Payment processing systems: a practical guide for US businesses

A payment processor, payment gateway and merchant account serve different roles. One service may package several roles together, so you may not need a separate contract for every part. Stripe’s overview of payment-system roles explains that distinction.

“Merchant services” is a wider label for services that help a business accept and manage payments. It can include processing, payment software and support. Ask which services are actually included instead of treating the label as a feature list.

A merchant account arrangement is also different from the everyday business bank account where payouts arrive. Some services bundle merchant-account functionality; a separate account is not always something the merchant opens independently. See Stripe’s explanation of merchant accounts and gateways.

Write down where the customer agrees to buy and what should happen next. A business taking occasional orders may need a different setup from a store managing stock or a service charging recurring subscriptions.

Trolleys lets approved businesses create online card-payment requests and share them by link or QR code for goods, services or information. If you need a store integration, recurring billing or a card terminal, ask Trolleys whether it supports those requirements before choosing.

Authorization is the card issuer’s decision on a payment request. Capture and settlement handle later processing steps. Funds then become available under the account’s terms, and a payout moves available money toward the business bank account. A service may handle several of these steps automatically, but they are still different events.

For example, a merchant may see a successful payment while bank arrival is still pending. Stripe’s payout documentation separates funds availability, payout scheduling and bank timing. For Trolleys, the account’s schedule applies; first payouts, reviews, reserves and bank holidays can affect timing.

Keep a record connecting the order, payment, fulfillment and any later refund. That makes a payment easier to reconcile and gives you useful context if the customer asks a question or disputes it.

A percentage plus a fixed fee affects small and large orders differently. The examples below show the base fee for successful domestic online card payments at Trolleys’ published 2.9% + 30¢ rate.

The formula is payment amount × 2.9%, plus 30¢. A $20 payment therefore has a higher fee as a share of the sale than a $100 payment. Use your typical amounts and card mix when comparing offers, rather than only comparing the headline percentage.

These figures exclude optional Clarity, international-card, currency-conversion, merchant-entry, dispute and other applicable charges. They do not predict the bank payout after refunds, reserves or other adjustments. Review all published Trolleys fees.

Optional Clarity adds 0.4% of the amount of eligible, successful payments enrolled in the service. It uses Order Insight to help customers recognize purchases and prevent eligible Visa online fraud disputes. Coverage depends on the payment, participating bank and available data; it does not prevent every dispute or guarantee an outcome. Automatic refunds and services that respond to chargebacks for you are separate services.

1. Does the service accept my business? Describe what you sell, who buys it and when you deliver. Confirm eligibility and any restrictions before relying on approval.
2. Can customers pay the way I need? List the channels, payment methods and integrations you need, including work after the sale.
3. What will it cost in normal and exceptional cases? Include typical transactions, international cards, refunds, disputes, optional services and any monthly costs.
4. How will funds reach my bank? Review first-payout timing, the ongoing schedule and any reserve or hold terms.
5. How will I manage customer issues? Confirm access to records, support, refunds and dispute notices. To learn about Trolleys payment requests, see payment acceptance.