Reviews
Stax
Stax is a fantastic subscription-based credit card processing service that offers affordable transaction fees, intuitive payment software, and e-commerce functionality to cover all aspects of your business. While it has its flaws, high-volume businesses can save money with Stax over a processor with a traditional fee-only payment model.
Jira
Jira Software already offers a great set of core features, but when seamlessly combined with Atlassian’s other products, it provides an ideal project management solution for larger teams. While this project management tool focuses on software developers and IT professionals, it still offers decent functionality for other Agile, Scrum, or Kanban teams.
Chase Payment Solutions
Chase Payment Solutions℠ offers same-day funding that sets it apart from the competition. But depending on your business needs, this might not be enough to make it worth your money. Its e-commerce features and flat rate pricing make it an ideal choice for small- to mid-sized businesses, but it could prove expensive as you grow.
Helcim
Helcim isn’t perfect – it doesn’t offer accounts for “high-risk” industries and you can’t use third-party card readers. However, it’s not a bad place to start if you have a new, low-volume business and you need support as you grow. With cheap hardware, fantastic e-commerce software, and discounted rates, Helcim’s a good choice for your first card processor.
Bonsai
Although Bonsai’s project management capabilities are very basic, it makes up for this with its fantastic contract builder, automated invoicing, and CRM capabilities. If you’re happy to pay slightly more per seat, Bonsai is an excellent choice for freelancers and small agencies looking for an all-in-one workflow management solution.
ProMerchant
ProMerchant has a lot to offer small businesses. With quick approvals, next-day payouts, high-risk merchant accounts, and a choice of two payment models including a zero-cost processing plan, ProMerchant makes getting paid quick and easy for any business.
Merchant One
With a 98% approval rate and an advertised 24-hour setup time, Merchant One is a good choice for new businesses. You’ll get great modern hardware, secure e-commerce software, and highly competitive interchange-plus pricing. However, Merchant One’s lack of transparency and lack of unique features doesn’t exactly help it to stand out from the competition.
Pay.com
Pay.com has a lot to offer new or small e-commerce-only businesses thanks to its flat rate pricing, user-friendly software, and a (promised) long list of payment methods. However, mid- to high-volume businesses, as well as anyone needing to take more than the occasional in-person payment, will likely feel held back with this processor.
UENI
UENI’s done-for-you website building and editing service is a good choice if you don’t have time to manage your website. On top of that, the Lifetime Deal is an affordable option if you don’t need any ongoing support. However, you’ll be locked into a basic (yet easy-to-use) website editor with limited customization options.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net’s payment gateway is one of the best. With fantastic security features and plenty of integrations, you’ll get everything you need to power your e-commerce business. That said, there’s very little support for in-person payments. If you want to use Authorize.net, I recommend using a certified reseller like Leaders Merchant Services to get a complete payment...
Blog Posts
10 Best MySQL Database Hosting (Cheap but Reliable) in 2025
MySQL hosts can store text-based data for your CMS at a low price. However, they may neglect the optimization or maintenance of the database storage server to accommodate that low price. Your websites would then suffer from slow loading speeds and even downtime. Other hosts may make you pay for a bunch of extra features you don’t necessarily need and then "cheap hosting”...
Best Completely FREE Cloud Hosting Services [2025]
Many hosting providers claim to offer free cloud hosting, but there’s always a trade-off. While free-forever cloud hosting does exist, it’s difficult to trust a hosting provider that claims to offer its resources with no strings attached. Even the few that are trustworthy have extremely restrictive resource limits. That’s why I only recommend trying free cloud hosting...
7 Best Cheap Windows Hosting Providers: Reliable in 2025
Finding cheap Windows Server hosting you can actually rely on can be a struggle. Because of Microsoft’s licensing fees, Windows hosting is always going to be more expensive than hosting with free, open-source Linux. If you’re a small business or freelance developer working on a limited budget, this extra cost can be frustrating. However, you can still get a good deal on...
How Much Does It Cost To Build a Website? [2025 Analysis]
The real cost of building a website varies widely depending on several factors. Different methods suit different business needs, knowledge levels, and budgets. With the rise of website builders, freelance platforms, and content management systems (CMSs), there are now more options than ever before. On average, you can expect to invest around $25/month for a full-featured...
Hostinger vs IONOS – Which is Better Value for Money in 2025?
