Why does your business need a Credit Card Processing Service?

A versatile, reliable credit card processing service can help your business increase sales by enabling you to accept all forms of payment from anywhere at anytime. With a first-rate credit card processing service, you can:

  • Accept all Forms of Payment - With an adept credit card processing service your business can accept and verify payment from all major credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks and traditional checks.
  • Accept Payments Anywhere - The way we conduct business changes everyday. With a good credit card service, payment can be accepted anywhere. Transactions are processed online, at a retail site or at a remote location with internet access, such as a trade booth or kiosk. Most services will also let you manually enter information if you sell something away from internet access.
  • Get Fraud and Security Protection - A valuable service will offer security protection by utilizing modern encryption technology to give you and your customer peace of mind when processing credit card information. Many will process using a VeriSign SSL Certificate without requiring you to purchase a certificate separately as well as an Address Verification Service (AVS) to protect against the fraudulent use of a credit card.

In this site, you'll find a credit card processing learning center, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side-by-side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which merchant account service is right for your business. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™

What to Look for in a Credit Card Processing Service?

It's hard to determine which credit card processing solution is best for your business with so many choices available. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to rank credit card processing services:

Average Approval Rating
This criterion, usually evaluated by percentage of approved applicants, refers to its approval rate, the processing speed and the fee to apply. An accommodating service will have a high approval rate and process your application quickly and without a fee.

Cost per Month
A low monthly cost helps keep overhead costs down. A competitive credit card processing company will require a low monthly fee with clear communication about ongoing fees and costs. Our ratings are based on 500 transactions per month with one statement, charge back and gateway fee.

Start-Up Cost
Credit card processing companies shouldn't charge you too much to set up a merchant account and a payment gateway.

Account Setup Time
A competent service will expedite your application and get you in business as quickly as possible, some can approve the application and set-up an account within a days time.

Customer Service
Accessible customer service answers inquires 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service should offer many avenues of contact including telephone, email or instant messaging and help should be quick to respond and provide useful information.

Internet Based Features
Most companies offer more than one type of virtual terminal as well as an online merchant account and payment gateway.

POS/ Swipers Features
A variety of Point of Sale options and swipers (card readers) should be available through the service. This is especially important if you are a retail business or operate from remote sales locations.

With a good credit card processing service, you can increase your sales and flexibility and give your customers many payment options.

To read the review of  our #1 rated credit card processing service, click here.

 
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Credit Card Processing Review 

Accept All Forms of Payment with a Credit Card Processing Service

Telling your customer that you cannot accept their form of payment is a sale killer. With a credit card processing service, you can accept all forms of payment, from anywhere.

Rank #1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
Excellent score   Excellent
Very good score   Very Good
Good score   Good
Fair score   Fair
Poor score   Poor
Flagship Merchant Services Merchant Warehouse goEmerchant Merchant Accounts Chase Paymentech The Transaction Group Merchant Accounts Express First Data Gotmerchant Electronic Transfer Inc. Charge
Flagship Merchant Services Merchant Warehouse goEmerchant Merchant Accounts Chase Paymentech The Transaction Group Merchant Accounts Express First Data Gotmerchant Electronic Transfer Inc. Charge
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Lowest Startup Price Flagship Merchant Services
Merchant Warehouse
goEmerchant Merchant Accounts
Chase Paymentech
The Transaction Group
Merchant Accounts Express
First Data
Gotmerchant
Electronic Transfer Inc.
Charge
 
Overall Rating Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Very Good
Ratings
Average Approval Rating Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent
Cost Per Month* Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Excellent Excellent Very Good
Startup Cost Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Excellent
Account Setup Time Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Excellent Excellent Very Good
Customer Service Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Excellent
Internet Based Features Excellent Very Good Excellent Very Good Excellent Very Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good
P.O.S./Swiper Based Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Fair Good
View Specifications Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
View Screenshots   View Merchant Warehouse screenshots View goEmerchant Merchant Accounts screenshots View Chase Paymentech screenshots View The Transaction Group screenshots   View First Data screenshots View Gotmerchant screenshots   
Application Process
Digital Application Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark    Check Mark    Check Mark
Average Approval Rating 98% 99% 99% 98% 95% 98% 99% 99% 98% 98%
Account Setup Time (days) Check Mark 2 Check Mark Check Mark 2 3 2 1-2 Check Mark Check Mark
Required Monthly Fees
Gateway Fee $10.00 $5.00 $14.95 $10.00 $15.00 $14.95 $19.95 $9.95 $10.00 $16.95
Statement Fee $7.95 $7.95 $7.95 $7.50 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
Monthly Minimum $20.00 $25.00 $15.00 $25.00   $25.00 $15.00 $25.00 $20.00 $25.00
Transaction Fees
Average Discount Rate (internet) 2.14% 2.19% 2.14% 2.15% 2.20% 2.27% 2.19% 2.19% 2.25% 2.25%
Average Discount Rate (retail) 1.59% 1.69% 1.71% 1.77% 1.75% 1.69% 1.59% 1.69% 1.69% 1.79%
Transaction Fee (internet) $0.24 $0.21 $0.25 $0.24 $0.20 $0.24 $0.25 $0.25 $0.29 $0.25
Transaction Fee (retail) $0.21 $0.21 $0.25 $0.24 $0.20 $0.19 $0.30 $0.25 $0.25 $0.25
Address Verification Fee $0.05 $0.05 $0.00 $0.00 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.10 $0.05
Features
Virtual Terminal Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Payment Gateway First Data Check Mark Check Mark Orbital Auth Auth First Data Global Gateway Auth & others Fast Charge Auth
Merchant Account Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
P.O.S. Credit Card Swiper Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Clear the Account (Days) 2 1.5 2 2 2 2 2 1-3 2 2
Offers eCheck Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Shopping Cart Available Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Recurring Billing Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Fraud Protection
Address Verification Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Real Time Processing Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
CVV2 (Three Digits) Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Accepted Credit Cards
Visa Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Master Card Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
American Express Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Discover Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Debit Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Help/Support
Support Hours 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7 24/7
Toll-Free Phone Number Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
eMail Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
FAX Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Live Chat (Online)   Check Mark Check Mark     Check Mark    Check Mark
 
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Lowest Startup Price Flagship Merchant Services
Merchant Warehouse
goEmerchant Merchant Accounts
Chase Paymentech
The Transaction Group
Merchant Accounts Express
First Data
Gotmerchant
Electronic Transfer Inc.
Charge
* Cost per month is based on a formula that we at Credit Card Processing Review used for comparison purposes. Your company's results may vary according to actual usage.
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