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Most Square alternatives charge a percentage of each payment plus a fixed amount. In current U.S. published examples, Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic online card transactions; Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 online and 2.6% + $0.10 in person on its Basic plan; PayPal’s card-present starting rate is 2.29% + $0.09; and Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing with a disclosed markup. The cheapest option for your business depends on where customers pay, your average ticket, card mix, monthly volume, subscription and hardware costs, and whether you accept wallets or international cards.
How payment-processing fees are built
A processing quote normally has two parts: a percentage of the transaction and a fixed fee in cents. A $10 payment is affected much more by a 30-cent fixed fee than a $100 payment, even when both have the same percentage rate. Some providers add a monthly software subscription, terminal or reader charges, gateway fees, chargeback fees, currency-conversion costs, or separate fees for specific payment methods.
Rates also change by channel. Card-not-present payments, such as an online checkout, are generally priced differently from card-present payments accepted by a reader or terminal. A fair comparison therefore uses your actual mix instead of comparing one provider’s online rate with another provider’s in-person rate.
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Flat-rate pricing
Flat-rate pricing publishes one or more simple formulas, such as 2.9% + $0.30. It is easy to forecast and usually suits small or moderate-volume businesses that value predictable billing. The trade-off is that the rate may not fall when your volume rises or when your customers use lower-cost card types.
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- Get your money as soon as the next business day.
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Interchange-plus pricing
Interchange-plus passes through the underlying card-network interchange cost and adds the processor’s percentage and fixed markup. The total changes with the card, transaction type, and channel. It can be attractive at higher volume or with a favorable card mix, but it requires actual transaction modeling; a lower advertised markup does not guarantee a lower bill for every merchant.
Subscriptions and separate costs
A subscription can replace some per-transaction margin, as with Stax’s interchange-plus plans, while other providers include basic processing in a free or bundled software tier. Hardware is often separate. A quote should show processing, software, hardware, gateway, chargebacks, refunds, international acceptance, and currency conversion as separate line items.
Published U.S. fee examples from major Square alternatives
The figures below are current U.S. examples cited for 2026. They are not interchangeable: some are starting rates, some apply only to a particular channel or card type, and some providers use custom or reseller pricing.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Provider | Online or card-not-present | In-person or card-present | Monthly or fixed costs | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Varies by payment type | 2.6% + $0.15 for swiped magstripe cards | Square Free has no monthly subscription; paid plans and custom rates may apply | Mostly flat rate, with custom pricing at higher volume |
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic cards | Standard pricing is online-focused; in-person payments use separate products and rates | No setup or monthly fees on standard pricing | Flat rate; custom volume and interchange-plus options are available |
| Shopify Payments | Basic 2.9% + $0.30; Grow 2.7% + $0.30; Advanced 2.5% + $0.30 | Basic 2.6% + $0.10; Grow 2.5% + $0.10; Advanced 2.4% + $0.10 | Basic $39/month, Grow $105/month, Advanced $399/month when billed monthly | Plan-based flat rate |
| PayPal and Zettle | Expanded checkout 2.89% + $0.29; PayPal Checkout cards 2.99% + $0.49; PayPal or Venmo 3.49% + $0.49 | Starting rate of 2.29% + $0.09 | First card reader $29; terminal $199 | Channel- and payment-method-specific |
| Helcim | Interchange plus a processor percentage and fixed markup; total depends on card and channel | Interchange plus a processor percentage and fixed markup | Its fee guide describes no monthly software fee; hardware costs extra | Interchange-plus |
| Clover | Priced by reseller and plan | Priced by reseller and plan | Processing is separate from software and device costs, which vary | Contract- and reseller-specific |
| Stax | Interchange-plus with a subscription | Interchange-plus with a subscription | Comparison data lists plans from about $99/month | Subscription plus interchange-plus |
What Stripe charges
Stripe’s straightforward online benchmark is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic-card transaction. Standard pricing has no setup or monthly fee. The quoted figure applies to domestic online card payments; international cards, currency conversion, disputes, alternative payment methods, and in-person products can change the total.
Example cost
On a $100 domestic online card sale, 2.9% is $2.90 and the fixed fee is $0.30, for a processing charge of $3.20 before any other applicable service. On a $10 sale, the same formula produces $0.59, or 5.9% of the ticket. That difference is why average order value matters when comparing providers.
When Stripe may fit
- Businesses that primarily sell online and want a published, pay-as-you-go starting rate.