Hostinger and IONOS often appear together on lists of the best web hosts, but which one is the better choice overall? To find out, I set them head-to-head, testing their pricing, performance, security, and support. Surprisingly, it wasn't a tight race. Hostinger was the clear winner, thanks to its predictable long-term pricing, its easy setup, and more. In my tests,...
10 Best PHP Hosting Services (With Developer Support) in 2025
It’s not hard to find a web host that supports PHP. What is hard, however, is finding a high-quality host that offers you all the developer tools you need to securely manage your PHP applications. You’ll also want a host that provides support for the latest PHP versions and allows you to switch between versions when necessary. I researched and tested dozens of services to...
Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Google Analytics 4 [2025 Update]
I feel like it’s a bit of an understatement to say that Google Analytics 4 can be overwhelming – it’s a lot to take in even if you have previous experience with website analytics. It’s not always easy to figure out which reports matter most to you and your website, and you don’t want to miss out on information that could mean better decisions and more money in your...
Website Accessibility Guide: Requirements & Tips for 2025
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability – that’s approximately 1 in 6 people. While accessibility has become interwoven with good user experience (UX) design, there are often many issues remaining that most website owners and managers simply don’t know about. If your site isn’t accessible, it...
15 Best Website Monitoring Tools (5 Are FREE) in 2025
Monitoring your website used to be a complicated matter, but not anymore. These days, there are quite a few easy-to-use website monitoring tools that make the process simple and accessible. Some of these tools are even free, which is great news for small businesses or individuals that are just getting started. As with any type of free service, it can be hard to know which...
Squarespace Accessibility: How To Get ADA Compliance [2025]
Website builders are supposed to take the hassle out of building websites, but they often fall short with regards to accessibility. I know – this is the last thing you want to hear when you’re trying to find the easiest way possible to get your business online. But with ADA-related litigation on the rise, it’s essential that you understand how to make your website...
eBay vs Shopify: Are Marketplaces or Platforms Better in 2025?
Ask any brick-and-mortar business whether it’s best to open their own location or sell their product in a major supermarket, and you’ll get very different answers. The e-commerce sphere isn’t all that different. As with supermarkets, online marketplaces offer a convenient solution for reaching customers ready to shop. And, like opening your own location, setting up an...
5 Best (Affordable) Website Builders for Webcomics in 2025
As good as website builders are, it can be tricky to find one that can give your webcomic the platform it deserves. After all, you’ll need a builder that provides good blogging tools and enough storage space to upload and display all your images without compromising on quality. You’ll likely want the ability to set up an online store so you can get paid for your hard...
Shopify vs Amazon: Which Is Best for E-Commerce in 2025?
Choosing between Shopify and Amazon for your e-commerce platform is like comparing a stall at a farmer’s market and half a shelf in a major supermarket. That’s because Shopify is an e-commerce platform and website builder, while Amazon is an online marketplace. There are pros and cons to using either (or both!) platforms. You have complete control over your Shopify store,...
How To Dropship on Shopify: The Beginner’s Guide [2025]
Whether you’re looking at breaking into e-commerce or building a profitable side hustle, there’s a good chance you’ve considered dropshipping. Thanks to the lower cost of entry and the reduced risk you face if your store doesn’t work out, it’s a great alternative to “traditional” e-commerce for beginner entrepreneurs. But as with any entrepreneurial venture, you need a...
Wrike vs monday.com: Different Teams, Different Uses [2025]
The project management software you should use depends on how big your team is. While some software platforms are better suited for smaller teams, there are very few that can work for both. Having spent a week thoroughly testing both platforms, I found this to be the biggest difference between Wrike and monday.com. While Wrike focuses on larger teams and projects,...
Edited Posts
8 Best WordPress Hosting for Beginners in 2025
WordPress is, as you probably know, one of the most popular website building platforms on the web. Thousands upon thousands of sites have been successfully and, more importantly, easily built on it. It doesn't take a tech guru to use it, which is one of the reasons it’s so popular. However, starting anything new can be an anxious, stress-filled experience. Starting...
10 Best SiteGround Alternatives: Fast Budget Hosting in 2025
You’re likely aware that after your first term with SiteGround, the price of your hosting tends to skyrocket. Many tend to panic as renewal comes over the horizon, switching to SiteGround alternatives that are cheaper overall, but end up being slower. Other alternatives that are good-looking on the surface reveal themselves to be harder to manage, or missing features you rely...