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Head-to-head · Payment platforms

Authorize.Net vs Checkout.com

One publishes monthly plan prices; the other lists free processing for eligible charities but leaves standard rates unpublished.

Authorize.Net

6.5/10
VS

Checkout.com

5.8/10

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Short answer

It's a split decision.

Choose Authorize.Net if you want a published monthly price and need online, phone, mobile, or in-person payment options. Its listed plans cost $25 per month, with transaction fees that vary by plan. Choose Checkout.com if you need an enterprise payments platform with a unified API, local acquiring, or payment links—and can request pricing directly. Its standard rates and usage limits are not published; free processing is listed for registered charities in operating countries.

01Side by side

Authorize.NetCheckout.com
Starting price$25/monthNot published
Free planNo free planFree processing for eligible charities
Best forBusinesses needing a merchant account or gatewayBusinesses seeking enterprise payment products
Core strengthFlexible payment channels and methodsUnified payments API and local acquiring
Learning curveNot publishedNot published
Integrations / APIGateway, virtual terminal, checkout buttonsUnified API, mobile SDK, hosted page
Team / seat costsNot publishedNot published
Support24/7 support listedNot published

Choose Authorize.Net if

  • Choose Authorize.Net if you want published $25 monthly plans.
  • Choose Authorize.Net if you need a merchant account or payment gateway.
  • Choose Authorize.Net if 24/7 support is a listed requirement.

Choose Checkout.com if

  • Choose Checkout.com if you need a unified payments API.
  • Choose Checkout.com if local acquiring supports your expansion plans.
  • Choose Checkout.com if your registered charity qualifies for free processing.

02Pricing compared

Authorize.Net has the clearer published price: its three listed plans each cost $25 per month, with no annual price or discount shown. The All-in-one plan includes a merchant account and charges 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. Gateway only costs 10¢ per transaction plus a 10¢ daily batch fee; it assumes you already have a merchant account. Gateway + eCheck lists those same card fees and eCheck processing at 0.75%.

Checkout.com’s available pricing information lists flat-rate and interchange++ options, but neither the rates nor usage limits are published. Monthly and annual billing terms are also not published, so ask Checkout.com for a quote before comparing total costs. Free payment processing is listed for registered charities in the countries where Checkout.com operates. That offer does not establish a general free plan.

03Features and depth

Authorize.Net covers a broad set of ways to take payments: online, by phone, on mobile devices, and in person. The listed payment methods include cards, eChecks, and digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. Its tools include a browser-based Virtual Terminal for phone orders, a Virtual Point of Sale for a connected card reader, Simple Checkout buttons, and built-in fraud detection. eCheck availability is limited to U.S.-based businesses, according to the pricing details.

Checkout.com is positioned as an enterprise payments platform. Its listed tools include a unified payments API, hosted checkout pages with low-code integration, a mobile SDK, payment links, local acquiring, payouts, and fraud tools. That makes it the broader fit on paper for businesses building payment flows across channels or countries. But the available details do not specify usage limits or standard rates, so the feature list alone cannot tell you whether its pricing or implementation fits your operation.

04Ease of use and learning curve

Authorize.Net offers some ways to take payments without building a custom checkout flow: Simple Checkout buttons and a browser-based Virtual Terminal are among its listed tools. Its Virtual Point of Sale also supports in-person payments with a connected card reader. Those options may suit businesses that need practical payment methods more than a single custom API integration.

Checkout.com lists both hosted checkout pages with low-code integration and developer-facing tools such as a unified API and mobile SDK. Payment links provide another listed route. The choice depends on how you plan to integrate payments; the available information does not establish setup time, required technical skills, or support quality for either product. Ask each provider what implementation and support your use case requires before switching.

Questions people ask

Which is cheaper, Authorize.Net or Checkout.com?

Authorize.Net publishes monthly plan prices of $25, plus transaction fees that differ by plan. Checkout.com’s standard rates and usage limits are not published, so we can’t say which costs less without a quote and your expected payment mix and volume.

Which should a business choose for phone and in-person payments?

Authorize.Net lists a browser-based Virtual Terminal for entering phone orders and a Virtual Point of Sale that uses a connected card reader. Checkout.com lists online and in-person payments, but the published details do not describe a phone-order terminal or comparable card-reader setup.

Does Checkout.com offer free payment processing?

The available pricing information lists free payment processing for registered charities in the countries where Checkout.com operates. It does not publish the standard processing rates or usage limits, and the charity offer should not be read as a general free plan.

Can Authorize.Net process eChecks?

Yes. Authorize.Net lists eCheck processing at 0.75% for U.S.-based businesses. Its Gateway + eCheck plan also lists a $25 monthly fee and card processing at 10¢ per transaction plus a 10¢ daily batch fee.