8 Best Payment Gateways for WooCommerce: Top Picks in 2024

As an e-commerce business owner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when choosing a payment gateway. There are many payment gateways, but some don’t integrate with WooCommerce. Likewise, a few don’t support the payment methods and security features your customers need.

Plus, you need to be mindful of cost. Each payment gateway has its own payment structure – some charge a per-transaction fee, while others have monthly or annual fees. Depending on your product and its value, your payment gateway’s pricing structure could make or break your profit.

You can maximize your investment by choosing a processor that provides you with a payment gateway and other e-commerce features. Payment processors have competitive pricing, making them more affordable than some top payment gateways. I researched dozens of payment processors that integrate with WooCommerce and found the best options.

My top recommendation is Leaders Merchant Services (LMS). This payment processor offers the popular Authorize.net payment gateway and CartManager shopping cart system for your WooCommerce store. LMS also provides comprehensive support for in-person transactions. Plus, it’s affordable: LMS promises to build a custom plan for your business and meet or beat your current pricing. If it can’t, you’ll get a $200 gift card.

What We Look For in the Best Payment Gateways for WooCommerce

Integration with WooCommerce is a given. But aside from that, I focused on the following key features during my research:

• Competitive pricing. While credit card processors have different pricing models, their rates should reflect their benefits and features. I’ve verified that each processor on this list has reasonable rates for e-commerce payment processing.
• A variety of payment methods. Customers, especially those shopping online, want to pay with a method they know and trust. I’ve only included payment processors that can support many top payment methods, including debit and credit card brands like Visa and American Express and digital wallets such as PayPal and Apple Pay.
• Online billing features. Some payment processors can’t support certain types of billing, like subscriptions, recurring payments, digital invoicing, or QR payments. The companies included in my list offer various billing options so your customers can pay on their own terms.
• High security standards. Accepting payments online means you could deal with a variety of fraudulent buyers. I’ve chosen the payment processors on this list specifically for their advanced security measures.
• Support for international transactions. Opening sales to a global audience can help you increase profits. For this reason, I included payment processors that support multiple currencies.

1. Leaders Merchant Services: Budget-Friendly Payment Gateway for WooCommerce

Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) provides the most competitive rates for your business, whether you’re engaged in online sales through WooCommerce or also handling in-person payments. Its personalized approach lets you build a plan with only the needed features. Combined with its budget-friendly interchange-plus rates, including a ~2.9% + 30¢ fee for card-not-present transactions, LMS is ideal if you run a low-volume business.

LMS offers the Authorize.net gateway and CartManager shopping cart integration for online payments. Through Authorize.net, you can process both domestic and international transactions. With CartManager, you can brand your WooCommerce checkout page, translate it into multiple languages, show shoppers real-time shipping rates and tax calculations, and offer coupons. If you also accept payments in person, you may qualify for a free Clover POS.

With an impressive 98% approval rate, LMS is a solid choice for new and high-risk businesses that have trouble gaining approval for a merchant account. You can also get started quickly – LMS often approves merchants within the same day of application.

Features and Benefits

• Wide range of payment methods. LMS is flexible, allowing you to accept major credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Venmo, and more.
• Subscriptions. Through Authorize.net, you can offer subscriptions or memberships via automated recurring billing. You’ll also have access to a dashboard that keeps track of active, inactive, and expiring subscriptions.
• Industry-standard security. LMS uses end-to-end encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive customer information. It has fraud monitoring, detection, and prevention services and an entire department to assist you with chargebacks.
• Programs to engage customers. LMS offers gift cards and loyalty programs, helping build stronger customer relationships, increase loyalty, and promote your business.

To learn more, read our expert Leaders Merchant Services review.

2. Stax: Best for Established Businesses Processing High-Value Tickets Through WooCommerce

In addition to a WooCommerce integration, Stax offers an extensive list of e-commerce tools for US-based businesses, including a one-click shopping cart setup with catalog management and website-hosted payment links. If you’re tech-minded, Stax offers an advanced developer kit to help you build a custom shopping cart for your website.

