{"id":9021,"date":"2026-07-08T22:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T05:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/?p=9021"},"modified":"2026-07-09T15:22:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:22:32","slug":"10-online-payment-gateways-compared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/10-online-payment-gateways-compared\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Payment Gateways: The 10 Best for Your Website, Compared"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The checkout is where your website either earns money or quietly leaks it. Global retail e-commerce sales hit an estimated $6.4 trillion in 2025, per <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emarketer.com\/content\/worldwide-retail-ecommerce-forecast-2025\">eMarketer<\/a> \u2014 and every one of those transactions passes through a payment gateway on its way to someone&#8217;s bank account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The way people pay has changed fast, too. Digital wallets now account for 56% of global e-commerce transaction value, per <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldpay.com\/en\/global-payments-report\">Worldpay\u2019s Global Payments Report<\/a> (2026) \u2014 which means your gateway needs to handle Apple Pay and Google Pay as gracefully as it handles a Visa card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide explains what a payment gateway actually does, how to choose one, and compares the 10 best options for a small-business website, with current published pricing where available, verified in July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<h2>Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/h2><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-an-introduction-to-payment-gateways\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Payment Gateway?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A payment gateway is the service that securely captures a customer\u2019s card or wallet details at checkout, encrypts them, and passes the transaction to payment processors and banks for approval. It\u2019s the online equivalent of a card terminal, and most modern providers bundle the gateway, processing, and fraud protection into one service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll sometimes see \u201cpayment gateway\u201d and \u201cpayment processor\u201d used interchangeably. Technically, the gateway collects and encrypts the payment details, while the processor moves the money between banks. In practice, the services most small businesses use \u2014 Stripe, PayPal, Square, and the rest of this list \u2014 handle both jobs under one roof, one contract, and one fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why not just email an invoice? Because a good gateway does three things you don\u2019t want to do yourself: it keeps you on the right side of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcisecuritystandards.org\/\">PCI DSS security standards<\/a>, it screens for fraud, and it lets customers pay the way they prefer \u2014 card, wallet, or bank \u2014 without leaving your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-to-consider-when-choosing-a-payment-gateway\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How To Choose a Payment Gateway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evaluate every candidate against the same five factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-security\">Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every gateway on this list is PCI DSS compliant and encrypts payment data end to end, so the real differences are in fraud tooling: look for machine-learning fraud screening (like Stripe Radar or Authorize.net\u2019s Advanced Fraud Detection Suite), 3D Secure support, and clear chargeback processes. People won\u2019t hand card details to a checkout that feels sketchy \u2014 and neither should you.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single__related-article\">\n\t<span>Related Article<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"single__related-article__wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single__related-article__title\">\n\t\t\tEverything You Need To Know About WordPress Security (+20 Hardening Tips)\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/secure-your-wordpress-website\/\" class=\"btn btn--sm btn--brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cost\">Cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most gateways charge a percentage plus a fixed fee per transaction \u2014 around 2.9% + 30\u00a2 is the standard flat rate for online card payments in the US. But the headline rate isn\u2019t the whole bill: check for monthly gateway fees, dispute and chargeback fees, international card surcharges, and payout timing. If you process serious volume, interchange-plus pricing (like Helcim\u2019s) usually beats a flat rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accepted-payment-methods\">Accepted Payment Methods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The easier you make it to pay, the more sales you close \u2014 and with digital wallets now more than half of global e-commerce value, \u201ccards only\u201d is leaving money on the table. Make sure your gateway supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, and \u2014 depending on your audience \u2014 PayPal, Venmo, buy-now-pay-later, and local payment methods for the countries you sell into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-compatibility\">Compatibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your gateway should plug into your platform with an official, maintained integration. If you run WordPress with WooCommerce, nearly every option below has an official plugin \u2014 one of them (WooPayments) is built directly into the WooCommerce dashboard, and only enterprise-tier Worldpay expects a sales conversation instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-payment-location\">Payment Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some gateways complete the transaction on your site; others redirect customers to a hosted payment page and