provide a safe alternative for your customers and employees. Popularity: Apple Pay has around 45.4 million users in the US, making it the top mobile payment option, ahead of Google Pay and Samsung Pay. It is available in 69 countries, and according to Statista, more than 55% of US and Canadian consumers have used it to buy something in person (nearly 65% in the UK). The percentage is between 20%–30% for online sales in these countries. Reduced abandoned carts: Some of the top reasons for people not completing online sales are because they didn’t trust a site with their credit card information (18%) and their frustration with the checkout process (17%). Apple Pay makes it easy and keeps card information to itself. Alternatives to Apple Pay Although many customers still prefer to pay using cash or card, there is significant growth in mobile payment use. From 2020, there was a 9.7% increase in the number of mobile payment users and a 49.5% increase in mobile payment transactions in 2021. If you would like to offer other mobile payment options besides Apple Pay, the top options are Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Both work pretty much the same way as Apple Pay. For Google Pay, you will need to install the app, which is available for both Android and iOS. On the other hand, Samsung Pay is only available on Samsung phones and watches. Accepting Apple Pay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is using Apple Pay a good idea? Yes, it is. Secure and easy for both merchants and customers, Apple Pay is a good way to send and receive payments. Are there additional costs for accepting Apple Pay? The only additional cost may be for an upgraded card reader if your current card reader does not take NFC payments. You may also choose to use the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature if you have an iPhone and prefer not to purchase an NFC reader. Apply Pay costs the same as processing a regular credit card. Is Apple Pay secure? Very! In addition to encrypting and tokenizing card information, it requires fingerprint verification when paying. Does Apple Pay work differently on Apple Watch? The process is the same for Apple Pay on Apple Watch, although there is no fingerprint requirement for the watch. The watch simply needs to stay on the wrist and needs to be paired with the phone. Can I accept Apple Pay online and in person? Yes, you can program your online store to accept Apple Pay. Bottom Line Apple Pay accounted for 88% of mobile wallet transactions in the US in 2021. Learning how to accept money on Apple Pay for your business can speed up checkout, improve customer satisfaction, and help increase the number of sales. Talk to your payment provider about accepting Apple Pay to get started with this convenient and secure mobile payment service.

is a Visa-owned company that offers one of the oldest and most trusted ecommerce payment solutions. It is a payment gateway that can facilitate virtual terminal, phone, recurring, mobile, e-check, and virtual point-of-sale (POS) payments. You’ll need a separate merchant account to use the platform, which you can sign up for separately or through Authorize.net. In our review of online payment processors, Authorize.net came out as the best payment gateway, with an overall score of 3.91 out of 5. Its smooth payment processing and easy integration make it one of the most popular payment gateways. Aside from offering flexible payment solutions and wide selection of software integrations, Authorize.net is a PCI-compliant payment gateway with top-notch security and anti-fraud features to protect your business and customers. Its strength is in its online payment processing such as accepting credit cards online, but other options may be more suitable for in-person and mobile payment processing. Storefronts and brick-and-mortar businesses might find a retail credit card processor or restaurant credit card processor more suitable. One drawback is that Authorize.net only offers a very simple and basic mobile app. Businesses looking specifically for a solution designed for mobile with a feature-rich app and selection of mobile card readers would find better options from other mobile credit card processors. Smaller businesses with occasional sales may find better value in an all-in-one processing solution that does not come with a monthly fee such as . In addition, Authorize.net charges a monthly gateway fee, so if you’re looking to keep associated costs low, choose a free merchant account with no monthly fees. Authorize.net Deciding Factors Authorize.net Alternatives Authorize.net only has two plans: the All-in-One package and the payment gateway-only package. While there are no setup or cancellation fees, both plans charge a monthly fee—which brought down its score. Another major factor pulling down our score for Authorize.net’s pricing is how it handles chargebacks. For customers who use the payment gateway plan, Authorize.net passes on the chargeback fees of the Merchant Service Provider. However, Authorize.net does offer volume discounts for businesses processing over $500,000 annually. You will need to contact them directly for volume discounts; otherwise, you get the same rates as smaller businesses. Authorize.net Plan Pricing Both of Authorize.net’s core plans charge a monthly fee of $25. Some services and fees are applicable depending on the type of account. Processing fees are broken down as such: Discounted rates are available to nonprofit organizations. Both plans come with free recurring billing, fraud detection, and customer management tools. On the other hand, payment processing for e-checks costs an additional 0.75% per transaction. And if you accept automatic recurring payments, Authorize.net offers an optional card updating service at 25 cents per update. Authorize.net supports numerous payment solutions already included in its monthly fee. It offers online payment processing, including international payments. However, its ACH and e-check processing come with additional costs. Although Authorize.net does not provide an online website builder like Square, its popularity and open API allow easy integration with any payment platform and system. Authorize.net is simple, easy to use, and allows multiple integrations. This