Stax has no markup on interchange fees, charging a flat monthly fee plus 0% + 10¢ (online) per transaction. If you process a large volume of sales regularly, Stax could save you up to 40% on card processing. Still, Stax comes with a hefty monthly fee starting at $99.00, meaning it’s best for larger or growing businesses processing at least $8,000/month in card sales.

You’ll receive a range of features under one flat monthly subscription, which is helpful if you want to streamline your services and simplify your monthly bills. However, you’ll have to pay an additional $10/month to use the Authorize.net gateway. Stax also doesn’t accept high-risk merchants or new businesses, as you must have at least 3 months of processing history when you apply.

Features and Benefits

• Digital and recurring invoices. You can create and send digital invoices with Stax, plus receive real-time updates for your WooCommerce store. You can also set up recurring invoices for subscription services and schedule payments.
• Intuitive user dashboard. You can manage all your processing information in one place with Stax’s proprietary software. You’ll get a simple yet powerful dashboard that you can use to monitor sales and review customer analytics.
• A suite of integrations. Stax’s e-commerce integrations, such as Mailchimp, HubSpot and Facebook Ads, automate your marketing and simplify your email outreach. Its QuickBooks integration synchronizes sales and automates the reconciliation processes.
• Surcharging. Stax provides free surcharging capabilities through its subsidiary, CardX. This program lets you accept credit cards at zero cost, passing the 3% processing fee to your customers.

To learn more about its solutions, see our expert Stax review.

3. PAYARC: Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway for Businesses Selling Globally

PAYARC integrates with payment gateways that support global payment processing for US-based WooCommerce stores, allowing you to collect payments in 150+ currencies. Additionally, with the dynamic currency conversion feature, you can let customers pay in their local currency. PAYARC also has a proprietary gateway for domestic transactions. Available for only $5/month, it’s five times cheaper than most other options.

PAYARC’s diverse pricing structure can cater to different business needs. With higher sales, you’ll pay a higher monthly fee but lower per-transaction costs starting at 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online). Its Flat Rate plan is perfect for small businesses that process under $7,000 per month. It has no monthly subscription fee and fairly competitive interchange-plus rates of 2.49% + 30¢ (in-person) and 2.9% + 30¢ (online) per transaction.

This payment processor lets you sell online, in person, or over the phone. Integrating WooCommerce with PAYARC is easy, but there’s no built-in shopping cart. If you’re tech-savvy, you can use PAYARC’s robust API and software development kit to customize its payment software to your needs.

Features and Benefits

• Extensive billing features. With PAYARC, you can set up recurring billing and volume tier-based pricing. Its system also allows you to run promotions, automate tax collection, and send invoice reminders.
• Analytics tools. PAYARC provides you with a suite of tools to help you manage and grow your business. That includes real-time sales and payment tracking, data-focused reports, and built-in invoicing.
• Optional fast payouts. With an average time of 24-48 hours as standard, PAYARC already offers one of the fastest payout times in the industry. But for a small additional fee, you can opt for a same-day payout.
• Advanced e-commerce security features. You can restrict transactions based on country, IP address, or bank issuing location and set limits on attempts by IP, customer profile, transaction amount, or sales volume. Additionally, PAYARC provides a tailored chargeback mitigation plan to help minimize chargebacks in your business.

Our expert PAYARC review has more on e-commerce features.

4. ProMerchant: Best for WooCommerce Stores That Handle (Occasional) In-Person Sales

ProMerchant is an effective, flexible option for small businesses selling through different channels, including WooCommerce. Through Authorize.net, ProMerchant offers industry-specific software solutions and e-commerce integrations like Checkfront for tour operators and EZRentOut for equipment and venue rentals. You’ll also get a shopping cart integration and “Buy Now” buttons to simplify the checkout process.

If you sell in person, ProMerchant will provide one free terminal for your business. You can also use the free Payanywhere app and Bluetooth card reader to process payments with just your phone, which is ideal if you open pop-up shops or sell at events occasionally.

ProMerchant can approve your application in as little as two hours. You can sign up for a month-to-month agreement with no early termination, set-up, or application fees. Getting set up is just as quick – you’ll get overnight delivery for your free terminal and next-day access to your e-commerce account. ProMerchant’s interchange-plus pricing model is competitively priced, with monthly fees of around $7.95 and per-transaction fees of 3% + 10¢ (credit).

