How we chose
How this guide is written and ranked
Every comparison in this guide judges each entry on the same stated criteria, using published figures quoted exactly as their sources state them.
Last updated: Published by Avendo
Is this guide independent?
No. The Card Fee Field Guide is published by Avendo, a credit card processing platform, and Avendo appears in some comparisons. We say so on every comparison page, describe Avendo with the same kinds of facts as every other entry, and never claim it is better on a point the facts do not show.
The rules we follow
- Same criteria for every entry. Each comparison names its criteria in a visible “How we chose” section near the end of the page.
- Published figures only. Rates and statistics come from named public sources and are quoted with their conditions, such as “in-person” or “example”. We do not round them.
- No invented evidence. We do not publish testimonials, reviews, ratings or savings claims that were not supplied or published. Worked examples are labeled as illustrations.
- Neutral about others. We describe other providers and pricing models only with neutral, published facts.
- Ranked lists explain themselves. On the ranked list of cost strategies, each entry states why it holds its position. Avendo's approach, routing, is ranked third, not first.
Sources we use
- NerdWallet, Credit Card Processing Fees: A 2026 Guide for Businesses
- Revolution Payments, Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026
- Clearly Payments, How to Lower Your Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026
- Paystand, Flat Fee Credit Card Processing: Simple Payments
- business.com, The Best Credit Card Processors of 2026
- PCI Security Standards Council
Facts about Avendo come from Avendo itself and its website, avendo.tech. These include: it routes each transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time, works with existing checkout pages, serves small businesses through enterprises, does not bill merchants directly, and works exclusively with PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways.
What this guide does not do
This guide does not test or audit processors, and it does not rank named processing companies against each other. It does not give legal, tax or financial advice; questions about surcharge rules should be checked with your processor and local authorities. Calculator results are estimates based on the figures you enter.
Back to the credit card processing cost guide