To study the difference between merchant account and gateway firstly it’s important to understand these terms. Merchant account is basically a medium through which well retail establishment accept credit cards, visa cards, debit cards and other loyalties. One big advantage of a merchant account is that it can be accessed both through offline and online. A merchant account can be operated through special merchant account provider or banks. For offering this service the merchant provider charges a nominal amount of fees that varies accordingly. Names of some of the transaction fees include:

• Chargeback fees
• Authorization fees
• Retrieval fees
• Non-qualified rate
• Batch closure charge
• Monthly minimum fees
• Discount rate

There are many more fees associated with a merchant account. To benefit more out of merchant account its better if you have more sales volume so that you can gain more.

Gateway account on the other hand is a bit different from merchant account as it is a program that is specifically created for online retailers. If you are online retail shop owner and if you are looking forward to persuade customers to buy different things from your website then you are the one who surely need this software program. Once you have a gateway account your clientele will be sure about the status of their card payments which in turn will help your business to grow and prosper. Moreover, gateway uses an encryption technique thus, ensuring its customers full security and safety of their credit card information.  
 

It’s been almost one year since Google launched its very own payment service, known as Google Checkout. But prior to its arrival, consumers and merchants alike anticipated much more than just another payment service - they foresaw the unleashing of PayPal’s biggest rival.
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