Best Payment Processing (2026)

Accept payments seamlessly with the best payment processors for businesses of all sizes.

5 tools tested | Updated monthly | Independent reviews

Buyer's Guide

Payment processing is critical infrastructure — the wrong choice costs you sales and revenue. Stripe dominates for online/SaaS businesses with developer-first APIs. Square leads for in-person retail with free POS software. PayPal adds buyer trust that increases conversion rates. Key factors: total transaction cost (rate + fees + hidden costs), supported payment methods, fraud prevention, payout speed, and international capabilities.

All Payment Processing Reviewed

Stripe

Rating: 4.7/5 | Editor's Choice | Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

The developer-friendly payment platform powering millions of businesses.

  • Best-in-class API
  • 135+ currencies
  • Subscription billing built in

Wise

Rating: 4.5/5 | Pricing: From 0.4% per transfer

International money transfer with real mid-market exchange rates.

  • Real mid-market rate
  • Transparent fees from 0.4%
  • Multi-currency account (40+ currencies)

Square

Rating: 4.4/5 | Pricing: 2.6% + $0.10 in-person

All-in-one payment and business management platform.

  • Free POS software
  • Complete business ecosystem
  • No monthly fees

Authorize.Net

Rating: 4.1/5 | Pricing: $25/mo + 2.9% + $0.30

Veteran payment gateway by Visa with broad merchant support and fraud detection.

  • Extremely reliable
  • Broad merchant support
  • Strong fraud tools

PayPal Business

Rating: 4.1/5 | Pricing: 2.99% + $0.49 per transaction

The world's most recognized online payment platform.

  • 435M+ active accounts
  • Buy Now Pay Later included
  • 100+ currencies

Popular Comparisons

Our Testing Methodology

We evaluate payment processors by processing real transactions across card types and payment methods, measuring actual costs (including hidden fees), payout timing, fraud detection accuracy, and integration complexity. We test checkout conversion rates with A/B studies where possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best payment processing in 2026?

Based on our testing, Stripe is our top pick with a rating of 4.7/5.

How do we evaluate payment processing?

We evaluate payment processors by processing real transactions across card types and payment methods, measuring actual costs (including hidden fees), payout timing, fraud detection accuracy, and integration complexity. We test checkout conversion rates with A/B studies where possible.

Are your payment processing reviews independent?

Yes. While we may earn affiliate commissions, our editorial team tests every product independently. Ratings are never influenced by commercial relationships.

How often are reviews updated?

We re-test and update our payment processing reviews at least quarterly to ensure accuracy.

How does Stripe compare to Wise?

Stripe (4.7/5) and Wise (4.5/5) are both top-rated. Read our detailed comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.