Top Merchant Services With No Extra Gateway Fees (Stripe, Square, Coastal Pay & More)
If you are tired of paying a separate fee just to use your payment gateway, you are not alone. In this guide, we break down which merchant services actually include gateway access at no extra charge and show how Coastal Pay's $0 gateway, 2,000+ integrations, and flat 2.5% + $0.15 pricing stack up against Stripe, Square, Braintree, and others. Payments that grow, integrations that flow, and no hidden gateway line items.
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Let’s Define What “No Extra Gateway Fee” Really Means
The term “payment gateway” is often used loosely, but it refers to a specific technology layer: the software that securely captures card or bank data at checkout, encrypts it, routes the transaction to the processor and card networks, and returns an authorization response to the merchant.
Common Gateway-Specific Fees to Know
- Monthly gateway fee: A recurring subscription to access gateway tools, often $15 to $30/month with standalone gateways like Authorize.Net or NMI
- Per-gateway transaction fee: An extra charge per transaction on top of the processing rate (typically $0.05 to $0.15 per transaction), charged separately from the interchange or processing margin
- API access fee: A charge for using the developer API, webhooks, or SDK, sometimes tiered by request volume
- Tokenization fee: A charge per card stored in a secure vault for recurring billing or card-on-file
- Virtual terminal fee: A monthly charge to use the browser-based card-present interface for keyed transactions
- Gateway setup fee: A one-time activation or installation charge when creating the gateway account
What “No Extra Gateway Fee” Means
In a gateway-inclusive model, all of the above line items are $0. Standard processing fees (interchange, assessment, and processor margin) still apply on every transaction – the “free gateway” refers to access to gateway tools, not the underlying card network costs. Understanding this distinction is critical when comparing provider proposals or statements.
Here’s How Gateway-Inclusive Pricing Works With Modern Processors
Model 1: All-In-One PayFac Platforms
Stripe, Square, Braintree, Shopify Payments, and Adyen bundle gateway access into a single per-transaction rate. There is no separate gateway subscription, but you also cannot see gateway costs broken out from processing costs, because everything is blended into one rate. The trade-off: simplicity and speed to launch, but less price transparency and typically higher blended rates at scale.
Model 2: Traditional Merchant Account With Bundled Gateway
Classic merchant account processors often paired with standalone gateways like Authorize.Net or NMI. In this model, the gateway subscription is a visible line item on the statement, typically $15 to $30/month. Some providers, including Coastal Pay, offer a true merchant account structure where the gateway is bundled at $0, giving you the account stability and features of a traditional merchant account without the separate gateway subscription cost.
The Important Distinction
“No extra gateway fee” does not automatically mean cheapest overall. A PayFac with 2.9% + $0.30 and $0 gateway fee may be more expensive than a merchant account at 2.5% + $0.15 with $0 gateway fee on moderate volume. Total effective cost, not just gateway line items, determines the winner.
Quick Math: On $50,000/month card volume, the difference between 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe standard) and 2.5% + $0.15 (Coastal Pay flat) is approximately $200 to $250/month before any gateway fee comparison. That is $2,400 to $3,000/year purely from the processing rate difference.
Which Merchant Services Truly Include Gateway Access at No Extra Cost?
The following providers advertise $0 gateway fees. The rest of this article explains how each works in practice.
All-In-One Platforms (No Separate Gateway Fee)
- Stripe: No monthly gateway fee; gateway, virtual terminal, API, and hosted checkout included in per-transaction rate
- Square: No monthly gateway fee for online, POS, or virtual terminal; all included in per-transaction rate
- Braintree (PayPal): $0 monthly gateway fee on the standard plan; full-stack processor plus gateway
- Shopify Payments: No extra gateway fee when using Shopify Payments on a Shopify store
- Adyen: No separate monthly gateway fee; gateway is part of the acquiring stack (monthly minimum invoice at scale)
- Helcim: Interchange-plus processor; gateway and virtual terminal bundled at no extra monthly cost
Traditional Merchant Accounts With $0 Gateway Fee
- Coastal Pay: $0 gateway monthly fee, $0 setup, $0 API access, $0 tokenization fee. Shows as $0.00 on statements. True merchant account structure.
- AngelPay: Lists monthly gateway fee as $0 in cost comparison documentation
- Paynectra: No monthly fee or setup fee for its gateway; higher-risk focus
The following sections compare how the most relevant providers handle gateway fees in practice.
What You Need to Know About Stripe, Square, Braintree, and Shopify
Stripe
- Monthly gateway fee: $0
- Standard card rate: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- ACH rate: 0.8%, capped at $5
- API access: Included at no charge
- Gateway strengths: Best-in-class API and developer ecosystem, strong marketplace and subscription billing tools
- Where costs can appear: Custom features (Radar for fraud at $0.05/transaction), Stripe Billing add-ons, Stripe Tax, and Stripe Sigma analytics are charged separately. Enterprise-tier products add meaningful monthly fees.
