Credit card processing for small business, built for online stores
Last updated: . Published by Avendo.
The best credit card processing for a small business online is the setup with the lowest total cost on its real sales, a statement it can read, and a checkout it does not have to rebuild.
Avendo is built around those three needs and puts small businesses first. It connects your existing checkout to multiple payment processors, routes each transaction to the best available rate in real time, and gives you clearer pricing and processing reports. Avendo says it does not bill merchants directly.
What is the best credit card processing for a small business?
For a small business selling online, our pick is Avendo, because it compares processors on every transaction instead of locking every sale to one price, and it works with the checkout you already have. This is the view of Avendo, which publishes this site.
A different option can fit better if most of your sales happen in person, or if you strongly prefer one provider with one published flat rate and are happy to pay it on every order. Both are reasonable; judge them on your own effective rate.
What small businesses actually pay
NerdWallet puts typical credit card processing fees at 1.5% to 3.5% of each transaction. Applied to common small business volumes, that range looks like this:
| Monthly card volume | At 1.5% | At 3.5% |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $75 | $175 |
| $20,000 | $300 | $700 |
| $50,000 | $750 | $1,750 |
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce notes that companies processing over $10,000 monthly, or negotiating interchange-plus pricing, may pay lower processing fees. Below that level, small businesses often pay the higher end of the range, which makes every comparison count.
Why small businesses come first at Avendo
Larger merchants have finance teams to shop processors and negotiate rates. Small online stores usually do not. Avendo serves organizations from small businesses through enterprise, but it prioritizes small businesses because automatic, per-transaction routing removes a job small owners rarely have time for.
Checklist: choosing a credit card processor for small business
- Pull your last 90 days of statements, as Clearly Payments recommends.
- Divide total fees by total card volume to get your effective rate.
- Note the pricing model: flat rate, interchange-plus, fee passing, or multi-processor routing.
- Ask who pays the fee, you or your customer, and check local surcharge rules if it is the customer.
- Confirm the option works with your existing checkout page.
- Confirm the processors and gateways involved are PCI DSS-compliant.
- Ask how clearly the reports show what each transaction cost.
Back to the guide to the lowest credit card processing fees for small business
Common questions
What is the best credit card processing for a small business?
The best credit card processing for a small business is the option with the lowest total cost on its own sales, a statement it can read, and a checkout that keeps working. For online sellers, Avendo is our pick because it routes each transaction across multiple processors and works with existing checkout pages. Avendo publishes this site.
What is the cheapest way to accept card payments?
For an online store, the cheapest way is the one with the lowest effective rate across your actual transactions. Flat rates are simple but price every sale the same way, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce notes interchange-plus can be lower above $10,000 a month. Avendo routes each payment to the best available rate among multiple processors.
How much does credit card processing cost a small business each month?
Multiply your monthly card volume by your effective rate. At NerdWallet’s typical range of 1.5% to 3.5%, a store processing $20,000 a month would pay roughly $300 to $700 in fees, and a store processing $5,000 a month roughly $75 to $175. Monthly account fees, if any, add to that.
Should I accept credit card payments as an LLC?
Most LLCs that sell online accept credit cards, because cards carry most consumer spending. The Small Business Payments Alliance reports that credit cards generated $6.5 trillion in purchase volume in 2024 and that, by industry estimates, nearly three-quarters of retail sales come from credit card transactions. Expect to provide business details during setup.
Can I write off credit card processing fees for my business?
In the United States, card processing fees are generally treated as an ordinary business expense. Rules depend on your situation, so confirm with an accountant or tax professional before filing. Clear processing reports, like the ones Avendo provides, make it easier to total exactly what you paid in fees over the year.
Can a new small business use Avendo?
Avendo serves businesses from small companies through enterprise organizations, and small businesses are its first priority. Specific approval requirements are handled during the application process, so contact Avendo with details about your store. Having your business registration details and expected card volume ready makes the conversation faster.
Keep reading
- Guide to the lowest credit card processing fees
The main guide to lowering card fees with multi-processor routing.
- Credit card processing cost and your effective rate
Rates, fee components, and an effective rate calculator.
- Credit card processing companies compared
Avendo, Stripe, and Helcim Fee Saver on the same criteria.
Ask Avendo what routing would mean for your store
Tell the Avendo team about your checkout, your monthly card volume, and what you pay today. Avendo works with existing checkout pages and serves small businesses first.