back. On-site checkout feels more seamless and on-brand; hosted checkout shifts more of the security burden to the provider. Cart abandonment averages just over 70% of all started checkouts, per <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/baymard.com\/lists\/cart-abandonment-rate\">Baymard Institute<\/a> (2026) \u2014 every extra step or surprise works against you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-selecting-a-payment-gateway\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 10 Best Online Payment Gateways, Compared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the short version \u2014 published standard rates for online card payments in the US, as listed on each provider\u2019s pricing page in July 2026. (Rates change; always confirm on the linked pricing pages.) These aren\u2019t ranked best to worst: they\u2019re ordered roughly from most broadly useful for a typical small-business site to the most specialized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Gateway<\/th><th>Standard online rate*<\/th><th>Monthly fee<\/th><th>Best for<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Stripe<\/td><td>2.9% + 30\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Custom checkouts, subscriptions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PayPal<\/td><td>3.49% + 49\u00a2 (PayPal checkout)<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Buyer trust, fast setup<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Square<\/td><td>3.3% + 30\u00a2 (free plan)<\/td><td>$0 (paid plans lower the rate)<\/td><td>Selling online + in person<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>WooPayments<\/td><td>2.9% + 30\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>WooCommerce stores<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Braintree<\/td><td>2.89% + 29\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Cards + PayPal + Venmo in one stack<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Amazon Pay<\/td><td>2.9% + 30\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Express checkout add-on<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Authorize.net<\/td><td>2.9% + 30\u00a2<\/td><td>$25<\/td><td>Existing merchant accounts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Helcim<\/td><td>Interchange + 0.50% + 25\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Higher-volume savings<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2Checkout (Verifone)<\/td><td>3.5% + 35\u00a2<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>Global digital goods<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Worldpay<\/td><td>Custom quote<\/td><td>Varies<\/td><td>Enterprise \/ omnichannel<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">*Published US online card rates as of July 2026, from each provider\u2019s pricing page (linked below).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-stripe\">1. Stripe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/stripe.com\/pricing\">Stripe<\/a> is the default choice for anyone who wants full control over the checkout experience. Its developer tools and documentation are the best in the business, and the feature set runs deep: subscriptions, marketplace payments, machine-learning fraud screening (Radar), 135+ currencies, and even stablecoin payments (USDC) at 1.5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 2.9% + 30\u00a2 per successful domestic card transaction, with no setup or monthly fees. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> the deepest features assume you (or a plugin) can work with its API, and flat-rate pricing isn\u2019t the cheapest at high volume. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official WooCommerce Stripe extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-paypal\">2. PayPal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/us\/business\/paypal-business-fees\">PayPal<\/a> is still the gateway your customers already trust \u2014 and letting shoppers pay from an existing PayPal (or Venmo) account can measurably lift conversions. Setup is instant, with no underwriting wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 3.49% + 49\u00a2 for PayPal-branded checkout; 2.99% + 49\u00a2 for standard card payments. No monthly fee, but disputes cost $15 each. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> the priciest headline rate on this list, and merchant account holds are a recurring complaint. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official PayPal Payments plugin for WooCommerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-square\">3. Square<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/squareup.com\/us\/en\/payments\/our-fees\">Square<\/a> shines when you sell both online and in person: one dashboard, one inventory, and free point-of-sale hardware options that sync with your website automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 3.3% + 30\u00a2 online on the free plan (in-person: 2.6% + 15\u00a2); the online rate drops to 2.9% + 30\u00a2 on paid Plus and Premium plans. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> that free-plan online rate is higher than Stripe or PayPal\u2019s card rate, and risk-based account holds happen. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official Square for WooCommerce plugin with inventory sync.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-woopayments\">4. WooPayments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/woocommerce.com\/document\/woopayments\/fees\/\">WooPayments<\/a> is WooCommerce\u2019s first-party gateway, built on Stripe\u2019s infrastructure. If your store runs on WordPress, it\u2019s the shortest path to taking payments: everything \u2014 transactions, disputes, deposits \u2014 lives inside your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 2.9% + 30\u00a2 per online US card transaction (+1.5% for international cards), pay-as-you-go with no monthly fees. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> WooCommerce-only, and because it runs on Stripe rails it\u2019s subject to similar risk-based holds. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> it <em>is<\/em> the official WooCommerce gateway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-braintree\">5. Braintree (PayPal Braintree)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/us\/enterprise\/paypal-braintree-fees\">Braintree<\/a>, PayPal\u2019s developer-oriented platform, accepts cards, PayPal, Venmo, and Apple\/Google Pay through a single integration \u2014 a nice consolidation play for stores that are outgrowing a basic setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 2.89% + 29\u00a2 for card and third-party wallet transactions, no monthly fee (Venmo transactions are priced separately, at 3.49% + 49\u00a2). <strong>Caution:<\/strong> requires an application and PayPal underwriting \u2014 not instant like its parent \u2014 and it\u2019s more than a simple store needs. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> supported through PayPal\u2019s official WooCommerce extensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-amazon-pay\">6. Amazon Pay<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pay.amazon.com\/help\/201212280\">Amazon Pay<\/a> (the successor to the old \u201cAmazon Payments\u201d) lets shoppers check out on your site using the cards and addresses already saved to their Amazon account \u2014 a strong trust shortcut for first-time visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 2.9% processing + 30\u00a2 authorization per domestic web transaction, no monthly fee. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> it only helps buyers who have Amazon accounts \u2014 treat it as an express-checkout add-on that runs beside your primary gateway. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official Amazon Pay for WooCommerce plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-authorize-net\">7. Authorize.net<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorize.net\/sign-up\/pricing.html\">Authorize.net<\/a>, owned by Visa, is the veteran of this list. It\u2019s a stable gateway that works with almost any merchant account, which makes it the flexible pick if you already have processing relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 2.9% + 30\u00a2 all-in-one, or 10\u00a2 per transaction (plus a 10\u00a2 daily batch fee) if you bring your own merchant account \u2014 but every plan carries a $25 monthly gateway fee. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> that fixed monthly cost is exactly what low-volume sellers avoid by choosing Stripe, Square, or PayPal. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official WooCommerce extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-helcim\">8. Helcim<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helcim.com\/pricing\/\">Helcim<\/a> is the value pick for growing stores: instead of a flat rate, it charges interchange-plus pricing with automatic volume discounts, and it charges no monthly, PCI, or cancellation fees at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> interchange + 0.50% + 25\u00a2 for online transactions up to $50K\/month, with the margin shrinking automatically as volume grows. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> interchange-plus statements are harder to read than a flat 2.9%, which can throw beginners. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official WooCommerce integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-2checkout-verifone\">9. 2Checkout (now Verifone)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.2checkout.com\/pricing\/\">2Checkout<\/a> (acquired and rebranded by Verifone) specializes in global selling: many currencies, local payment methods, and a merchant-of-record model that handles international tax and compliance for digital goods and SaaS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> 3.5% + 35\u00a2 per sale on the base 2Sell plan; 4.5% + 45\u00a2 on the subscription-focused 2Subscribe plan. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> noticeably pricier than US-focused gateways \u2014 worth it for global digital sellers, overkill for a US-only shop. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> official WooCommerce plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-worldpay\">10. Worldpay<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldpay.com\/en\/enterprise\">Worldpay<\/a> became part of Global Payments in a deal that closed in January 2026. It remains the enterprise workhorse: massive scale, omnichannel processing, and support for practically every payment method and market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pricing:<\/strong> custom-quoted; there\u2019s no simple published rate card. <strong>Caution:<\/strong> built for enterprise contracts; most small businesses will be happier higher up this list. <strong>WordPress:<\/strong> integrations exist, but this is an enterprise sales conversation, not a plugin install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-happened-to-the-old-names\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happened to WePay, Dwolla, and the Other Old Names?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier versions of this guide compared several gateways that no longer make sense for a small-business website. If you\u2019re researching an older recommendation, here\u2019s where they ended up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>WePay:<\/strong> acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2017; Chase wound down WePay during 2024, with payment processing ending mid-year. Effectively gone as an independent gateway.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dwolla:<\/strong> pivoted to a business-to-business, account-to-account payments API. No longer a checkout option for consumer websites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Merchant e-Solutions:<\/strong> sold to private-equity firm Integrum in 2022; survives as a niche merchant acquirer, not a mainstream small-business gateway.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Simplify Commerce (Mastercard):<\/strong> closed to new merchants in 2025 and removed as a WooCommerce payment option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Masterpass and Android Pay:<\/strong> folded into Click to Pay and Google Pay, respectively.