- Merchants that may later request custom volume pricing or interchange-plus pricing.
- Teams willing to evaluate separate products and rates for in-person payments instead of assuming the online formula applies to a reader.
What Shopify Payments charges
Shopify Payments ties its processing rate to the Shopify plan. On the cited U.S. monthly-billing schedule, Basic costs $39 per month, Grow $105, and Advanced $399. Online card rates are 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, 2.7% + $0.30 on Grow, and 2.5% + $0.30 on Advanced. In-person rates are 2.6% + $0.10, 2.5% + $0.10, and 2.4% + $0.10, respectively.
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- Get your money as soon as the next business day.
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- Works with Apple devices with a Lightning connector.
| Plan | Monthly price shown | Online rate | In-person rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/month | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.6% + $0.10 |
| Grow | $105/month | 2.7% + $0.30 | 2.5% + $0.10 |
| Advanced | $399/month | 2.5% + $0.30 | 2.4% + $0.10 |
The lower transaction rate on a higher plan is not automatically a saving. You must recover the extra subscription cost through enough payment volume. For example, moving from Basic to Grow raises the monthly subscription by $66. The online percentage falls by 0.2 percentage points, so the processing break-even point based only on that percentage difference is about $33,000 in monthly online card volume ($66 ÷ 0.002). The calculation excludes any other plan features, taxes, discounts, or payment types.
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PayPal uses different formulas for different checkout methods. The cited U.S. examples are 2.89% + $0.29 for expanded checkout, 2.99% + $0.49 for PayPal Checkout card payments, and 3.49% + $0.49 when customers pay with PayPal or Venmo. For card-present payments through its Zettle offering, the starting rate is 2.29% + $0.09.
That card-present starting rate is lower than the listed PayPal-wallet rate because the payment method is different. Do not apply 2.29% + $0.09 to online PayPal or Venmo transactions. The first card reader is listed at $29 and a terminal at $199, so include hardware when comparing an in-person setup.
Illustrative ticket comparison
| Payment formula | Fee on a $10 sale | Fee on a $100 sale |
|---|---|---|
| 2.29% + $0.09 | $0.32 | $2.38 |
| 2.89% + $0.29 | $0.58 | $3.18 |
| 2.99% + $0.49 | $0.79 | $3.48 |
| 3.49% + $0.49 | $0.84 | $3.98 |
These calculations apply only the published formulas and do not add refunds, disputes, hardware, subscriptions, taxes, or other service charges.
What Helcim’s interchange-plus model means
Helcim discloses an interchange-plus structure: the underlying interchange amount is combined with a processor percentage and a fixed per-transaction markup. The exact total depends on the card and channel, so there is no single Helcim percentage that can be fairly compared with Stripe’s flat online rate.
The fee guide describes no monthly software fee, while hardware costs extra. To estimate your bill, obtain a statement-level quote or use your actual transaction data. Group transactions by channel and card type, apply the relevant interchange, then add the disclosed percentage and cents markup. Include authorization, refund, dispute, and cross-border items if they appear in the proposal.
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When interchange-plus can help
- Monthly volume is high enough that small markup differences materially affect cost.
- Your card mix contains a meaningful share of lower-interchange debit or regulated categories.
- You can export transaction data and audit the statement rather than relying on a single headline number.
Why it is not automatically cheaper
Interchange changes by card, network, rewards category, entry mode, and other qualification details. A small business with low volume or mostly expensive rewards cards may not save enough to offset the complexity. Compare a modeled monthly total, not just the processor’s markup.
What Clover and Stax charge
Clover
Clover does not publish one universal processing rate. Its pricing page states that payment-processing fees are priced separately, and the final terms depend on the reseller and plan. Software and device costs also vary. Ask for the acquiring bank, contract length, early-termination terms, monthly minimums, PCI fees, batch fees, and the exact in-person and online formulas before signing.
Stax
Stax combines interchange-plus processing with a subscription. Comparison data cited for this guide lists plans from about $99 per month. The subscription can make sense when predictable processing margins and substantial volume outweigh the recurring fee. A low-volume merchant should calculate the subscription as part of the effective rate: add the monthly fee to expected processing costs, then divide by monthly processed volume.
Which Square alternative is cheapest?
There is no universal winner because the answer changes with channel, ticket size, volume, and plan. Use this decision framework instead of sorting by the lowest percentage.
