Authorize.net
payment-gateway · US, CA, GB, AUAuthorize.net is one of the oldest and most established payment gateways in the US market, founded in 1996 and acquired by Visa in 2010. While newer platforms like Stripe have captured developer mindshare and Adyen has captured enterprise volume, Authorize.net retains a substantial merchant base of small and medium businesses who value its stability, reliability, and broad compatibility with existing accounting and e-commerce systems. The platform processes more than 1 billion transactions annually and supports over 430,000 merchants. Authorize.net's strength is its broad compatibility — it connects with virtually every major shopping cart, accounting platform, and business system built in the past two decades. This makes it particularly valuable for businesses migrating from older systems that are already integrated with Authorize.net or using software that lists it as a preferred gateway. The platform charges a monthly gateway fee alongside per-transaction fees.
What does Authorize.net cost and how does payment processing work?
Authorize.net is designed for smb and enterprise businesses. Available in 4 country/regions. Established payment gateway owned by Visa offering reliable payment processing for online and in-person transactions — a long-standing choice for merchants who prioritize stability and broad compatibility.
Pricing
// verify pricing before launch — prices shown may not reflect current vendor rates
Key Features
- •Established gateway with over 25 years of operation and 430,000-plus merchants
- •Advanced Fraud Detection Suite with customizable rules
- •Customer Information Manager for secure card storage and recurring billing
- •eCheck and ACH payment acceptance
- •Virtual terminal for manual card entry and phone orders
- •Broad compatibility with legacy e-commerce and accounting systems
- •Automated Recurring Billing for subscription management
- •Developer APIs with extensive documentation for custom integrations
Pros
- +Longest track record in the gateway category — 25-plus years of proven stability
- +Broadest legacy system compatibility — integrates with virtually every shopping cart and accounting platform
- +Owned by Visa — strong financial stability and regulatory standing
- +Advanced Fraud Detection Suite with customizable rules gives merchants control over fraud thresholds
- +Virtual terminal for phone and mail order businesses without e-commerce presence
- +Established customer information manager for secure recurring billing
Cons
- −Monthly gateway fee of $25 adds fixed cost regardless of transaction volume — unfavorable for low-volume merchants
- −Per-transaction rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 is not competitive at high volume versus interchange-plus platforms
- −Less modern developer experience than Stripe — documentation and SDKs less comprehensive
- −Interface is dated compared to modern payment platforms
- −Less suitable for international payments — primarily US, Canada, UK, and Australia
- −Innovation pace slower than venture-backed competitors
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Reviewed by Finatune · Last updated 2026-07-01