Last Updated on August 3, 2026 by Ewen Finser
Many e-commerce sellers use Merchant One for credit card processing without any issue. However, others find that the company’s fee transparency is lacking, and the costs often run higher than intended.
Even though the site lists out qualifying rates and monthly fees, the fine print states that your merchant processing agreement overrides the published rates, usually translating to higher fees than advertised. There are also numerous complaints from business owners who were locked into three-year contracts and had to pay early termination fees to get out.
The good news is that there are plenty of other payment processors you can use to get the job done.
Merchant One Alternatives: At a Glance
Online Card Fee | Monthly Subscription Fee | Customer Support | Best For | |
Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | None | Live chat | Developers |
Luqra | As low as 2.3% + $0.20 | None | Phone, online form | Rapid growth |
Helcim | Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25, volume discounts available | None | Phone, support ticket | Volume discounts |
Finix | Interchange + $0.15 | Starting at $250/month | Email | High-volume processing |
Elavon | Starting at 2.9% + $0.30 (standard); 1.9% + $0.25 for Costco members | None | Phone | Costco member discounts |
Stripe: Best for Developers
Stripe has become the default payment processor for many e-commerce merchants. It’s been around since 2009, and over time, it’s proven itself as a trusted leader in the space. Its flat-rate fee structure makes it easy to forecast costs and prepare budgets, and its developer documentation is second to none, containing detailed guides to accepting online payments, implementing prebuilt checkouts, and building a marketplace. There are plenty of options for the payout speed as well, with the most common being daily payouts.
Fees
Stripe doesn’t charge any monthly or annual subscription fees. Instead, you’ll pay a set fee per transaction. Stripe offers both standard and custom pricing, but standard will be sufficient for most sellers.
Here’s what you’re looking at with Stripe’s standard pricing:
- Online cards and digital wallets: 2.9% + $0.30
- Additional 1.5% for international cards
- Additional 1% for currency conversion
- In-person cards and digital wallets: 2.7% + $0.05
- Additional 1.5% for international cards
- Additional $0.10 for Tap to Pay
Integrations
Currently, the Stripe App Marketplace lists over 600 software integrations, covering accounting, billing, compliance, analytics, fraud, logistics, marketing, productivity, and other areas.
Customer Support
Stripe offers 24/7 customer support via a live chat — the company doesn’t have a dedicated customer service email or phone number published on its site. For developers, there’s an official Stripe Developers Discord server.
However, despite advertising round-the-clock assistance, many users have trouble getting in contact with the company or face delayed responses. Stripe also relies heavily on AI support, so it can take a while to connect with a human.
Pros
- Predictable flat-rate pricing
- Thorough developer documentation
- Hundreds of app integrations
Cons
- Merchants could face account freezes or holds due to rapid scaling
- More expensive than some competitors
- No email or phone support
Luqra: Best for Rapid Growth
Luqra is similar to Stripe in that it has a strong e-commerce focus, but it’s more friendly to growing businesses and is less prone to issues that come with sudden spikes in volume, such as holding funds or freezing your account. It’s also willing to work with certain high-risk industries that Stripe isn’t.
Luqra additionally offers accelerated funding times, and if you’re approved, you could access same-day or next-day funding.
Fees
Luqra advertises “meet or beat” rates, no rate increases, and no hidden fees. The exact fees are customized to your business, but here are the costs you could face:
- Online: As low as 2.3% + $0.20
- In-person: As low as 2% + $0.10
You can also use Luqra’s cash discount program for $99/month, which lets you pass card fees on to your customers.
Integrations
Currently, Luqra can integrate with 24 third-party platforms, including Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
Customer Support
Luqra offers 24/7/365, U.S. phone support. That’s the main way you can get in touch with someone at the company, but you can also fill out an online form.
Pros
- Supports rapid scaling
- Committed to keeping fees low
- 24/7/365 U.S. phone support
Cons
- Not as well-known as some other processors
- Fewer integrations than some competitors
- No live chat support
Helcim: Best for Volume Discounts
While Helcim specializes more in in-person payments, working extensively with businesses in the automotive and retail industries, it’s an appropriate choice for e-commerce as well. You can also use Helcim to create an online store, which you can customize quickly without needing to code.
Helcim is committed to fast funding, with the standard funding time for card deposits being 1–2 business days. However, it also supports next-business-day funding for batches up to $25,000.
Something unique that Helcim offers is their Contract Buyout Program, helping you get out of an existing contract with another processor by covering up to $500 in cancellation fees.
