We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Heartland Payments’ published Essentials price starts at $89/month, but our comparison says plan details are missing. That makes a like-for-like cost check harder. We found no Reddit exit reports in the published material, so the points below are comparison triggers, not claims about why customers actually leave. For a closer POS fit, compare Clover and Square; for online or cross-channel payments, consider PayPal, Windcave or Authorize.Net. Bread Pay is a narrower option for merchants adding financing.
01Why people leave Heartland Payments
Hard-to-compare plan details
The published Essentials price starts at $89/month, but missing plan details make like-for-like cost checks difficult.
Different business priorities
A business focused on online payments, cross-channel coverage or POS tools may prefer an alternative described for that specific need.
Need installment options
Merchants looking to add pay-over-time checkout can compare Bread Pay, though its custom pricing makes costs difficult to compare.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- POS and operations
CloverCloverClover is the closest fit here for merchants comparing POS and operations tools, including businesses looking at restaurant-specific plans. Its listed starting price is $29.95, with a free software plan also noted. That gives you a named price point to compare with Heartland Essentials at $89/month, although the published information does not break down Clover’s plan details.
Trade-off: Price hardware and processing too; our comparison says those costs need checking.
6.5/10from
$29.95/mofree plan - Small sellers
SquareSquareSquare is described as a fit for small sellers needing POS and online sales, or businesses wanting tools in one platform. The comparison lists a free plan, but no paid starting price. It is worth considering if those use cases match your needs better than Heartland’s published Essentials offer; check the full payment costs before comparing totals.
Trade-off: Payment costs and account-risk trade-offs need review.
6.9/10from
Freefree plan - Online payments
PayPalPayPalPayPal suits businesses accepting online payments and customers who want a digital wallet or multiple payment options. The comparison lists a free plan and a starting price of $5. If those needs are central to your business, compare PayPal’s listed offer with Heartland’s $89/month Essentials starting price, while checking the applicable business fees.
Trade-off: Business fees and dispute concerns temper the appeal.
6.3/10from
$5/mofree plan - Multi-channel payments
Authorize.NetAuthorize.NetAuthorize.Net is listed for businesses that need a merchant account and gateway, take recurring payments or accept payments across several channels. Its starting price is $25. That gives you a published monthly price to weigh against Heartland Essentials, but the comparison also flags transaction costs, so the monthly fee is not the full cost picture.
Trade-off: Budget for the monthly fee and transaction costs.
6.5/10from
$25/mo - Cross-channel payments
WindcaveWindcaveWindcave is described as a wide-ranging platform for businesses taking payments across channels, merchants needing global acquiring and teams seeking cross-border payment services. It may fit if those are your priorities. No starting price is published in our comparison, so you cannot use it for a direct price check against Heartland’s $89/month Essentials starting point.
Trade-off: Pricing is opaque, and the comparison notes localized user concerns.
6.0/10from
Custom - Merchant financing
Bread PayBread Pay
Bread Pay is a narrower alternative for merchants adding pay-over-time checkout, including stores needing online and in-store financing. That makes it relevant if financing options are part of your reason to compare providers, rather than as a direct like-for-like processor replacement. Pricing is not listed; the comparison describes it as custom, so request terms before weighing costs.
Trade-off: Custom pricing makes cost comparisons difficult.
6.5/10from
Custom
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Heartland Payments Heartland Payments (current) | 5.0 | $89/mo | No | Single-location restaurants |
| Clover Clover | 6.5 | $29.95/mo | Yes | Merchants wanting POS and operations tools |
| Square Square | 6.9 | Free | Yes | Small sellers needing POS and online sales |
| PayPal PayPal | 6.3 | $5/mo | Yes | Shoppers wanting a digital wallet |
| Authorize.Net Authorize.Net | 6.5 | $25/mo | No | Businesses needing a merchant account and gateway |
| Windcave Windcave | 6.0 | Custom | No | Businesses taking payments across channels |
| Bread Pay Bread Pay | 6.5 | Custom | No | Merchants adding pay-over-time checkout |
Questions people ask
Who are Shift4 payments' main competitors?
Our comparison does not identify Shift4’s main competitors or establish how it relates to Heartland Payments. It covers alternatives including PayPal, Clover, Square, Windcave and Authorize.Net. Treat those as options in this Heartland comparison, not a verified ranking of Shift4 competitors.
What is Heartland Pay?
The published material identifies Heartland Payments and says its published Essentials prices start at $89/month. It also says plan details are missing, so it does not provide enough information to describe the full product, included features or other plan terms. Check Heartland’s current pricing and product documentation before switching.
What are the top 5 payment processors?
There is no universal top-five ranking in the published material. In this comparison, the highest listed scores include Square (6.9), Affirm (6.8), Clover (6.5), Authorize.Net (6.5) and Bread Pay (6.5). Those scores are comparison ratings, not proof that each is a general-purpose payment processor or the best fit for your business.