Under about $30k a month in card sales: no monthly fee, short commitments and simple pricing weigh more.
Weigh more here than in the overall ranking: what leaving in month 12 costs, contract term, no equipment lease you can't cancel, automatic renewal, equipment works with another processor, and published pricing.
The ranking
Helcim
By Helcim
Helcim's interchange-plus pricing with automatic volume discounts: in person, interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ up to $50k a month, down to interchange + 0.15% + 6¢ at the highest volume. No monthly, PCI, statement or batch fee, month-to-month with no cancellation fee, and an optional credit card surcharge (Fee Saver) at no extra fee.
RTC SCORE
8.1
#1 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Published interchange-plus markup with automatic volume discounts: 0.40% + 8¢ in person up to $50k a month, lower above that.
- No monthly, PCI, statement, annual or batch fee, and no cancellation fee: month-to-month.
- Fee Saver credit card surcharge with no program fee: your customers pay 3% on credit cards and you keep paying the normal rate on debit. In person it currently works only on the Helcim Smart Terminal.
Cons
- No integration with restaurant POS systems such as Toast, Square, Clover or Lightspeed is documented; in-person payments run on Helcim's own app and devices (or its terminal API).
- Online and keyed-in payments carry a higher markup: 0.50% + 25¢ up to $50k a month.
- Support isn't 24/7: phone Monday to Friday 7 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM, Mountain Time.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant, what leaving in month 12 costs, and published pricing. Weakest on 24/7 support.
Square
By Square
Square's card processing, built into Square for Restaurants: flat rates from 2.6% + 15¢ in person on Square Free (2.5% on Plus and 2.4% on Premium), with no PCI, statement or chargeback fees, month to month and with no early termination fee. Its surcharge only covers in-person credit card sales.
RTC SCORE
7.5
#2 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Its rates and main fees are published: 2.6% + 15¢ in person on Square Free, with no monthly, PCI, statement, chargeback or inactivity fee.
- Month to month, with no early termination fee: you end it by deactivating your account.
- Deposits the next business day at no extra cost for payments taken before 8 p.m. ET, and instant transfers for 1.95%.
Cons
- The surcharge only covers in-person credit card sales: debit and online sales keep Square's rate, and it isn't available in Connecticut, Maine or Massachusetts.
- Online payments cost 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free and keyed-in cards 3.5% + 15¢; the lower in-person rates require Square Plus ($49) or Premium ($149) per location.
- 24/7 phone support only with Square Premium; on Square Free, phone support is weekdays 6 am to 6 pm PT and only for the first 90 days.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant, what leaving in month 12 costs, and published pricing.
North (Payanywhere)
By North
North's flat-rate processing through Payanywhere: 2.69% in person and 3.49% + 19¢ keyed in or online through its invoices and links, with plans from $0 a month, next-day deposits (same day at no cost for early batches) and a dual pricing program. Once you pass $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network you move automatically to a 3-year agreement, at fees set at that time, whose early termination fee is the fees left in the term, at least $295.
RTC SCORE
6.6
#3 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Next-day deposits by default and same-day at no cost for batches closed by 10:30 a.m. ET, and technical support around the clock.
- A published in-person rate of 2.69% with no per-transaction fee, and no PCI fees under PCI Plus.
- Works with other POS systems, and offers a dual pricing program.
Cons
- Above $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network you move automatically to a 3-year agreement, at fees set at that time, whose early termination fee is the fees left in the term (at least $295), which North can estimate from your volume.
- A payment page on your own website is priced by quote, and the dual pricing program's fees aren't published.
- Its devices only process through North, and smart terminals add a monthly software fee per device.
- Initial term
- 36 months
Strongest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant, published pricing, and standard deposit speed. Weakest on what leaving in month 12 costs.
Chase Payment Solutions
By JPMorgan Chase
Chase's merchant services. QuickAccept, which comes with Chase Business Complete Checking, charges 2.6% + 10¢ in person, 3.5% + 10¢ keyed in and 2.9% + 25¢ online, with no monthly fee and same-day deposits; standalone terminal accounts start at $9.95 a month and their contract terms aren't published.
RTC SCORE
5.3
#4 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Publishes its rates and QuickAccept's full fee schedule: no monthly, PCI, statement or batch fees.
- Same-day deposits into your Chase business checking account at no extra cost.
- QuickAccept's terms have no minimum term or early termination fee, and fee changes come with 30 days' notice.
