10 Best Payment Gateways in the USA – Here's Our Analysis

Helcim has established itself as a transparent payment processor since 2006, serving businesses across North America with its ethical approach to merchant services. Founded in Canada by student entrepreneur Nicolas Beique, the company expanded to the United States in 2013 and now processes payments for thousands of businesses seeking honest pricing.

The platform distinguishes itself as an optimal choice for the best payment gateway in USA for small business operations through its tiered pricing structure that automatically reduces fees as your monthly volume increases. For $0-$50,000 in monthly credit card volume, in-person payments are 0.40% plus 8¢, with rates decreasing significantly for higher volumes.

Helcim processes your first $5,000 in payments at no charge, demonstrating its commitment to supporting new businesses. The company maintains PCI Level-1 compliance with 256-bit AES encryption and multi-factor authentication, ensuring enterprise-level security for businesses of all sizes. With comprehensive tools including inventory management, customer relationship features, and seamless integration capabilities, Helcim positions itself as the best checkout gateway for small business owners who value transparency and growth-focused pricing structures.

Square Point of Sale stands as the U.S. market leader in point-of-sale systems, serving over 4 million merchants and processing an impressive $228 billion annually as of 2024. Founded in 2009 by Block, Inc., the platform has evolved from a simple card reader to a comprehensive business management ecosystem that spans across eight countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

The platform's strength lies in its versatility, offering specialized modes for different industries. Restaurant owners benefit from quick order entry and course management, while retail businesses leverage advanced inventory tools and multichannel selling capabilities. Beauty and service businesses can utilize the 24/7 online booking system with automated reminders and no-show protection policies.

Payment gateway list rankings consistently place Square among the top providers due to its transparent flat-rate pricing and comprehensive feature set. The system accepts all major payment types, including credit cards, digital wallets, QR codes, and Cash App Pay, making it adaptable to diverse customer preferences. With offline processing capabilities and real-time reporting through the Dashboard, Square ensures business continuity while providing actionable insights for growth optimization.

Stripe Dashboard serves as the command center for one of the world's most powerful payment platforms, valued at $65 billion and processing an astronomical $1.4 trillion in total payment volume during 2024 alone. Founded by brothers Patrick and John Collison in 2010, Stripe has evolved from a simple payment processor into a comprehensive financial infrastructure powering businesses across 50 countries.

The platform's impressive statistics speak to its global dominance: over 1.5 million active websites currently use Stripe, with half of the Fortune 100 companies relying on its services. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024, Stripe processed over 465 million transactions totaling $31 billion, maintaining an exceptional 99.9999% uptime while handling 137,000 requests per minute at peak volume.

Stripe's strength as an international payment gateway becomes evident through its support for 135+ currencies and 100+ payment methods, including local payment preferences across different regions. The platform automatically handles complex international compliance requirements, from tax calculations across multiple jurisdictions to adhering to regional financial regulations, making global commerce accessible for businesses of any size seeking worldwide expansion opportunities.

Shopify stands as the dominant force in global ecommerce, powering 4.82 million active stores and processing an astounding $292.28 billion in gross merchandise volume during 2024. Founded in 2006 in Ottawa, Canada, the platform has evolved into a comprehensive commerce ecosystem that generated $8.88 billion in revenue in 2024, marking a remarkable 25.77% year-over-year growth.

The platform's international prowess becomes evident through its impressive statistics: Shopify serves over 875 million customers worldwide while maintaining a commanding 30% market share in the US ecommerce software market. With 19 language support and operations spanning multiple continents, Shopify facilitates seamless global commerce for businesses of all sizes.

Shopify Payments, available in 35 countries, processed over $61 billion in Q4 2024 alone, representing a 35% year-over-year increase. This integrated payment solution eliminates the complexity of managing multiple payment processors while offering competitive rates and seamless checkout experiences.

The platform's AI-powered tools enhance every aspect of business operations, from generating professional product descriptions to optimizing conversion rates, making it the best payment gateway for international transactions for merchants seeking comprehensive global commerce solutions.

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PayPal stands as the undisputed leader in global digital payments, commanding a dominant market share in online payment processing worldwide. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Jose, California, PayPal has revolutionized digital commerce by serving 434 million active users across more than 200 countries and territories while processing an astronomical $1.68 trillion in total payment volume during 2024.

The platform's comprehensive ecosystem extends far beyond simple payments, offering integrated financial services including high-yield savings accounts, cryptocurrency trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, Pay in 4 installment options, and a Mastercard debit card earning 5% cash back. With 36 language support and operations spanning the globe, PayPal processes 26.3 billion transactions annually while maintaining its position as the most trusted name in digital payments.

The platform facilitates seamless international transactions by supporting 140+ currencies and providing automatic currency conversion, making it effortless for businesses to expand globally. With revenue reaching $31.8 billion in 2024 and continued innovation in areas like stablecoin (PYUSD) and enhanced fraud protection, PayPal maintains its status, offering unparalleled reach, security, and convenience for both consumers and merchants seeking reliable global payment solutions.

