The two pieces
A merchant account is the acquiring service that actually processes card transactions and settles funds to your bank. A payment gateway is the software that securely transmits card data from your website or checkout to the acquirer.
Unsure what these charges mean on your own statement? Submit it for a free independent review.
Start free reviewBundled vs separate
Providers like Stripe, Adyen and Shopify Payments bundle both into one product. Traditional acquirers (Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon) can be paired with third-party gateways (Opayo, Braintree, Cybersource).
Cost implications
Bundled tends to be simpler and often cheaper at small to mid volumes. Separating acquirer and gateway can be cheaper at large volumes because you can negotiate each independently.
Key takeaways
- ●Merchant account = processes the payment. Gateway = transmits the card data.
- ●Bundled products are simpler; separate stacks give more negotiating leverage.
- ●Volume typically decides which model is cheaper.