How to choose the best payment gateway in the USA

Are you doing business in the USA or plan to enter this demanding market? Well, we met at the right place! A payment gateway is a number-one attribute for seamlessly accepting payments from your customers, but choosing the appropriate one can be a tall order. That's why we decided to guide you by hand through the daunting process of selecting the best payment gateway for your business in USA. Sit back, there's a lot to learn.

What’s a payment gateway for?

We have already described what a payment gateway is, how it differs from a payment processor, and how to integrate it into your website. But in short, a payment gateway is a must-have tool for every business looking to accept various types of digital payments from customers. This technology ensures the security of online transactions through encryption and transfers payment information between all participants in the payment processing.

Your customers' payment experience, the level of data protection, and the availability of payment methods directly depend on the payment gateway you have chosen. And if gaining the trust of US customers is a long and bumpy road, the right payment gateway can make things a lot easier.

What should be the best payment gateway in USA?

The USA ranks as the second largest e-commerce market globally, ahead of Japan and behind China. We can only imagine how many local customers pay for goods or services daily using various digital payment methods. But do you know what special preferences and requirements payment gateways in the US must cover?

Let's take a look at what the ideal payment gateways in US business should look like from both sides: from a customer point of view and a business perspective.

Customer expectations

• Simple checkout

Fast, easy, and hassle-free payments are the only true strategy for retaining a demanding US customer. The checkout you provide should be intuitive and responsive and match your website's look and feel. If your payment page doesn't meet these basic customer needs, they are more likely to find what they want from your competitor.

• Traditional & alternative payment methods

Debit and credit cards are still popular payment methods in the United States, but alternative payment options are gaining ground. To reach more customers on your e-commerce site, you should accept traditional cards along with various payment options such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. Luckily, some of today’s payment platforms enable businesses to accept over 400 payment methods.

• Additional verification

For US customers, as for others, the security of online payments is of critical importance. The best payment gateway in USA should inspire confidence and vigorously protect sensitive data from prying eyes. This can be achieved by introducing additional layers of security, such as 3D Secure authentication.

Business expectations

• Tracking & management tools

The larger the business becomes, the more difficult it is to keep track of all payment processes. That's why forward-thinking companies are looking not only for US payment gateways but for end-to-end solutions that include tools like Analytics and Dashboard to keep everything under control.

• Cross-border payments

35% of US digital shoppers make purchases on overseas sites and marketplaces. This is where international payment methods and multi-currency payments are involved. Therefore, even non-US-based businesses must ensure that the payment gateway is convenient for cross-border transactions and has a dynamic currency conversion feature.

• Crypto payment processing

It’s predicted that 3.6 million American adults will use cryptocurrency to make purchases in 2022, up 68.6% from last year. Agree, this is a convincing enough indicator to make a choice in favour of a payment gateway that offers crypto transaction processing. Cryptoprocessing is highly attractive for any industry, as it takes on conversion and exchange rate risks while attracting a new potential audience.

Top points to consider when choosing a payment gateway for the USA

We hope you’re not overwhelmed with information yet, because it's time to find out what criteria should be used to choose the best payment gateway in USA.

Ease of integration

There are several types of payment gateway integration: hosted, self-hosted, and API or non-hosted. You can decide which integration type is right for you based on what is easier for you to implement and what level of control over your payment infrastructure you prefer.

Flexibility

Your payment gateway should not only support your target audience's payment methods and currencies but also be scalable to add or remove this or that option. This way, you don't have to switch between payment gateway providers as your business grows and overpay for methods you no longer need.

Security

Payment gateways are the main fighters against payment fraud. The best online payment gateway in USA will possess SSL certificates, be Level 1 PCI-compliant, and implement the latest data protection practices to keep you and your customers safe. Plus, your payment gateway must comply with local data privacy acts such as CCPA. Carefully study the Security & Compliance section before signing a contract with a particular provider.

Pricing

Pricing can be a sticking point for many small businesses and start-ups. In addition to the standard monthly and per-transaction fees, factors such as geographic coverage, multi-currency, recurrent billing, and additional tools can affect the price of a payment gateway. However, don't get discouraged — there is a cost-effective solution for any business.

Types of payment gateway providers in the USA

To get a merchant account and payment processing services, you will need to search for payment providers in your area. Not all payment gateway providers are the same, and there are a few different types available in the USA. Knowing their differences can help you choose the best payment gateway for your business. We will shed some light on them.

Merchant account providers

A merchant account provider is a type of payment provider that helps online businesses to set up their merchant account. Their main task is to open a merchant account for you and ensure that payments go there smoothly. However, merchant account providers' services aren't limited to this. They're also responsible for handling credit and debit card transactions, as well as various alternative payment methods, such as e-wallets, direct debits, bank transfers, etc.

Some merchant account providers are more limited in their payment options than others, so it’s crucial to find out which payment types your business needs before committing to a provider. Additionally, look for providers that offer features such as fraud protection, reporting tools, and data encryption services. These features can help you provide a secure checkout experience for your customers.

Third-party processors

A payment processor is an online service provider responsible for handling online payments between merchants and customers. They securely process, authorise, settle, and manage credit card transactions between the merchant's website and issuing bank. Payment processors provide merchants with various features such as fraud protection, customer service, reporting capabilities, and integration with e-commerce platforms. Merchants can choose from many different payment processors depending on their needs. Some processors specialise in particular payment methods, such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay or cryptocurrency payments, while others offer more general services across multiple payment methods.

When choosing a third-party processor for your US customers, please ensure that their payment gateway supports all the payment types you want to accept. Also, check if the third-party processor is compatible with any invoicing software or other systems you use. The processor should have clear terms of service that are easy to understand and transparent fees so that you know what you’re paying for. Lastly, ensure the processor offers secure payment processing and adheres to PCI compliance standards.

Independent Sales Organisations

Independent Sales Organizations (ISO) are third-party companies or individuals that have partnerships with Card Association member banks and provide merchants with payment processing services on their behalf. Their services include accepting online payments, processing invoices, and providing customer support. ISOs typically specialise in one or more payment types, such as credit cards, debit cards, and e-checks. Depending on the ISO, they may be able to support multiple payment providers and payment gateways.

💡 MORE: ISO/MSP guide: what everyone ought to know

When choosing an ISO, it's important to consider the payment types they offer, the payment gateways they support, and the fees associated with their services. It's also beneficial to review what payment gateway offers are available from the ISO. Some payment gateways may offer special discounts for specific types of businesses or for particular payment types. Lastly, checking if the ISO offers customer support is important, as this can be invaluable when setting up your online store.

Top payment gateway providers in the USA

If you are a business in the USA, you have multiple payment gateway providers to choose from. But here's the question: Who provides the best payment processing services in USA? We analysed the latest ratings to clarify the picture.

• PayPal
• Authorize.net
• Stripe
• 2Checkout
• Amazon Pay
• PaySimple
• WePay
• Braintree

Each of these industry players has a lot to offer. But what if we told you that you don't have to pick just one payment system? With the Corefy payment orchestration platform, you can connect as many providers as you want without a hitch and create a unique payment acceptance system tailored to your business needs. Contact us to get it all set!