Independent payment processor research, without the sales pitch.

Why PSPDex exists

Payment processing is difficult to compare. Published rates rarely tell the whole story, approval rules vary by industry, and many roundups blur the line between research and promotion. PSPDex brings the practical details together so readers can make a better-informed shortlist before speaking with a provider.

Meet Ava, our AI payments advisor

Ava brings personality to payment research. She is a fictional AI advisor, not a human consultant, and can help you compare provider fit, fees and trade-offs.

AVA

PSPDex payments advisor

She helps readers compare payment provider fit, fees and trade-offs.

Meet AVA

Our editorial standards

How listings are evaluated

• Published pricing, fees, contract terms, and settlement details.
• Industry eligibility, geographic reach, currencies, and payment methods.
• Product capabilities, integrations, underwriting model, and support options.
• Material advantages, trade-offs, and suitability for different business types.

A listing is an editorial summary, not an endorsement or guarantee. Providers can change their terms without notice, so readers should confirm every important detail directly before applying or signing a contract.

How the editorial score works

Each provider gets a PSPDex editorial score out of 5. It is our own judgment, not an average of customer reviews, and it weighs:

• Fee transparency (30%): are rates, monthly fees and extra charges published?
• Onboarding and approval (25%): how fast and predictable sign-up and underwriting are for the businesses it targets.
• Account stability (20%): reported freezes, reserves, payout holds and support responsiveness.
• Integrations and features (15%): platform plugins, APIs, payment methods and currencies.
• Fit for its niche (10%): how well it serves the industries it says it serves.

Every listing shows a "Last verified" month: the last time we checked its details against the provider's own website.

Provider types

• Aggregator / PayFac (e.g. Stripe, Square): instant sign-up on a shared account; fast, but automated risk checks can freeze accounts.
• Direct acquirer / ISO (e.g. PaymentCloud, Durango): a dedicated merchant account after full underwriting; the usual route for higher-risk models.
• Merchant of Record (e.g. FastSpring, Paddle): sells on your behalf and handles tax and chargebacks.
• Gateway (e.g. Authorize.net): connects checkout to a merchant account.
• Billing platform, creator platform and crypto processor cover subscription software, creator storefronts and Bitcoin, Lightning or stablecoin payments.

Subscriptions are not high-risk on their own. Plain B2B SaaS on annual or monthly plans is usually standard risk. Free trials that turn into paid plans, hard-to-cancel billing, and high refund or chargeback rates are what draw extra scrutiny, and these often need a direct acquirer rather than an aggregator.

Commercial relationships and corrections

PSPDex may facilitate enquiries between readers and providers. A commercial relationship does not guarantee a favorable listing or placement, and providers do not receive control over our editorial conclusions. If information appears inaccurate or outdated, it should be checked against the provider's current documentation and brought to our attention through the relevant provider or quote-request channel.