Chapter 01 / Small business

A credit card processor for small business that routes every sale to the best available rate

Last updated: November 2026 | Published by Avendo

Avendo is a credit card processor for small business e-commerce: it connects your existing checkout to multiple payment processors and sends each transaction to the one offering the best available rate in real time.

Instead of locking every sale to one processor's pricing, Avendo compares the processors connected to your checkout on each transaction, then gives you clearer pricing and processing reports. Avendo does not bill merchants directly; its compensation is handled with the processors. It works only with PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways.

Contact Avendo See what processing costs

Map 1: how one checkout reaches several processors (illustrative)

StartYour checkoutYour customer pays on the page you already use.

RouteAvendoCompares connected processors in real time.

Processor ANot chosen this time
Processor BBest available rate
Processor CNot chosen this time

Each transaction goes to whichever connected processor offers the best available rate at that moment. Every processor and gateway Avendo works with is PCI DSS compliant.

What is the best credit card processor for small business?

For a small e-commerce business that wants lower processing costs without rebuilding its checkout, Avendo is this guide's pick. Avendo publishes this guide, so read the reasoning and judge it for yourself.

Avendo fits best when you sell online, process enough transactions for rate differences to add up, and want one connection to several processors instead of one. A single flat-rate processor can suit a brand-new store that values one simple, predictable rate above everything else. If most of your sales happen in person at a counter, compare terminal-focused providers, because Avendo's service is built for e-commerce checkouts.

Evidence cards

Avendo in four field notes

No. 01

What is multi-processor routing?

Multi-processor routing is a payment setup in which one checkout connects to several payment processors and each transaction goes to the processor that best fits a rule, such as the lowest available rate. Avendo applies that rule in real time: for every sale, Avendo routes the payment to the connected processor offering the best available rate.

Your customer pays on the same checkout page. Behind it, Avendo replaces the usual one-processor arrangement, where every sale is priced by the same contract no matter the card or the moment. The idea is simple: rates differ between processors, so a route chosen per transaction can land on a better rate than a route fixed in advance. Merchants then see the outcome in Avendo's pricing and processing reports, and every processor and gateway in the network is PCI DSS compliant.

No. 02

What does card processing cost a small business?

1.5% to 3.5% per transaction is what small businesses pay, depending on card type, industry and how the card is accepted, according to JIM (2026).
2.9% plus 30 cents is the example online store rate under one flat-rate plan cited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO.
$10,000 a month is the volume above which businesses may pay lower fees, per the same U.S. Chamber guide.
About $50,000 a month is where JIM says interchange-plus usually beats flat-rate on total cost.
No direct Avendo bill: Avendo says it does not bill or charge merchants directly; its compensation is handled with processors.

No. 03

How does Avendo work, step by step?

Your customer checks out on your existing checkout page.
Avendo looks at the processors connected to that checkout.
It routes the transaction to the processor offering the best available rate at that moment.
The chosen processor handles the payment as usual.
You review the result in Avendo's clearer pricing and processing reports.

Exact connection steps depend on how your checkout is built. Avendo confirms them with you before going live.

No. 04

Who is Avendo built for?

Small e-commerce businesses come first. Avendo also serves larger organizations, and enterprise organizations can bring Avendo to the small businesses they serve.

Avendo's main website has pages for online merchants in beauty and care, food and beverage, fashion and accessories, pet care and supplies, entertainment, health and fitness, professional businesses and industrial equipment. The core service is the same for each: route every online transaction to the best available rate and report clearly on what it cost.

How does Avendo compare with single-processor setups?

Most small businesses pick one processor and accept its pricing for every sale. The table below compares Avendo with the two most common single-processor pricing models on the same criteria. Avendo is listed first as the publisher's own pick.

