Online payments software that gets you paid fast

Here are the main types of online payments commonly used by small businesses and contractors:

• Credit and debit card payments: Customers enter their card details to make secure, real-time payments through a payment gateway (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, Amex).
• Digital wallets: Platforms like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo allow users to pay without entering card details each time.
• Bank transfers (ACH payments): Direct transfer of funds from a customer’s bank account to the business’s account. Often used for larger invoices or recurring payments.
• Buy now, pay later (BNPL): Services like Afterpay, Klarna, or Affirm let customers split payments over time while the business gets paid upfront.
• Cryptocurrency: Some modern platforms allow payments in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, though it's less common and more volatile.
• Payment links or QR codes: Businesses can generate links or QR codes for invoices, letting customers pay quickly without logging into a platform.

Each method varies in speed, fees, and ease of use — but combining a few offers flexibility and convenience to customers.

1. ACH bank transfers (like Stripe or Square):

• Fees: Typically around 0.8% per transaction, often capped at around $5.
• Pros: Low cost; great for large payments.
• Best For: Invoices, subscriptions, and recurring payments.

2. Payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, for peer-to-peer or small-scale use):

• Fees: Often free or very low if not using instant transfers.
• Pros: Instant payments, easy setup.
• Cons: Less professional, may not support invoicing or business-level reporting.
• Best For: Freelancers or very small operations.

3. PayPal Business (with friends & family workaround – not recommended for businesses):

• Fees: Standard fee is 2.9% + $0.30; lower with nonprofit rates or micropayments.
• Pros: Widely recognized, trusted by customers.
• Cons: Higher fees than ACH; risk of chargebacks.
• Best For: Broad customer base and international payments.

4. Stripe or Square for Invoicing:

• Fees: About 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction; ACH is cheaper on both platforms.
• Pros: Includes invoicing tools, analytics, and integrates with your website or app.
• Best For: Growing businesses needing professionalism and automation.

Yes, both Stripe and PayPal are cloud-based platforms. They operate entirely online — no software installation is required. You access and manage your account, payments, invoicing, and reports through a web browser or app from anywhere with an internet connection.

Stripe and PayPal both let small businesses, freelancers, and contractors accept and manage payments online without needing to host any infrastructure themselves — a key benefit of being cloud-based.

Yes, PayPal and Stripe are both highly secure payment platforms. They are industry leaders in online payment processing and invest heavily in protecting both users and businesses.

Stripe Security Features:

1. PCI-DSS Level 1 certified (the highest level of payment security compliance).
2. Uses TLS encryption for all data in transit.
3. Offers tokenization, so sensitive card data never touches your servers.
4. Machine learning fraud detection (Radar) built into the system.
5. Two-factor authentication (2FA) for account access.

PayPal Security Features:

1. Also PCI-compliant and uses end-to-end encryption.
2. Buyer and Seller Protection programs.
3. Monitors transactions in real-time to detect fraud.
4. Account activity alerts and 2FA.
5. Doesn’t share financial details with merchants — adds a privacy layer for customers.