Fees
Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing, so the exact fees will depend on the card network, transaction amount, and other factors. However, the general charges you’re looking at are:
- Online: Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25
- In-person: Interchange + $0.40 + $0.08
Note that these fees are for businesses with payment volumes of up to $50,000 monthly. Beyond this, there are volume discounts available.
Helcim also supports surcharging, where you can pass either online or in-person card fees on to your customers at no charge to you.
Integrations
Helcim can connect with over 70 external platforms, covering common areas like accounting, booking, billing, project management, and e-commerce — but not all these integrations are live yet. Helcim also syncs with several platforms in niche industries, such as healthcare and automotive.
Customer Support
You can get in touch with Helcim’s support team through phone or by submitting a ticket. Phone support is available Monday through Saturday. Notably, the company doesn’t use any customer service bots, and their team is 100% in-house.
Pros
- Volume discounts available
- Contract Buyout Program covers up to $500 in cancellation fees
- Offers phone support
Cons
- Interchange-plus pricing can be unpredictable
- More of a focus on in-person processing
- Fewer integrations than some competitors
Finix: Best for High-Volume Processing
Finix has been around since 2015, and while it supports both in-person and online processing, it’s commonly used in e-commerce. It supports industries that some other processors won’t take on, like CBD, digital wallets, lending, nutraceuticals, supplements, and iGaming. It’s highly developer-friendly with extensive documentation, including guides for low-code and no-code solutions.
Finix has several available payout speeds, including standard next-day ACH, same-day ACH, and instant payouts for those who are eligible. Instant payouts can also deliver funds within seconds for a premium.
Fees
Unlike many other processors, Finix operates under a subscription-based model, charging a monthly fee (depending on volume) that starts at $250/month. Subscription-based models like this can potentially be costly for certain low-volume businesses, and Finix is upfront about specializing in businesses processing at least $5,000 per month.
Finix uses interchange-plus pricing, with additional transaction fees of:
- Online: $0.15
- In-person: $0.08
However, businesses processing over $1 million annually should sign up for a custom plan, where pricing will be tailored to your business.
Integrations
There are several ways to integrate Finix into your store or app, such as using third-party plugins, no-code payment links, low-code integration, and API-driven integrations. Plugins are the easiest way to get started, including WooCommerce (built by Finix), CheckoutChamp, Evervault, and Fyntek.
Customer Support
Finix has 24/7 email support available. There’s no phone support available, but you can request a callback if desired.
Pros
- Can be an inexpensive option for high-volume businesses
- Supports industries that other processors may not
- Strong developer documentation
Cons
- Not appropriate for low-volume businesses
- Limited plugin integrations
- No phone support
Elavon: Best for Costco Member Discounts
Elavon, owned by U.S. Bank, has been around for over 30 years and is one of the most established payment processors out there. It’s used by both in-person and online businesses, and it’s especially popular among Costco members due to its discounted pricing. Businesses of all sizes can use it, from local mom-and-pops to global enterprises.
For funding, Elavon provides plenty of options. The standard timeline is between one and three business days, but there are a few alternatives available to you: Fast Track Funding (next business day), True Daily Funding (within hours, including holidays and weekends), and On Demand Funding (within minutes).
Fees
Unlike most other processors, Elavon uses tiered pricing as its default, although interchange-plus pricing is also available.
Here are the rates for qualified transactions under its tiered pricing:
- Standard:
- Online: 2.9% + $0.30
- In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
- Costco members:
- Online: 1.9% + $0.25
- In-person: 1.1% + $0.12
Integrations
The site “WorksWith Elavon” contains a directory of all the software solutions that integrate with the processor. Currently, there are 60 listed, and they cover products like POS systems, e-commerce solutions, payment gateways, and accounting platforms.
Customer Support
The main way to contact Elavon’s customer service team is via phone, which is available 24/7/365.
Pros
- Has been around for decades
- Rate discounts for Costco members
- 24/7/365 customer support
Cons
- Tiered pricing is usually more expensive than interchange-plus or flat-rate
- Not transparent about mid-qualified and non-qualified rates
- Heavy focus on in-person processing
So, What’s the Best Merchant One Alternative for E-commerce?
If you’ve decided to step away from Merchant One, there are a range of alternatives to consider.
For many e-commerce businesses, Stripe does the trick because it’s widely used and has predictable flat-rate pricing. For those scaling rapidly or in high-risk industries, it could be better to try Luqra instead, as there’s less of a risk of account holds and freezes.
If you’re processing a high volume of payments each month, you might choose Helcim for its volume discounts or Finix for its subscription-based pricing. However, those in high-risk industries like nutraceuticals and iGaming would likely have more luck with Finix over Helcim. And if you’re a Costco member and like the idea of Elavon’s discounted pricing, it could be worth a shot as well.