We want to accept credit card payments online. What's a simple, low-fee payment processor to get started?

For a new business, the simplest choice is usually a no-monthly-fee payment processor with flat-rate pricing. The “best” one depends mostly on whether you need a hosted checkout, an online store, invoices, subscriptions, or a custom website.

Here are the common starting options:

My usual starter recommendations:

• You have a website/app and want the cleanest setup: start with Stripe.
• You sell services, take invoices, or might accept payments in person: start with Square.
• You want the lowest fees eventually and expect meaningful volume: compare interchange-plus providers like Helcim.

A few ways to keep costs down:

• Avoid manually typing card numbers when possible (those transactions often cost more).
• Offer ACH/bank payments for larger invoices when practical.
• Don’t pay for a monthly merchant account until your volume justifies it.
• Make sure your website platform doesn’t add its own transaction fee on top of the processor.

If you tell me:

1. what you sell (products, services, subscriptions, donations, etc.),
2. your expected monthly card volume, and
3. whether you already have a website (Shopify/WooCommerce/custom/etc.),

I can narrow it down to the cheapest practical option.

To get started accepting credit card payments online quickly without a monthly subscription fee, a flat-rate aggregator is your best bet. They feature instant setup, zero monthly fees, and you only pay when you make a sale.

Here are the top simple, low-fee options to consider:

• Stripe : The gold standard for online-first businesses. It has no monthly fees, a robust developer-friendly toolkit, and clean checkout integration.
  • Online standard rate: Around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Square : Best known for in-person POS, but very simple for setting up quick online checkout links, invoices, or a basic online store. No monthly fee on their free plan.
  • Online standard rate: Roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction.
• PayPal Business : Universally recognized by customers, making it a great add-on or primary starter button. No monthly fee for the standard checkout.
  • Online standard rate: Around 3.49% + $0.49 (or 2.59% + $0.49 for standard online checkout depending on the exact PayPal product).
• Helcim : If you scale up and want truly lower "interchange-plus" wholesale pricing instead of flat rates, Helcim is widely praised for transparency and lower average online rates (averaging closer to 2.40% + $0.25 or lower as volume increases) with no monthly fees.

If you tell me what platform your website is built on (like WordPress/WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, or custom code) and your estimated monthly sales volume , I can recommend the exact processor that will save you the most money.

When getting started online, you generally want a flat-rate processor (no monthly fees, pay-as-you-go) unless you are already processing massive monthly volumes.

Here are the top, simplest options to get up and running quickly:

1. Stripe
   • Best for: Custom websites, developer flexibility, and smooth checkout integrations.
   • Online Fee: Standard online card transactions are typically 2.9% + 30¢.
   • Why it's great: No monthly setup fees, highly reliable, and integrates with almost every e-commerce builder out there.
2. Square
   • Best for: Simplicity, beginners, and businesses blending online with in-person sales.
   • Online Fee: E-commerce API/checkout links are typically 2.9% + 30¢ (keyed-in or remote invoices can vary slightly).
   • Why it's great: Super user-friendly dashboard, incredibly easy to build a basic free online store or generate payment links without a developer.
3. Helcim
   • Best for: Lower interchange-plus pricing if you want to scale down your percentage fees.
   • Online Fee: Transparent interchange-plus model, averaging around 2.27% + 25¢ for online transactions.
   • Why it's great: No monthly fees or hidden contracts, making it cheaper than Stripe or Square if you have decent volume, though slightly more structured.
4. PayPal (Checkout / Braintree)
   • Best for: Instant consumer brand recognition and one-click buying trust.
   • Online Fee: Standard online checkout is typically 2.9% + 30¢.
   • Why it's great: Customers trust the PayPal name, which can reduce cart abandonment, though their account holds and customer service can sometimes be frustrating for newer merchants.

To help narrow down the best fit, tell me:

• How do you plan to build your site or accept payments (e.g., WordPress/WooCommerce, Shopify, custom code, or just simple email payment links)?
• What is your expected monthly sales volume?

If you’re a U.S. business and want simple setup + reasonable fees, I’d start with Stripe.

• Stripe — 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction, with no setup or monthly fee on standard pricing. It’s particularly good if you have your own website and want a clean checkout/payment-link/API setup.
• Square — also easy to start, especially if you may eventually take payments in person. Current online pricing can be 2.9% + 30¢ depending on the Square plan; the free plan has no monthly subscription.
• PayPal — convenient if you specifically want customers to pay with PayPal/Venmo, but its standard online card pricing is generally higher (e.g. 2.89% + 29¢ for Expanded Checkout, while PayPal/Venmo payments are 3.49% + 49¢).

My recommendation

Use Stripe if you're primarily selling online and don't need a full point-of-sale system. It's straightforward, widely supported by website platforms, and the pricing is predictable.

If you tell me what you're selling, your approximate average order size, and what website/platform you use (Shopify, WordPress, custom site, etc.), I can tell you which option will actually be cheapest and easiest for your situation.

