Connecting your website to the payment processor you choose is tremendously technical and requires the help of professionals. By connecting merchants with Authorize.Net Payment Gateway, merchants get the robust infrastructure and security necessary to ensure reliable and secure transmission of cardholder data. Authorize.Net manages the routing of transactions just like a traditional credit card swipe machine you find in retail stores, however, Authorize.Net uses the Internet instead of a phone line.
Authorize.net Payment Modules
- CIM: Customer Information Manager service allows you to do recurring or one-time transactions that are stored PCI compliant on Authorize.net secure servers for use in future transactions. This is great for accounts where the amount is different each month or for providing returning customers with the convenience of not re-entering personal data. CIM costs $20/month.
- ARB: Automated Recurring Billing module allows you to do recurring transactions that are stored PCI compliant on Authorize.net servers. ARB costs $10/month.
- Echeck.net: Echeck.net is the module that Auth.net has for processing transactions via bank account information. You will need to have the echeck.net module setup on your account at authorize.net to process these types of transactions. Echeck.net costs $10/month. Echeck.net transaction fees are around 0.75% and $0.35 per transaction.
- AIM: Advanced Integration Method keeps users on your website when making purchases. This requires services such as PCI compliance and an SSL certificate.
- SIM: Server Integration Method routes users to Authorize.net’s website to make payments securely and doesn’t require the purchase of security features such as PCI compliance and SSL.
When would I need Authorize.net
Innovation Simple recommends Authorize.net for nearly all merchants who are not start-up companies. Start-ups sometimes lack the resources and the customer base to necessitate credit card transactions and the underwriting that would be needed to get approved for a merchant account.
Below is a quick breakdown on rates setup for processing 10 transactions per month at $150 and 5 transactions per month at $50 and the difference between PayPal and a merchant account coupled with an Authorize.net account:
Simple Breakdown for a small merchant
*These statistics are not meant to be real nor should they constitute any promises or guarantees of rates on the part of PayPal nor Authorize.net but are displayed only as a hypothetical representation.