Features and Benefits

• High-risk merchant assistance. ProMerchant offers high-risk merchant accounts with added fraud mitigation tools. These can help reduce chargebacks and improve your risk rating.
• Free e-commerce features. You get fraud protection features, recurring payment capabilities, and digital invoicing via the Authorize.net payment gateway. Plus, if you need to key in transactions manually, you can access the Payments Hub Virtual Terminal at no additional charge.
• Standard next-day funding. For every transaction you process and settle by 8:30 pm EST, ProMerchant will release the funds the following day. Most payment processors charge extra for this service or require you to wait at least 48 hours for your funds.
• 24/7 customer service. ProMerchant is available to support you no matter the time. While many payment processors only offer limited support during business hours, ProMerchant can help resolve issues whenever you need it.

Discover more features in our full ProMerchant review.

5. Flagship Merchant Services: Discounted WooCommerce Gateway for High-Risk Accounts

Flagship Merchant Services stands out by offering limited access to the trusted Authorize.net payment gateway for a quarter of the gateway’s regular price. It also provides reliable, high-risk payment processing solutions to new businesses and those with less-than-perfect credit scores.

You can easily integrate Flagship’s payment processing with your WooCommerce store, plus opt into same-day payouts for an additional fee. While some processors lock you into a contract and charge an early cancellation fee, you can avoid that with Flagship. If you choose to sign a long-term contract, you can get a free credit card terminal for the duration of the contract, though you’ll have to pay a monthly insurance and maintenance fee.

While Flagship certainly has its benefits, it lacks pricing transparency. When you speak with sales, representatives offer tiered pricing that can be more costly than a transparent interchange-plus plan. If it makes sense for your business, I recommend asking for an interchange-plus plan with monthly fees starting at $7.95 and per-transaction fees of 3.58% + 0.19¢ (in-person) since Flagship is open to negotiation.

Features and Benefits

• Value-added services. Flagship is one of a select group of payment processors that can support a variety of business-growing solutions, including gift card and loyalty programs. You can opt out of the gift card and loyalty programs anytime without a cancellation fee.
• iAccess business management. Your account comes with iAccess 3.0, a business management and reporting tool that helps you track your business activity. It allows you to review sales, analyze customer behavior, assess online reviews, and compare your business to the competition.
• ePayments. Flagship allows you to easily add “Buy Now” or “Donate” buttons to your website, which is helpful if you sell items in limited quantities. It’s also a great option if you operate a non-profit, especially since WooCommerce has relevant features such as the ability to add a donation to product purchases.
• Top-tier security. Aside from being PCI compliant, Flagship is also GDPR and CCPA compliant. By abiding with these regulations, Flagship ensures your customers get the highest level of privacy and security. You can also access additional security and fraud prevention features, like AVS and CVV2, through Authorize.net.

Our in-depth Flagship Merchant Services review has more.

6. CreditCardProcessing.com: Best for WooCommerce Shops Processing Many Micropayments

CreditCardProcessing.com offers a few pricing models, including a flat-rate plan. This pricing model suits online shops that sell many low-priced items. With monthly subscriptions as low as $15.00 and transaction fees starting at 0% + 30¢ (Starter), you don’t need a very high processing volume – as you would with Stax – to find its subscription-style plans beneficial.

I do find CreditCardProcessing.com’s interchange-plus plans confusing. While its per-transaction rate seems low at 0.30% + 0.10¢, there are extra fees for customer service, American Express card processing, and other services that are typically free with other processors.

That said, CreditCardProcessing.com’s interchange plans give you limited access to Authorize.net for only $7.95/month. You need to calculate all the extra fees to see if the discounted gateway rate actually saves you money. In most cases, you will likely negotiate a better interchange deal at Leaders Merchant Services.