flexibility, coupled with its PCI compliance and fraud protection, makes Authorize.net a good choice for those looking for the best payment gateway. We gave Authorize.net perfect scores for its overall value, ease of use, and integrations. However, it did not earn top marks for user reviews. Its mPOS app reviews on Google's Play store and App Store emphasized users’ dissatisfaction with its app features, which is one aspect it can improve. Nevertheless, Authorize.net has almost everything a small business needs when it comes to online payment processing. Whether you already have a merchant account or have yet to get one, Authorize.net offers a stable and reliable service that is easy to integrate with numerous payment solutions for a flat monthly fee and 24-hour no-fee payout. What Users Say in Authorize.net Reviews The majority of Authorize.net customers like the platform. They like that it provides peace of mind with its security features and is easy to integrate with other solutions. On the flip side, some users note a dated interface and complex dashboard. G2: Authorize.net has 4 out of 5 stars from around 125 reviews. Reviewers love the straightforward platform, though there is a small learning curve in getting used to the dashboard. One user mentioned that searching for transactions isn’t easy. Capterra: Authorize.net gets 4.4 out of 5 stars from about 150 reviews for its security, integrations, and reliability. Negative comments are centered around fraud prevention and difficulty reaching customer support. We noticed the following trends when reading through Authorize.net reviews: How We Evaluated Authorize.net We test each merchant account service provider ourselves to ensure an extensive review of the products. We then compare pricing methods and identify providers that offer zero monthly fees, pay-as-you-go terms, and low transaction rates. Finally, we evaluate each according to a range of payment processing features, scalability, and ease of use. The result is our list of the best overall merchant services. However, we adjust the criteria when looking at specific use cases, such as for different business types and merchant categories. This is why every merchant services provider has multiple scores across our site, depending on the use case you are looking for. Click through the tabs below for our overall merchant services evaluation criteria: Authorize.net Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Bottom Line Ultimately, Authorize.net is a great payment processing tool for merchants needing secure, reliable online transactions. It has flexible pricing and plans and many integrations, so you can set up your tech stack according to your business needs.

Shop Pay is an accelerated online checkout service by Shopify that lets customers enjoy one-click payments. It securely saves and encrypts customer details such as email, credit card, shipping, and billing information. By allowing faster checkouts, Shop Pay can help reduce shopping cart abandonment. Enabling Shop Pay on your online store is free and takes fewer than five minutes. Although it is easiest to activate Shop Pay if you already have a Shopify store and use Shopify Payments as your payment processor, you may also use it with third-party payment providers and on Facebook and Instagram shops. Who Should Use Shop Pay All Shopify sellers and US-based Facebook and Instagram shops could benefit from enabling Shop Pay as a customer payment option. Shopify says that Shop Pay increases checkout speed by 4x, leading to a 1.72 times higher conversion rate, and is 70% more efficient than a standard checkout process. The ease of checkout gives more time for shopping and reduces the frustration of filling out the same information again and again. This makes for a better customer experience, which promotes customer loyalty. It’s also more secure and lets customers select their local pickup or delivery preference. When Not to Use Shop Pay If you do international sales or your business is not in one of the 21 supported languages, you may not be able to use it. If you have a Facebook or Instagram shop, you can only use Shop Pay if you are in the US. How Shop Pay Works Shop Pay works much like other express checkouts—by taking customer information once. Shopify encrypts and saves the information on its PCI-compliant servers. Then, when a customer wants to make a later purchase, the information is already loaded, along with pickup and delivery options. The process is equally easy for you. If you’ve enabled the Shop Pay app, then the option appears on the Express Checkout with any other express options you offer. If a customer is paying for the first time, they will be invited to join. They can then have their information saved, including contact information, credit card info, and delivery address. The next time they purchase from a Shopify store, they can choose the express option. If they use the Shop app, customers will be asked to verify their purchase on the app; otherwise, they receive a six-digit verification code via text. Once the purchase is verified, they can use the saved information to pay. They are also given the option to pay in installments (if you have enabled Shop Pay Installments) and to have the item delivered or picked up in-store. Customers can change their information at any time through Shop Pay or opt out as desired. How to Add Shop Pay to Your Online Checkout Previously, Shop Pay was only available to Shopify stores that use Shopify Payments. Currently, you may also use Shop Pay with a third-party payment provider or on your Facebook or Instagram shop. Shop Pay Benefits & Key Features The selling point of Shop Pay is the ease of use for your customers. However, Shopify has included other valuable features to make shopping at your store with Shop Pay even better: Shop Pay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Bottom Line If you have a Shopify store that accepts card payments online, then Shop Pay is a simple and free tool that gives your customers an easy, secure, and fast checkout experience. You could also start using it if you have a Facebook or Instagram shop. To learn more about Shop Pay, log in to your Shopify account and activate it today—or learn how to set up a Shopify store.