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Avendo

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Credit card processing for small business, without the guesswork

Credit card processing for small business is the service that lets your online store accept card payments, and Avendo routes each of those payments to the processor offering the best available rate in real time.

Avendo provides credit card processing for e-commerce businesses, starting with small businesses. Its platform connects your existing checkout to multiple PCI DSS-compliant payment processors, picks the best available rate for every transaction, and gives you clearer pricing and processing reports. Avendo does not bill merchants directly.

Last updated: November 2026

Contact AvendoSee the onboarding steps

What is the best credit card processing for a small business?

The best credit card processing for a small business is the setup that keeps your total fees low while fitting the checkout you already run.

For most small online stores, that means not locking every sale into one processor's price. Avendo compares several processors on each transaction and sends it to the best available rate at that moment, which suits stores whose volume or card mix changes month to month. A single flat-rate provider can still fit a very small shop that values one simple bill above all else, and a business that sells only in person is better served by a point-of-sale provider, since Avendo focuses on e-commerce.

Credit card payment processing for small business, defined

Market fact2.3%
Average retailers pay on each credit card transaction, according to the Small Business Payments Alliance.

Definition: what Avendo means by credit card processing

Credit card payment processing for small business is the chain of services that moves a card payment from your customer to your bank account. A payment gateway captures the card details securely at checkout. A processor sends the transaction through the card network to the customer's card issuer for approval, then settles the funds to you. Every step carries a cost, which is why processing fees exist.

Avendo sits one level above this chain. Instead of a merchant connecting to a single processor, the Avendo platform connects the merchant's checkout to multiple processors and gateways, all of them PCI DSS-compliant. For each transaction it automatically chooses the processor offering the best available rate in real time. Merchants keep their existing checkout pages and get clearer pricing and processing reports showing what each transaction cost.

By the numbers: credit cards and small business

  • By year-end 2024 there were 608 million open general purpose card accounts, a 35% increase since 2018, according to the Small Business Payments Alliance.
  • In 2024, credit cards generated $6.5 trillion in purchase volume, and industry estimates suggest nearly three-quarters of all nationwide retail sales come from credit card transactions (Small Business Payments Alliance).
  • Retailers pay an average of 2.3% on each credit card transaction to card issuers, payment networks, and acquirers (Small Business Payments Alliance).
  • The interchange-plus pricing model typically offers lower rates to companies processing more than $10,000 monthly, notes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO.

Sources: Small Business Payments Alliance, "Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards" (opens in a new tab); U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, "Best Credit Card Processors for Small Businesses" (opens in a new tab). These are market figures, not Avendo's own results.

Online credit card processing for small business

Market example2.9% + 30¢
An online store flat rate cited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, charged no matter the card.

Online credit card processing for small business works differently from a card reader at a counter. Online payments are card-not-present transactions, which generally cost more to process, so the choice of processor matters more for an online store than for a shop with a terminal.

Avendo was built for exactly this case. It works with the checkout page you already have, connects it to multiple processors, and routes each online transaction to the one offering the best available rate in real time. Your customers see the same checkout; you see clearer reports afterward.

Read the full guide to online credit card processing for small business

How do I get started with Avendo?

You get started by contacting Avendo, sharing how your checkout is set up today, and letting the team connect it to multiple processors.

  1. Step 1: Contact Avendo

    Send a message through the contact page on avendo.tech with your business name, website, and checkout platform.

  2. Step 2: Review your current setup

    The team looks at your existing checkout and current processing. A recent statement helps explain what you pay now.

  3. Step 3: Connect your existing checkout

    Avendo connects the checkout you already use to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways. No new checkout page is needed.

  4. Step 4: Go live with real-time routing

    Each transaction is automatically routed to the processor offering the best available rate at that moment.

  5. Step 5: Read your reports

    Use Avendo’s pricing and processing reports to see what each transaction cost and where it was routed.

See the detailed merchant onboarding guide

How does Avendo compare to a single processor?

A single processor charges its own price on every sale, while Avendo compares several processors and picks the best available rate for each transaction.

Avendo compared with two common single-processor setups, on the same criteria. Published by Avendo.
CriteriaSingle processor, flat rateSingle processor, interchange-plusAvendo multi-processor routing
How the rate is setOne fixed percentage, often plus a fixed feeInterchange cost passed through, plus a markupBest available rate across multiple processors, per transaction
Published figure2.9% plus 30 cents online example (U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO)Typically lower above $10,000 monthly (U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO)No merchant price stated; Avendo does not bill merchants directly
CheckoutThe provider's checkout or integrationThe provider's checkout or integrationWorks with your existing checkout page
ReportingOne processor's statementOne processor's statement, more line itemsClearer pricing and processing reports

Compare credit card processing options in more depth

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Common questions

Short answers from the full credit card processing FAQ.

What is the best credit card processing for a small business?
The best credit card processing for a small business is the setup with the lowest total cost that still fits how you sell. Flat rates are simple, interchange-plus can be cheaper above $10,000 monthly according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, and multi-processor routing like Avendo compares processors on every transaction. More in the FAQ
How much does it cost a small business to process credit cards?
Costs are usually a percentage of each sale, sometimes plus a fixed per-transaction fee. The Small Business Payments Alliance reports that retailers pay an average of 2.3% on each credit card transaction. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO cites an example of online store purchases costing 2.9% plus 30 cents. Your real cost depends on pricing model, volume, and card mix. More in the FAQ
How much does Avendo cost?
Avendo does not bill or charge merchants directly. Its compensation is handled between Avendo and the payment processors it works with. You still pay processing fees on each transaction to the processor that handles it, and Avendo routes every transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time. Contact Avendo to discuss your situation. More in the FAQ
Do I need to rebuild my checkout to use Avendo?
No. Avendo works with existing checkout pages. It connects your current checkout to multiple payment processors and routes each transaction behind the scenes, so customers keep seeing the checkout they already know. The Avendo team confirms the technical details for your specific checkout during onboarding. More in the FAQ
How does Avendo choose a processor for each transaction?
Avendo’s platform connects your checkout to multiple payment processors and, for each transaction, automatically routes it to the processor offering the best available rate in real time. The decision happens per transaction rather than once at signup, so your sales are not locked into a single processor’s pricing. More in the FAQ
Is it legal to charge a 3% card fee?
In most of the United States, adding a credit card surcharge is legal when you follow card network rules and state law. Those rules usually cover disclosure to customers, caps on the amount, and keeping the fee at or below your actual cost. A few states restrict surcharges, so check your state’s current law and your processor’s guidance first. More in the FAQ
How do I get started with Avendo?
Start by contacting Avendo through its contact page at avendo.tech/contact-us. The team reviews your current checkout and processing setup, connects your existing checkout to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors, and turns on real-time routing. After that, you follow your costs in Avendo’s pricing and processing reports. More in the FAQ

Ready to talk about your checkout?

Tell Avendo how you sell online today. The team will explain how routing each transaction to the best available rate would work for your store.

Contact Avendo