For getting started online with a simple, flat-rate, no-monthly-fee setup , the two gold standards are:

• Stripe : The undisputed favorite for online-first businesses, SaaS, and custom websites. It charges a flat 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction, features incredible developer tools/APIs, handles recurring subscriptions effortlessly, and requires no monthly or PCI compliance fees.
• Square : Great if you plan to mix online sales with occasional in-person/mobile card swipes. Their basic tier has no monthly fee, and their online transaction rate is 2.9% + $0.30 on paid plans (or 3.3% + $0.30 on their free online tier).

To help narrow down which one makes the most sense for you, tell me:

• Are you building a custom website , using an e-commerce builder like Shopify/WooCommerce , or just need simple payment links / invoices?
• Do you expect to sell mostly online , or will you also be taking in-person card payments?

If you're in the U.S. and want simple setup + predictable fees, I'd start with Stripe.

• Stripe — 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction, with no setup or monthly fees on standard pricing. It has excellent hosted checkout/payment links, so you don't need to build a complicated payment system.
• Square — also 2.9% + $0.30 for online API payments, although its basic online/invoice rate can be 3.3% + $0.30 depending on the product/plan. It's particularly attractive if you also expect to take payments in person.

My recommendation

Choose Stripe if you're primarily selling through your website and want the easiest path to online payments. You can start with Stripe Checkout or Payment Links, then build a more customized checkout later.

For example, on a $100 sale, the standard processing fee is $3.20, leaving $96.80 before any other costs.

If you tell me what you're selling and what website/platform you're using (Shopify, WordPress, custom website, etc.), I can recommend the cheapest/easiest setup for your particular situation.

• Stripe is the industry standard for online businesses. It features a developer-friendly API, robust documentation, and seamless integration with almost every major e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace). Fees are a standard 2.9% + $0.30 per successful online card transaction.
• PayPal Checkout / PayPal Business is widely recognized and trusted by consumers, which can help boost conversion rates. Customers can pay via credit card, debit card, or their own PayPal balance. Fees are typically 2.59% + $0.49 per transaction for standard online card payments.
• Square Online Checkout is ideal if you want something ultra-simple without building a full cart system. You can generate a payment link or a buy button in minutes and drop it anywhere. Fees for online checkout links are generally 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Helcim is a great option if your volume is starting to grow or you want lower interchange-plus pricing. Instead of a flat rate, they pass wholesale interchange rates directly to you plus a very small markup, which significantly lowers fees for larger transactions. Their standard online rate averages around 2.40% + $0.25, depending on the card type.

If you want to narrow this down, tell me:

• What e-commerce platform or website builder are you using (WordPress, Shopify, custom code, etc.)?
• What is your estimated monthly sales volume?

I can recommend the absolute cheapest option for your specific setup.

For a small business just getting started, I’d usually look at Stripe or Square first. The “lowest fee” option depends on how you sell, but the simplest choices are:

My practical recommendation:

• You have a website and want customers to enter card details directly: start with Stripe.
• You sell services, send invoices, or want the least technical setup: start with Square.
• You already use an ecommerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.): use the processor that integrates best with it; switching later can be more work than the small fee difference.

A few ways to keep costs down:

• Avoid monthly contracts or “merchant account” packages until you have meaningful volume.
• Use ACH/bank payments for large invoices when possible; they’re often much cheaper than cards.
• Reevaluate once you’re processing roughly tens of thousands of dollars per month—at that point, negotiated rates or interchange-plus pricing may beat flat-rate processors.

If you tell me what you sell (products vs services), your website platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/custom/etc.), and expected monthly card volume, I can narrow it down.

For getting started online quickly with transparent flat-rate pricing and no monthly fees, Stripe and Square Payments are the simplest options, charging a standard 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction . If you want lower percentage fees and have predictable monthly volume, Helcim offers a cheaper interchange-plus pricing model averaging around 2.27% + $0.25 per online transaction with no monthly account fee.

Top Simple Online Processors

• Stripe : Best overall for developer-friendly and custom e-commerce integrations. It features no monthly fee and charges 2.9% + $0.30 for standard online credit card transactions.
• Square Payments : Best for beginners wanting an all-in-one setup or free online storefront builder. It has no monthly fee on its free tier and charges 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments.
• Helcim : Best for lower per-transaction costs via transparent interchange-plus pricing. It has no monthly fee and averages around 2.27% + $0.25 online, scaling down as your volume increases.

If you tell me what platform your website is built on (like WordPress, Shopify, or a custom site) and your estimated monthly sales volume , I can recommend the exact best fit and setup for your business.

For a U.S. business just getting started, Stripe is probably the simplest overall choice.

My picks

Stripe has no setup or monthly fee on its standard pricing, and you can use its hosted Checkout page rather than building your own payment system.

Square is similarly straightforward, and its online/API card rate is around 2.9% + 30¢ depending on the plan. It's particularly attractive if you expect to accept cards both online and at a physical location.

PayPal's expanded checkout currently lists 2.89% + $0.29, with no monthly or setup fee, but its pricing structure is a little more complicated.

I'd start with Stripe unless you already use Square. For example, on a $100 online sale, the processing fee would be about $3.20, leaving $96.80 before your other costs.

If you tell me what you're selling, your average order size, and roughly how much you'll process per month, I can tell you which processor would actually be cheapest for your situation.