Research the transaction rates and fee structures on a variety of credit card processing companies. Some charge a relatively high transaction rate for each individual sale, while others charge a relatively high percentage of the sale amount. Rates also vary considerably for credit and debit transactions, and for sales where a card is physically swiped as opposed to transactions where a merchant manually enters the credit card number. Evaluate the type of activity that your business most commonly performs, and choose a company whose fee structure is best suited to your patterns.

Consider other variables that might affect yor choice of a merchant services company, such as how much time it takes them to process transactions, and what kind of technical support they offer. Also look into the length of the contract they offer, and the penalties they charge if you terminate your contract early.

Ask yourself whether it is important to you to keep your business banking operations streamlined and simple. If you prefer to work primarily with a single company, then the best credit card processing company for you may be your very own bank. Thoroughly investigate their merchant services packages. If their rates are significantly higher than rates offered by other companies you may choose to reevaluate your desire for simplicity. If their rates are reasonable and competitive, they may be the best option for you.