Square
- Monthly gateway fee: $0 on the free plan
- Standard card rates: 2.6% + $0.10 in-person; 2.9% + $0.30 online
- ACH: Available for invoices in some flows
- Gateway strengths: Best-in-class POS hardware ecosystem, invoicing, and scheduling tools for small U.S. retail and restaurants
- Where costs can appear: Add-on software subscriptions for advanced POS, payroll, or marketing tools. Higher effective rates as volume scales. Account freeze risk on volume spikes.
Braintree (PayPal)
- Monthly gateway fee: $0 on standard plan
- Standard card rate: 2.59% + $0.49 per transaction (PayPal standard); Braintree custom pricing for higher volumes
- Strengths: PayPal and Venmo wallet brand recognition; solid API for subscriptions and marketplaces
- Where costs can appear: PayPal wallet payments are at a different rate. Braintree requires more technical setup than Stripe. Account holds are well-documented in higher-ticket verticals.
Shopify Payments
- Monthly gateway fee: $0 when using Shopify Payments exclusively
- Card rates: 2.5% to 2.9% + $0.10 to $0.30 depending on Shopify plan
- Where costs can appear: Shopify charges an additional transaction fee (0.5% to 2%) if you use a third-party gateway instead of Shopify Payments. Shopify plan fee is required on top of all processing.
Let’s Talk About Coastal Pay’s Gateway-Inclusive Model
The Zero-Line-Item Gateway Promise
Coastal Pay’s payment gateway shows $0.00 on merchant statements for:
- Monthly gateway fee
- Gateway setup fee
- API access fee
- Tokenization or card vaulting fee
- Virtual terminal fee
- Connector or integration access charge
Merchants pay a flat 2.5% + $0.15 per successful card transaction. ACH bank debits are bundled in the same merchant account at a low flat per-item rate. No separate gateway subscription, no add-on tiers.
What Is Included in the Coastal Pay Gateway
- Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
- ACH bank debits in the same merchant account
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Klarna, Afterpay, Coinbase
- Payment links and email invoicing
- Virtual terminal for phone and mail-order transactions
- Tap-to-pay on iPhone and Android
- Recurring billing for subscriptions and payment plans
- REST API, webhooks, sandbox, and developer documentation
- 2,000+ software integrations (POS, e-commerce, ERP, CRM, accounting)
- Centralized reporting and settlement tracking
Dual Pricing and Surcharging Options
Coastal Pay supports a dual pricing program that effectively eliminates card processing costs by presenting a cash/ACH price and card price at checkout. Combined with the $0 gateway fee, merchants in eligible states can bring total card-related processing costs to near zero while customers retain free payment choice. This is a capability not available through standard PayFac platforms.
Real Pricing Scenarios
- E-commerce merchant, $50,000/month: Coastal Pay 2.5% + $0.15 = $1,250 + $150 in per-transaction fees minus the $25 to $30/month gateway fee saved = approximately $1,375/month versus $1,500+ on typical Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 setup
- B2B invoicing, $200,000/month, 60% routed to ACH: Card portion 2.5% + $0.15 on $80,000 = $2,120. ACH portion flat per-item on 200 transactions at $1/each = $200. Total: approximately $2,320 versus $5,800+ if all processed on Stripe ACH and card
How Does Coastal Pay Compare to Other No-Fee Gateway Options?
| Provider | Monthly Gateway Fee | Per-Transaction Gateway Fee | Card Processing Rate | ACH Bundled? | Integrations | Dual Pricing / Surcharging? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Pay | $0 | $0 | Flat 2.5% + $0.15 | Yes, low flat per-item | 2,000+ | Yes |
| Stripe | $0 | $0 (some add-ons extra) | 2.9% + $0.30 standard | Separate: 0.8%, cap $5 | App marketplace + Zapier | Limited |
| Square | $0 (free plan) | $0 | 2.6% + $0.10 in-person; 2.9% + $0.30 online | Invoices only, limited | App marketplace + Zapier | No |
| Braintree | $0 | $0 | 2.59% + $0.49 standard | Separate configuration | API + marketplace | No |
| Shopify Payments | $0 | $0 (penalty if 3rd-party used) | 2.5% to 2.9% + $0.10 to $0.30 | Limited | Shopify-centric | No |
| Adyen | $0 (monthly min. applies) | $0 | Custom interchange-plus | Yes | Enterprise partners | Configurable |
| Helcim | $0 | $0 | Interchange-plus | Separate ACH rate | API + limited native | Limited |
Two Scenarios Where Coastal Pay’s Total Cost Wins
Scenario 1 – $50,000/month, average ticket $100, e-commerce merchant: Stripe blended 2.9% + $0.30 x 500 transactions = $1,450 + $150 = $1,600/month. Coastal Pay 2.5% + $0.15 x 500 = $1,250 + $75 = $1,325/month. Annual difference: approximately $3,300 saved with Coastal Pay.
Scenario 2 – $50,000/month, B2B invoices with dual pricing: Coastal Pay dual pricing shifts card processing cost to the card price, effectively reducing merchant cost to near zero on card transactions. Gateway fee savings of $25 to $30/month apply on top. Stripe and Square do not offer a compliant dual pricing program.
What Should You Watch for in the Fine Print?
A gateway advertised as “free” may still carry costs disguised under other labels.
