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Payment processing guides
Plain answers about card payments, with sources linked and the date each guide was last checked.
Credit card processing fees, explained
Interchange, network fees and markup, with Visa's published 2026 rates, a worked $100 example and ways to pay less.
How to accept credit card payments
Your options, what you need to apply, the setup steps, what it costs, and the mistakes that lead to holds.
What is a merchant account?
Who's involved, how it differs from a Stripe-style account, and what underwriting checks.
What is a payment gateway?
How a card payment moves through a gateway in seconds, the ways to connect one, and what it means for PCI.
Payment processing companies compared
13 providers' published rates, monthly fees, dispute fees and payouts, each linked to its own website.
Stripe alternatives
When another provider fits better, which ones to look at, and how to switch without losing saved cards.
High-risk merchant accounts
What makes a business high-risk, the documents to prepare, and how Visa's and Mastercard's limits work.
Credit card processing fee calculator
The fee on a sale, what to charge to keep a set amount, and flat-rate versus interchange-plus by the month.