Cons
- QuickAccept only works with a Chase Business Complete Checking account ($15 a month unless waived, for example with $2,000 a month in QuickAccept deposits).
- The QuickAccept phone line is open weekdays only, not 24/7.
- The terms and other fees of standalone terminal accounts set up with an advisor aren't published.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on what leaving in month 12 costs, standard deposit speed, and published pricing. Weakest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant.
Wells Fargo Merchant Services
By Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo's merchant services on Clover devices: 2.60% + 15¢ in person and 3.50% + 15¢ online or keyed in under $40,000 a month, lower from $40,000 and $80,000, plus $9.95 a month per location and a $10 monthly PCI fee. It publishes no early termination fee and deposits the next business day into a Wells Fargo account.
RTC SCORE
5.3
#5 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Rates drop automatically as your monthly volume grows, in three published tiers.
- Publishes every fixed fee: $9.95 a month per location plus $10 for PCI, with no fees for chargebacks, downgrades or voice authorizations.
- No early termination fee or monthly minimum, per Wells Fargo.
Cons
- With equipment or a gateway not from Wells Fargo, in-person payments may be charged the online or keyed-in rate.
- Deposits arrive the next business day at the earliest, into a Wells Fargo business account.
- The terms behind the offer aren't linked from its pages, so the length of the term, renewal, holds and price-change rules aren't public.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on what leaving in month 12 costs, published pricing, and standard deposit speed. Weakest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant.
PayPal POS
By PayPal
PayPal's point of sale (formerly Zettle): 2.29% + 9¢ in person, 3.49% + 9¢ keyed in and 2.99% + 49¢ for payment links, with no monthly fee, month to month. Sales land in your PayPal balance in minutes; moving them to your bank takes 1 to 3 business days. It only works with the PayPal POS app.
RTC SCORE
5.1
#6 for Small restaurants
Pros
- A published in-person flat rate of 2.29% + 9¢, with no monthly fee.
- Month to month: the user agreement lets you close the account without cost.
- Hardware bought once: $79 for the card reader (less for your first one) and $199 for the all-in-one Terminal.
Cons
- Card payments in person only work with the PayPal POS app, which isn't built for restaurants.
- Getting money to your bank takes 1 to 3 business days, unless you pay 1.5% for an instant transfer.
- PayPal can place reserves and holds, and raise rates up to 5% with 30 days' notice on accounts it sees as risky.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on what leaving in month 12 costs, published pricing, and 12-month cost of the reference restaurant.
Shopify Payments
By Shopify
Shopify's built-in processing for Shopify POS and its online store: from 2.6% + 10¢ in person and 2.9% + 30¢ online on the Basic plan ($39 a month), with lower rates on pricier plans, month to month. Deposits take 3 to 5 business days. Shopify POS is built for retail, not restaurants.
RTC SCORE
4.9
#7 for Small restaurants
Pros
- Month to month, with 30 days' notice before fee changes.
- One system for in-person and online sales, with no PCI, statement or setup fees.
Cons
- You pay a Shopify plan on top of the card rates ($39 a month on Basic).
- Shopify POS is built for retail: the industries Shopify lists for it don't include restaurants.
- Its card readers only work with Shopify Payments, and POS Pro is billed yearly for 12 months.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on what leaving in month 12 costs, published pricing, and 24/7 support. Weakest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant.
SumUp
By SumUp
SumUp's flat-rate card readers: 2.6% + 10¢ in person and 3.5% + 15¢ online or keyed in, with a $0 monthly plan, no chargeback fee and no monthly minimums. Deposits take 1 to 2 business days (next day to a SumUp Business Account). Its optional paid POS plans require 12-month contracts.
RTC SCORE
4.3
#8 for Small restaurants
Pros
- No monthly fee with card readers or POS Lite, no chargeback fee and no monthly minimums.
- Hardware bought once: the Plus card reader is $54.
- Next-day payouts to the SumUp Business Account, which has no monthly fee.
Cons
- 3.5% + 15¢ online and keyed in.
- Card payments only work through SumUp's own app or POS, which isn't built for full-service restaurants.
- Paid POS plans lock you into 12-month contracts that renew automatically.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on what leaving in month 12 costs, published pricing, and contract term. Weakest on 12-month cost of the reference restaurant.
Not enough verified data to rank
We only rank a processor once we've verified enough of its key facts. These are listed so you know we looked at them.
This is general information about published contracts, not legal advice: read your own contract and check with a lawyer before you sign.