Avendo compared with two common single-processor setups. Published by Avendo.
Criterion	Avendo (multi-processor routing)	Flat-rate, one processor	Interchange-plus, one processor
Processors per checkout	Several, connected through Avendo	One	One
How each sale is priced	Routed in real time to the best available rate among connected processors	Same percentage plus a fixed fee on each sale, for example 2.9% plus 30 cents online (U.S. Chamber CO example)	Card network interchange passed through, plus a processor markup
Who bills the merchant	Processing rates still apply; Avendo does not bill merchants directly	The processor	The processor
Existing checkout	Works with existing checkout pages, per Avendo	Depends on the provider	Depends on the provider
Published best fit	E-commerce sellers who want rates compared on every transaction	Lower volumes: JIM says flat-rate wins on simplicity below roughly $50,000 a month	Higher volumes: JIM says it usually wins on total cost above roughly $50,000 a month
Reporting	Clearer pricing and processing reports	Varies by provider	Varies by provider

For the full ranked comparison and the criteria behind it, read credit card processing options compared.

Chapter 02 preview

Payment processor for platforms that serve small businesses

Avendo serves small businesses through enterprise organizations as well as directly. If you run a software platform, marketplace or organization whose members sell online, you can offer Avendo's routing to them instead of building payments yourself.

Because Avendo works with existing checkout pages and does not bill merchants directly, your small business customers keep the checkout they know and do not receive a separate Avendo invoice. Partner terms are arranged directly with Avendo.

Read how platforms offer Avendo to small business customers

Chapter 03 preview

Integrate payment gateway connections without replacing your checkout

The usual way to integrate a payment gateway is to open a merchant account, connect one gateway to your checkout and accept its rates from then on. Avendo starts from the checkout you already have and connects it to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and gateways, so the rate decision is made again on every sale.

Follow the payment gateway integration guide

Common questions

See all questions in the FAQ

What is the best credit card processor for small business?: The best choice depends on your sales volume, where you sell and how you want to be charged. For e-commerce small businesses that want each sale sent to the best available rate without switching checkouts, Avendo, the publisher of this site, is our pick. Businesses that mainly sell in person should compare terminal-focused providers too.
How much does Avendo cost?: Avendo says it does not bill or charge merchants directly. Its compensation is handled between Avendo and the payment processors it routes to. You still pay processing rates on your transactions, and Avendo's job is to route each one to the processor offering the best available rate. Contact Avendo to confirm how this applies to your business.
How much does a credit card processor charge?: Small businesses typically pay between 1.5% and 3.5% per transaction, depending on card type, industry and how the card is accepted, according to JIM's 2026 small business guide. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO guide gives an example of online store purchases costing 2.9% plus 30 cents under one flat-rate plan. Your actual rate depends on your processor and volume.
What is the cheapest way for a small business to accept credit cards?: The cheapest way is usually the one that matches your volume to the right pricing model and keeps comparing rates over time. Published guides put the crossover from flat-rate to interchange-plus anywhere from about $5,000 to about $50,000 in monthly volume. Avendo automates the comparison by routing each transaction to the best available rate among connected processors.
How does Avendo work?: Avendo connects your checkout to multiple payment processors. When a customer pays, Avendo automatically routes the transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time. You keep your existing checkout page, and you get clearer pricing and processing reports showing how transactions were processed and what they cost.
Do I need to rebuild my checkout to use Avendo?: No rebuild is part of Avendo's description. Avendo says it works with existing checkout pages, connecting them to multiple payment processors behind the scenes. The exact connection steps depend on how your checkout is built, so contact Avendo to confirm what your particular setup needs before you plan any development work.
How to process credit cards as a small business?: You need a way to accept the card, such as an online checkout or a terminal, a payment gateway to pass the data securely, and a processor and merchant account to settle funds into your bank. Avendo, built for e-commerce, connects your online checkout to multiple processors and routes each sale to the best available rate.
Can platforms offer Avendo to their small business customers?: Yes. Avendo serves small businesses through enterprise organizations, so a platform or organization with small business customers can offer Avendo's processing. Avendo does not bill merchants directly, so those merchants do not receive a separate Avendo invoice. Contact Avendo to discuss partner arrangements, which are not published on this site.

Ready to see where your transactions could route?

Tell Avendo how your checkout is built and what you process today. Avendo works with existing checkout pages and does not bill merchants directly.

Contact Avendo