Features and Benefits

• Breach security. Every merchant receives data breach insurance, covering up to $100,000 in financial losses from potential breaches in CreditCardProcessing.com’s systems.
• Surcharging. With its surcharging program, CreditCardProcessing.com lets you retain 100% of your sales by passing a processing fee of up to 3% to card-paying customers.
• Level 1 PCI compliance. While some processors charge hundreds of dollars annually for PCI compliance, CreditCardProcessing.com provides Level 1 PCI compliance with your monthly membership.
• Free training. Once you sign up with CreditCardProcessing.com, you’ll be eligible to receive free training from its customer support representatives. If you’re new to e-commerce, this can be a valuable service to get you started.

Read our expert CreditCardProcessing.com review for more on pricing.

Other Notable Payment Gateways for WooCommerce

7. Chase Payment Solutions℠

Chase Payment Solutions suits small e-commerce shops that require fast access to their funds. You can use its services on flexible, monthly contracts without a monthly fee, which is ideal if you struggle with unpredictable sales volumes. Furthermore, its integration with the widely respected Authorize.net enables a seamless and secure WooCommerce transaction process.

To fully benefit from some features, including same-day payouts, you must open a business checking account with Chase, which incurs extra costs. Additionally, it doesn’t help with PCI compliance, meaning you’ll have to figure out how to stay compliant on your own. Nonetheless, for small shops facing cash flow challenges, Chase’s free same-day funding feature can be a financial lifeline and allow you to keep operations running smoothly.

8. Square

Square is great for low-risk online businesses looking to streamline their operations with WooCommerce. As a WooCommerce partner, Square lets you manage your entire business from one dashboard, offering a unified system for inventory, sales, and customer data. You can even establish an online presence with the free version of Square Online.

However, Square doesn’t work with high-risk merchants. These businesses could face sudden account termination, disrupting operations and losing customers’ trust. Moreover, Square’s premium e-commerce plan can be costly, and its hard-to-reach customer support is a significant drawback when you need timely assistance. That said, low-risk online shops can benefit from Square’s free WooCommerce features and cost-effective rates.

I Found the Best Payment Gateway for WooCommerce

The ideal payment processor for your business should do far more than just integrate with WooCommerce. It should simplify payment processing and offer the best e-commerce features, security tools, and sales management software to help you grow.

Leaders Merchant Services is my top recommendation if you’re looking for affordable, customized pricing. It integrates with the trusted Authorize.net gateway, which provides additional security and digital invoicing features. It also offers low rates for online transactions, which is ideal for businesses handling a low volume of card sales. Plus, its meet-or-beat guarantee ensures you’ll get the best payment processing deal.

Consider PAYARC if you sell internationally. PAYARC’s integrations with global payment solutions and reasonable rates for foreign transactions make it a reliable option for US-based WooCommerce stores with a worldwide consumer base. If you’re tech-savvy, you can customize PAYARC’s solutions via its API and software development kit.

If you sell at the occasional pop-up shop and in-person as well as through WooCommerce, ProMerchant is a great option. It gives you free access to the Payanywhere app to process remote payments and a free terminal for in-person transactions.

On top of integrating with Authorize.net, ProMerchant provides the Payments Hub Virtual Terminal at no extra cost. Plus, its services are available on flexible month-to-month contracts.

FAQ

Which is the best payment processor for WooCommerce?

The best payment processor will depend on your unique needs. For example, if you own a small business and are concerned about budget, you’ll want to consider LMS. Alternatively, you should consider Stax’s offering if you’re a more established business and process a high volume of card transactions.

How do I set up recurring billing on WooCommerce?

To set up recurring billing for a subscription service, you’ll need to use a credit card processor that can support this function. For example, PAYARC provides a suite of digital invoicing tools at no additional cost, while CreditCardProcessing.com partners with Vindicia to easily set up and process recurring payments.

How do I add more payment methods to my e-commerce store?

Your payment processor determines which payment methods you can accept. For example, Leaders Merchant Services offers multiple methods, including all major credit and debit cards, popular digital wallets, ACH, and bank transfers.

Do I need a payment gateway for WooCommerce?

Yes, you’ll need a payment gateway to accept payments via your WooCommerce store. You’ll get a payment gateway and other e-commerce features like shopping carts and one-click checkouts by choosing a top payment processor. For example, Stax provides a multitude of e-commerce integrations with top marketing and accounting platforms.