Clover represents a powerhouse in the US point-of-sale market, operating as the largest cloud-based POS firm with an impressive $133 billion in annualized card transactions processed as of 2020. Launched in April 2012 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Clover was acquired by First Data Corporation before becoming part of Fiserv, the world's largest merchant acquirer, in 2019.

The platform serves over 7,554 companies globally, with a dominant 93.88% of customers located in the United States, while maintaining a significant presence in Canada and the United Kingdom. Clover holds a 5.11% market share in the POS systems category, competing directly with industry leaders like Square and Toast while carving out its niche through superior hardware durability and comprehensive business management features.

Clover's strength lies in its comprehensive ecosystem approach, offering everything from the pocket-sized Clover Go mobile reader to full-featured Station Duo systems with dual screens. The platform's App Market provides access to hundreds of third-party integrations covering accounting, marketing, inventory management, and customer relationship tools. With transaction fees ranging from 2.20% to 3.40% depending on processing volume and transaction type, Clover positions itself as a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking robust functionality without sacrificing affordability or reliability in their payment processing infrastructure.

Authorize.Net stands as one of the most established payment gateway providers in the global market, operating since 1996 as a trusted subsidiary of CyberSource, which is now part of Visa. The platform serves over 4,30,000 merchants worldwide, processing millions of transactions daily through its robust infrastructure that supports both online and mobile point-of-sale environments.

The company's mobile application, while currently in maintenance mode, continues to support existing hardware, including audio jack and Bluetooth credit card readers for businesses requiring in-person payment processing. The app enables merchants to accept both swiped and manually entered card payments, manage SKU-based inventory catalogs, calculate sales tax rates, and provide customers with email or printed receipts through Star AllReceipts integration.

Authorize.Net's strength lies in its comprehensive API ecosystem and enterprise-grade security features that have made it a preferred choice for businesses requiring reliable payment processing infrastructure. The platform maintains PCI DSS compliance and offers advanced fraud detection capabilities, making it suitable for businesses across diverse industries, including retail, healthcare, professional services, and e-commerce. Authorize.Net, the best payment gateway in USA, supports Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover, with reliable integrations.

Payline Mobile represents the mobile arm of Payline Data Services LLC, a payment processing company that has carved out a distinctive niche by serving both traditional and high-risk merchant accounts since its establishment. The platform operates as a comprehensive mobile point-of-sale solution that transforms iOS devices into fully functional payment terminals capable of processing EMV chip cards, contactless payments like Apple Pay, and traditional magstripe transactions.

The company serves over 150 businesses globally, with 75.97% of customers located in the United States, while maintaining additional presence in India and the United Kingdom. Payline holds a 0.04% market share in the payments processing sector, competing primarily with established players like Shopify Pay, Amazon Payments, and Klarna. Despite its smaller market presence, the platform distinguishes itself through specialized services for industries often considered high-risk by traditional processors.

Payline's strength lies in its commitment to transparent pricing and flexible terms, offering month-to-month contracts without hidden fees or long-term commitments. The mobile application features comprehensive functionality, including customizable receipts with business logos, transaction history management, inventory tracking capabilities, and integration with various point-of-sale systems, including Clover terminals. Payline, a top online transaction gateway in the US, excels for high-risk businesses with competitive rates and reliable features.

Stax Pay represents the mobile application component of Stax Payments (formerly Fattmerchant), a subscription-based payment processor founded in 2014 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Since its inception, the company has processed over $23 billion in payments for more than 20,000 customers while maintaining an impressive 98% customer satisfaction rate and 99.9% platform reliability.

The platform distinguishes itself through its unique subscription-based pricing model, charging businesses a monthly fee ranging from $99 to $199+ based on annual processing volume rather than taking percentage cuts from transactions. This approach has enabled Stax to help businesses save an average of 40% on credit card processing fees compared to traditional processors. With 300 total employees and $9.4 million in revenue as of 2024, Stax has established itself as a significant player in the fintech space.

Stax's strength lies in its equipment-agnostic approach, working seamlessly with existing POS hardware from providers like Clover, Dejavoo, and SwipeSimple, often reprogramming compatible terminals to work within the Stax ecosystem. The platform offers comprehensive features, including virtual terminals, recurring billing capabilities, advanced analytics dashboards, and API integration for custom solutions.

Finix represents a new generation of payment processing technology, having achieved the elite status of becoming a direct processor connected to all major US card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company has raised over $100 million from prestigious investors including American Express Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Visa.

The platform distinguishes itself through its transparent subscription-based pricing model that eliminates the hidden fees and markups typical of traditional payment processors. With 0% markup on interchange rates, businesses can maximize their revenue while enjoying predictable costs. Finix's technology enables same-day onboarding with integration possible through as few as three API endpoints, making it one of the fastest deployment options available.

As the best international payment gateway for USA businesses, Finix serves companies across the United States and Canada with comprehensive omnichannel payment acceptance. The platform supports both online and in-person transactions through a single integration, offering businesses the flexibility to accept payments across all channels. With PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance built in and advanced fraud prevention capabilities, Finix ensures secure transactions while providing the scalability needed for businesses ranging from startups to publicly traded companies.