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stripe\u2019s Bitcoin support:<\/strong> ended in 2018; Stripe\u2019s current crypto play is stablecoin (USDC) payments at 1.5%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-payment-gateway-faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Payment Gateway FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gateway-vs-processor\">What\u2019s the difference between a payment gateway and a payment processor?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The gateway securely captures and encrypts payment details at checkout; the processor moves the money between banks. Modern providers like Stripe, Square, and PayPal bundle both into one service with one fee, so most small businesses never deal with them separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-do-i-need-a-merchant-account\">Do I need a merchant account to accept payments online?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not anymore. Providers like Stripe, Square, PayPal, and WooPayments are payment aggregators: they supply the underlying merchant account, so you can sign up and start selling the same day. A dedicated merchant account (paired with a gateway like Authorize.net) mainly makes sense for high-volume or higher-risk businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cheapest-way-to-accept-payments\">What\u2019s the cheapest way to accept payments on a website?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For low volume, any no-monthly-fee flat-rate gateway (Stripe, WooPayments, PayPal\u2019s card rate) keeps costs simple at roughly 2.9%\u20133% plus 30\u00a2\u201349\u00a2 per sale. Once you process a few thousand dollars monthly, interchange-plus pricing like Helcim\u2019s usually works out cheaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-multiple-payment-gateways\">Can I offer more than one payment gateway?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, and you probably should: a primary card gateway plus express options like PayPal and Amazon Pay is a common, conversion-friendly combination. WooCommerce lets you enable several gateways side by side and let customers pick at checkout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stripe-or-paypal\">Is Stripe or PayPal better for a small website?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stripe wins on price, flexibility, and checkout control; PayPal wins on buyer familiarity and instant setup. Many stores run both \u2014 Stripe (or WooPayments) for card payments, PayPal as the express option \u2014 and let the data decide which earns its place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-online-payment-solutions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pair Your Gateway With Hosting That Keeps Checkout Online<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A payment gateway can only close the sale if your site is up and fast when the customer\u2019s ready to buy. Choose the gateway that fits how you sell, offer an express option beside it, and revisit the math as your volume grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whichever gateway you choose, DreamHost\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/hosting\/\">web hosting<\/a> keeps the storefront side covered: unmetered bandwidth, free SSL certificates (essential for any checkout), daily automated backups, and one-click WordPress, with WooCommerce just a plugin away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"article-cta-shared article-cta-small\"\n>\n    <div class=\"tr-img-wrap-outer jsLoading\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-img-lazy \" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder-x2.webp 2x\"  alt=\"Ad background image\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"content-btm\">\n    <h2\n      class=\"h2--md\"\n    >\n      You Choose the Payment Gateway, We&#8217;ll Power Your Site\n    <\/h2>\n    <p\n      class=\"p--md\"\n    >\n      We&#8217;ll make sure your website is fast, secure, and always up so your visitors can pay online.\n    <\/p>\n\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/hosting\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Get Started                    <\/a>\n\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The checkout is where your website either earns money or quietly leaks it. Global retail e-commerce sales hit an estimated $6.4 trillion in 2025, per eMarketer \u2014 and every one of those transactions passes through a payment gateway on its way to someone&#8217;s bank account. The way people pay has changed fast, too. Digital wallets [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1047,"featured_media":19475,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"Online Payment Gateways: The 10 Best for Your Website, Compared","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"Online payment gateways compared: verified 2026 pricing and trade-offs for Stripe, PayPal, Square, WooPayments, and 6 more \u2014 plus how to choose.","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"Online Payment Gateways: The 10 Best for Your Website, Compared","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"Online payment gateways compared: verified 2026 pricing and trade-offs for Stripe, PayPal, Square, WooPayments, and 6 more \u2014 plus how to choose.","toc_headlines":"[[\"h-an-introduction-to-payment-gateways\", \"What Is a Payment Gateway?\"], [\"h-what-to-consider-when-choosing-a-payment-gateway\", \"How To Choose a Payment Gateway\"], [\"h-selecting-a-payment-gateway\", \"The 10 Best Online Payment Gateways, Compared\"], [\"h-what-happened-to-the-old-names\", \"What Happened to WePay, Dwolla, and the Other Old Names?\"], [\"h-payment-gateway-faqs\", \"Payment Gateway FAQs\"], [\"h-online-payment-solutions\", \"Pair Your Gateway With Hosting That Keeps Checkout Online\"]]","hide_toc":false,"show_updated_at":"1","footnotes":""},"categories":[550,804],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","category-web-hosting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - 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