Common Hidden Gateway-Related Fees
- PCI non-compliance fee: Some processors charge $10 to $30/month if the annual PCI SAQ is not completed on schedule. This is labeled as a compliance fee, not a gateway fee, but it is functionally a penalty for using the gateway. Coastal Pay includes PCI compliance support when the survey is completed on time.
- Statement fee / platform technology fee: A monthly $5 to $15 charge labeled as “platform,” “technology,” or “statement” that is effectively a gateway access fee under a different name. Review all monthly recurring charges on your processing statement.
- Per-stored-card tokenization fee: Some processors charge $0.005 to $0.01 per vaulted card per month. At 1,000 stored cards, that is $5 to $10/month. Coastal Pay does not charge tokenization or vaulting fees.
- Minimum volume requirement for waived gateway fee: Some providers only waive the gateway fee if you process above a minimum monthly volume ($500, $1,000, or higher). Missing the minimum restores the fee. Coastal Pay’s $0 gateway is unconditional.
- Early termination fee: Some traditional processors offer a bundled gateway and waive it only with a multi-year contract. Early termination fees of $300 to $1,000 can apply. Request month-to-month terms or confirm exit terms before signing.
How to Verify a Provider Is Truly Fee-Free on the Gateway
Ask for a sample merchant statement. Confirm that the gateway or platform line item shows $0.00. Ask specifically about PCI fees, platform fees, tokenization fees, and what happens at the contract end if you stop processing. Coastal Pay welcomes this conversation at 888-266-1715.
How Do You Pick the Right Provider for Your Volume and Risk Profile?
Quick Decision Checklist
- What is your average ticket size? (Under $50, $50 to $500, $500+)
- What is your monthly card volume? (Under $5K, $5K to $50K, $50K+)
- Do you process in-person, online, or both?
- Do you have recurring subscriptions or installment billing?
- What is your estimated chargeback rate?
- Is your industry standard-risk or higher-risk (travel, coaching, timeshare, pharmacies, BNPL)?
- Do you have ACH volume that would benefit from bundled bank debit pricing?
- Do you want dual pricing or surcharging to offset card processing costs?
When a PayFac (Stripe, Square) Is Fine
- Hobby projects or very early-stage businesses under $5,000/month
- Pure e-commerce or SaaS with developer team and standard-risk profile
- Merchants already deeply integrated into Stripe’s or Square’s ecosystem
When Coastal Pay Is the Better Long-Term Fit
- Average ticket above $200 and monthly volume above $10,000 (rate difference compounds fast)
- Mix of ACH and card payments where bundled pricing saves on both
- Multi-location retail, hospitality, or franchise (centralized multi-MID reporting)
- B2B invoicing, professional services, or coaching where dual pricing eliminates card costs
- Businesses in higher-risk verticals that need a true merchant account with bank-backed stability
- Merchants who want a phone number they can actually call with questions (888-266-1715)
Get a Custom Comparison
Share your monthly volume, average ticket, and channel mix via the Coastal Pay Get Started form or by calling 888-266-1715. The team can build a side-by-side cost comparison against your current processor using your actual or projected statement data.
Ready to Stop Paying Extra for Your Gateway?
The promise is simple: use a modern, secure, full-featured payment gateway with 2,000+ software integrations and pay $0 in gateway fees.
What You Get With Coastal Pay’s $0 Gateway
- Flat 2.5% + $0.15 per card transaction with no separate gateway subscription
- ACH processing bundled in the same merchant account at low flat per-item rates
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Klarna, Afterpay, and Coinbase at the same rate
- 2,000+ POS, e-commerce, ERP, CRM, and vertical software integrations
- Payment links, email invoicing, recurring billing, virtual terminal, and tap-to-pay
- REST API, webhooks, sandbox, and developer documentation at $0 extra
- Dual pricing option to eliminate card processing costs entirely
- U.S.-based phone support at 888-266-1715
- Registered ISO/MSP with Wells Fargo and Axiom Bank
Most merchants are approved in approximately 2 minutes and can start taking payments the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the top merchant services that don’t charge anything extra for their gateway access?
- Merchant services with no separate gateway fee include Stripe, Square, Braintree (PayPal), Shopify Payments, Adyen, Helcim, Coastal Pay, AngelPay, and Paynectra. Coastal Pay is the strongest fit for growth-focused merchants wanting a true merchant account with $0 gateway fee, flat 2.5% + $0.15 processing, ACH bundled at no extra cost, 2,000+ software integrations, and support for alternative payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, Klarna, and Coinbase.
- Does Coastal Pay charge for its payment gateway?
- No. Coastal Pay’s payment gateway is included at $0/month with no setup fee, no monthly gateway subscription, no API access fee, and no tokenization fee. The gateway fee shows as $0.00 on merchant statements. Merchants pay a flat 2.5% + $0.15 per transaction for card processing. ACH is also bundled within the same merchant account.
- Is API access extra with Coastal Pay?
- No. API access, webhook support, sandbox testing, and developer documentation are all included within the Coastal Pay merchant account at no additional fee. There is no separate API access charge, developer tier, or connector fee.
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