Your payment processor is the backbone of your financial transactions, and it can make or break your customer experience and bottom line. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is the best fit for your unique needs.

Two popular payment service providers are often juggled: Stripe and National Processing.

Both of these companies offer a range of features and benefits that cater to different types of businesses. Both offer flat-rate, near same-day activation. So which is better?

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Overview of Stripe

Stripe Benefits

One of the biggest benefits of Stripe is its ease of use. The platform is designed with developers in mind, offering a ton of APIs and extensive documentation that make integration a breeze.

Stripe also allows you to apply and start accepting payments within 24 hours, which is great for those who need processing fast.

Stripe Pricing

When it comes to pricing, Stripe keeps things straightforward with a flat-rate model. For most online transactions, you’ll pay 2.9% + 30¢ per charge. There are some not-so hidden fees but no long-term contracts.

Stripe Payment Methods

Stripe also supports a wide range of payment methods, so you can cater to customers’ preferences. From credit and debit cards to digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, Stripe has you covered.

You can even accept ACH payments and offer “Buy Now, Pay Later” options through Affirm.

Who Is Stripe For?

Stripe is a great fit for startups or businesses just opening up that have no processing history. It’s also great for those who need to process credit cards quickly. Whether that means you’re previous solution has fallen through or you simply need to start selling ASAP, Stripe is there for you.

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Overview of National Processing

With over 15 years of experience, National Processing built a reputation for providing reliable, transparent payment solutions that can help businesses grow.

National Processing Benefits

One of the key benefits of National Processing is their technology on offer. They offer advanced software and hardware that keeps lines moving, shoppers happy, and payments flowing smoothly – even during peak sales times.

Plus, their platform is versatile enough to meet the needs of businesses across various industries.

National Processing Pricing

When it comes to pricing, National Processing keeps things simple and affordable. They charge a flat fee of $9.95 per month, with competitive processing rates starting at 2.5% + 10¢ for in-person transactions and 2.9% + 30¢ for online sales.

National Processing Payment Methods

National Processing supports a wide range of payment methods, so you can accept whatever works best for your customers. Whether it’s credit/debit cards, mobile payments, or online transactions, they’ve got you covered.

They also offer customizable payment options, so you can tailor their solution to fit your specific business needs (for an added cost).

Who Is National Processing For?

In my opinion, National Processing is a great fit for brick-and-mortar businesses that want a reliable, affordable payment processing solution.

If you’re looking for a processor with transparent pricing, advanced technology, and a track record of success, National Processing is definitely worth considering. They’re quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing payment providers out there, and it’s easy to see why.

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Head-to-Head Comparison: Stripe vs. National Processing

Pricing and Fees

When it comes to pricing, both Stripe and National Processing offer competitive rates. Stripe uses a flat-rate model, charging 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction for online payments and 2.7% + 5¢ for in-person transactions.

National Processing uses an interchange-plus pricing model, which starts at 2.5% + 10¢ for in-person transactions and 2.9% + 30¢ for online sales.

While this may seem similar to Stripe’s pricing at first glance, it’s important to note that interchange-plus pricing can be more complex. Both will likely include charges for services you don’t need, however National Processing may be willing to negotiate where Stripe is not.

Both processors charge a monthly fee – Stripe’s starts at $0 per month, while National Processing charges $9.95 per month. However, it’s worth digging into the fine print to uncover any hidden costs, such as chargeback fees or PCI compliance fees, which can add up over time.

Payment Methods

Stripe and National Processing both support a wide range of payment methods, making it easy for businesses to accept payments from customers around the world. Here’s a quick breakdown.

Stripe supports:

• Credit and debit cards
• Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.)
• ACH payments

Buy Now, Pay Later options (Affirm)

National Processing supports:

• Credit and debit cards
• Digital wallets
• ACH payments

Ease of Setup and Integration

One of the biggest differences between Stripe and National Processing lies in their setup and integration processes. Stripe is known for its developer-friendly APIs and extensive documentation, which make it easy for tech-savvy businesses to integrate the platform into their existing systems.

This can be a huge advantage for businesses that want to customize their payment experience or build unique features on top of Stripe’s platform.

National Processing, on the other hand, offers a more simplified application process and dedicated support to help businesses get up and running quickly. While this may be less flexible than Stripe’s approach, it can be a good fit for businesses that want a more hands-off, plug-and-play solution.

Customer Support and Service

When it comes to customer support, both Stripe and National Processing offer 24/7 assistance – but with some key differences.

Stripe provides 24/7 email, chat, and phone support, which can be a lifesaver for businesses that need help outside of regular business hours. However, it’s worth noting that Stripe’s support has been criticized in the past for being slow to respond or unhelpful in cases where accounts are shut down or frozen.

National Processing, on the other hand, offers 24/7 technical support and additional support during weekday business hours. While this may not be as comprehensive as Stripe’s offering, it can still be a valuable resource for businesses that need help troubleshooting issues or navigating the platform.

Security and Fraud Prevention

Finally, let’s talk about security and fraud prevention. Both Stripe and National Processing take these issues seriously and offer a range of tools to help businesses protect themselves and their customers.

Stripe uses advanced machine learning algorithms to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions in real-time. This is a great advantage, though Stripe is known to be trigger happy and flagging transactions as fraud when they’re not.

National Processing also offers fraud and chargeback management tools, including customizable filters and alerts that can help businesses stay on top of suspicious activity.

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When to Use Stripe or National Processing

Both offer near-instant setups, so if you’re looking to get online quickly then just take your pick. We like having Stripe as a quick and easy backup solution. But because it’s so risk averse, it’s not a good long-term solution for most online businesses.

National Processing may not offer as much in terms of features, but you likely don’t need all of those features anyway. They’re support is also more reliable and willing to hear your business out if your chargeback ratio gets too high or you start processing over $30k per month (albeit with a pause on your account).

The Best Solution?

Both are great backups. If it’s solely for a backup, then go with Stripe as there’s not monthly fee. If you plan to use it semi-regularly, then go with National. But the best solution is not one that will set you up within minutes. It’s one that learns about your business and provides a real merchant account that won’t shut you down.

Connect with a real payment processor (not a PSP) today. DirectPayNet helps thousands of merchants get the processing power they need to scale.

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