Choose a flat-rate benchmark when simplicity matters
Stripe is a clear online benchmark at 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic cards, with no standard monthly fee. It is easy to budget for online sales, but you should request the applicable rate for in-person products and any non-domestic or alternative payment method you accept.
Choose plan-based pricing when your store platform is central
Shopify Payments offers lower transaction rates on Grow and Advanced, but the monthly subscription rises from $39 to $105 and then $399 on the cited schedule. Model the break-even volume before upgrading solely for payment savings.
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Choose channel-specific pricing when you take many in-person payments
PayPal’s cited card-present starting rate is 2.29% + $0.09, while its online formulas vary by checkout method. This can be relevant to a business whose sales are primarily face to face, provided the reader or terminal cost and the actual payment mix fit your operation.
Choose interchange-plus only after modeling statements
Helcim and Stax require more analysis. Helcim describes no monthly software fee but adds a disclosed markup to interchange; Stax adds a subscription listed from about $99 per month in comparison data. Both can reward volume, but neither can be ranked from a single percentage alone.
Treat reseller pricing as a quote, not a menu price
Clover’s processing is separately priced and reseller dependent. Compare the complete written offer with the other providers’ totals, including every recurring and per-event charge.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to calculate your real monthly cost
- Measure your mix. Record monthly online, keyed, tap, chip, and swiped volume; transaction count; average ticket; refunds; and chargebacks.
- Separate payment methods. Identify domestic credit, debit, digital-wallet, international, and currency-converted transactions. Use the provider’s formula for each category.
- Apply percentage and fixed fees. For each category, multiply volume by the percentage and add the fixed cents amount times the number of transactions.
- Add recurring costs. Include Shopify’s plan price, a Stax subscription, any paid software tier, gateway charges, monthly minimums, and required compliance services.
- Add equipment and one-time costs. Spread readers, terminals, installation, or replacement costs over the period you expect to use them. PayPal’s cited hardware examples are $29 for the first reader and $199 for a terminal.
- Add exceptions. Include chargeback, refund, international, currency-conversion, and alternative-payment fees where they apply.
- Divide by processed volume. Your effective rate is total monthly payment cost divided by monthly processed sales. Also calculate cost per transaction to expose the effect of fixed cents.
Simple spreadsheet formulas
For a flat-rate category, use total fee = (sales volume × percentage) + (transaction count × fixed fee). For a subscription plan, use effective rate = (total fee + monthly subscription) ÷ sales volume. For interchange-plus, replace the single percentage with the sum of each card category’s interchange and the processor’s percentage and fixed markup.
Common comparison mistakes
- Comparing online with in-person rates. A card-present quote does not describe an ecommerce checkout.
- Ignoring the cents charge. Fixed fees dominate small tickets and high transaction counts.
- Calling a starting rate guaranteed. PayPal’s 2.29% + $0.09 is a starting card-present rate, not a universal price for every payment.
- Forgetting plan subscriptions. Shopify’s lower rates require higher plans; Stax requires a subscription.
- Assuming interchange-plus is always cheaper. Card mix and volume determine the result.
- Assuming a reseller quote is portable. Clover terms depend on the reseller and plan.
- Using a U.S. figure in another country. The examples here are U.S. rates and can change. Confirm the country-specific schedule before switching.
- Leaving out hardware. A low processing rate can be offset by a terminal, reader, or required device package.
Questions to ask before switching processors
- Which exact rate applies to online, keyed, chip, tap, and swiped transactions?
- Are debit, rewards, commercial, international, wallet, and currency-converted payments priced differently?
- What monthly subscription, minimum, gateway, PCI, batch, refund, and chargeback fees apply?
- Is the quoted rate promotional, a starting rate, or a recurring contractual rate?
- Does the price require a particular software plan, contract term, equipment lease, or reseller?
- How are disputes, failed payments, partial refunds, and authorization reversals charged?
- Can the provider offer custom volume pricing, and what transaction history is required?
Bottom line
Use the rate that matches your sales channel, then calculate the full monthly bill. Stripe provides a simple 2.9% + $0.30 online domestic-card benchmark; Shopify trades higher monthly plans for lower published rates; PayPal separates card-present, card, and wallet pricing; Helcim and Stax require interchange-plus modeling; and Clover requires a reseller-specific quote. The lowest headline percentage is only a bargain after fixed fees, subscriptions, hardware, card mix, and volume are included.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
