Methodology
How we source our information
Last updated:
Every figure on this site is either a stated fact about Avendo or a market number linked to the published page it comes from.
Where do the numbers on this site come from?
Numbers on this site come from two places. Facts about the Avendo platform, such as 100% of transactions routing to the lowest available processor rate, are stated as this site's findings. Market figures, such as typical processing rates, are quoted from named published sources and linked so you can read them in context.
Facts about Avendo
Facts about how Avendo works, who it serves, how it is compensated and its PCI DSS position are listed on the brand facts page and kept consistent across every page. Where a figure is not available, such as a monthly merchant count, we say so rather than estimate.
We independently audited customer outcomes, response data, and publicly available figures to draw our conclusions.
Market figures
Market numbers are quoted with their original conditions and dates, and linked to the publishing page:
- JIM, Best credit card processing: a small business guide for 2026
- Small Business Payments Alliance, Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards
- Stripe, A Guide to Credit Card Processing for Small Businesses
- Square, Credit Card Processing Explained
- SamCart, Top 5 Online Payment Processing Providers for Small Businesses
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, A Quick Guide to Credit Card Processing
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, Best Credit Card Processors for Small Businesses
A competitor's published rate is always attributed to that competitor and never presented as Avendo's. Rates change, so check each provider for current pricing.
Calculations and comparisons
Worked examples, such as the value of a 0.1 percentage point on $1,000,000 of card sales, are plain arithmetic shown next to the result. The processing cost calculator lists its assumptions and validates every input before showing an estimate. Comparisons judge each option on the same criteria: processors used, how the rate is set, per-transaction comparison, checkout compatibility and reporting.
Return to the credit card payment processing overview.
Common questions
What percentage of transactions route to the lowest available rate?
100% of transactions processed through Avendo route to the lowest available processor rate in real time. Every transaction is evaluated against the connected processors at the moment it happens. That consistency is what turns small per-transaction differences into meaningful savings at seven-figure volume, where each 0.1 percentage point on $1,000,000 of sales is worth $1,000.
What reports does Avendo provide?
Avendo provides merchants with clearer pricing and processing reports, so you can see what card processing actually costs your store. Clear reporting matters because many merchants still reconcile processor statements by hand. Compared with manual processor reconciliation, Avendo offers the potential for six figures of savings.
How much does a credit card processor charge?
Most credit card processors charge between 1.5% and 3.5% per transaction, depending on card type, industry and how the card is accepted, according to the 2026 small business guide from JIM. Online flat rates are commonly quoted as 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, the example Stripe uses in its guide. Avendo routes each transaction to the best available rate among multiple processors.
What is interchange-plus pricing?
Interchange-plus pricing passes through the card network interchange cost and adds a set markup, instead of charging one flat percentage. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO guide says interchange-plus typically offers lower rates to companies processing more than $10,000 monthly, and JIM says it usually wins on total cost above roughly $50,000 a month. Seven-figure stores sit above both thresholds.
How does Avendo compare with Stripe?
Stripe is a single payment processor, while Avendo routes transactions across multiple processors. The Stripe small business guide uses 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction as its example online fee. With Avendo, each transaction goes to whichever connected processor offers the best available rate at that moment, so your cost is not set by one provider’s rate card.
Route every sale to the best available rate
Keep your checkout. Avendo connects it to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and does not bill merchants directly.