How to choose a payment gateway
The right payment gateway depends more on how you sell than on any single "best" provider. Work through these steps before comparing quotes.
- Map your sales channels. In-person, online, phone orders, subscriptions — the mix determines which providers even make sense.
- Estimate your volume and average ticket. This is what most quotes are actually based on, whether flat-rate or interchange-plus.
- Decide how much setup effort you can take on. Self-serve, flat-rate platforms get you live faster; full-service acquirers usually need an application and underwriting.
- List the integrations you need. POS system, accounting software, e-commerce platform, or a custom API.
- Get quotes in writing. Ask each provider for the same scenario (volume, average ticket, channel mix) so quotes are comparable.
- Check contract terms, not just the rate. Length, early termination fees, and monthly minimums can outweigh a slightly better headline rate.
Apply it to Elavon: see our Elavon review, pricing guide, and comparisons with Stripe, Square and Worldpay.