How routing works
How real-time payment routing works
Real-time payment routing sends each card transaction to whichever connected processor offers the best available rate at that moment.
Avendo, the publisher of this site, built its platform around this idea. It connects an e-commerce business's existing checkout to multiple payment processors and makes the routing decision automatically for every transaction, then gives the merchant clearer pricing and processing reports.
Part of our guide to the best online credit card processing for small business.
How does Avendo choose a processor for each payment?
Avendo's platform compares the processors connected to your checkout and automatically routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate in real time. You do not pick processors payment by payment or switch providers by hand.
Routing suits online sellers who want rate comparison built in. A business that wants exactly one processor relationship may still prefer a single provider.
Definition
What is a payment processor?
A payment processor is the company that carries a card transaction between a merchant, the card networks and the banks, gets it approved, and settles the funds. A single-processor setup sends every payment to one company on one rate card. Avendo's platform connects one checkout to multiple processors at once and decides, for each transaction, which of them handles it, based on the best available rate in real time. Every processor and gateway Avendo works with is PCI DSS-compliant.
Routing: quick answers
- How does real-time payment routing work?
- Instead of sending every payment to one processor, Avendo's platform looks at the processors connected to your checkout and sends each transaction to the one offering the best available rate at that moment. The decision is made automatically for every transaction, so you do not have to watch rate cards or switch providers by hand.
- Do I need to rebuild my checkout to use Avendo?
- No. Avendo works with existing checkout pages, so the checkout your customers already know stays in place while Avendo connects it to multiple payment processors behind the scenes. For the specifics of how your own checkout or store platform connects, contact Avendo directly through its contact page at avendo.tech/contact-us before you plan any changes.
- Does Avendo replace my payment processor?
- Avendo is not a single processor that replaces yours. It connects your checkout to multiple payment processors and routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate. Every processor and gateway it works with is PCI DSS-compliant. Ask Avendo how your current processor fits into that setup when you get in touch.
- What reports does Avendo provide?
- Avendo provides merchants with clearer pricing and processing reports, so you can see what you pay for card processing rather than piecing it together from separate statements. Clear reports also make it easier to track your effective rate over time and spot changes early. For a walkthrough of what the reports show, contact Avendo.
Single processor or multi-processor routing: what changes?
The same five questions, answered for each setup.
| Question | Single processor | Avendo routing |
|---|---|---|
| Processors connected | One | Multiple, all PCI DSS-compliant |
| Which processor handles a payment | Always the same one | Chosen per transaction, in real time |
| Rate applied | That processor's rate card | The best available rate among connected processors |
| Checkout | Built for that processor | Works with existing checkout pages |
| Reporting | That processor's statement | Clearer pricing and processing reports |
Why route each transaction instead of choosing once?
Interchange, the largest part of a card fee, varies by card type, and processors price their markup differently. A rate that is best for one transaction is not always best for the next. Choosing a processor once locks in one rate card; routing re-checks on every payment.
Read how credit card processing rates are built or see how Avendo handles PCI DSS.
Common questions
All 46 answers in the FAQWhat does Avendo do?
Avendo provides credit card processing for e-commerce businesses. Its platform connects your checkout to multiple payment processors and automatically routes each transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time. Merchants also get clearer pricing and processing reports. Avendo works with existing checkout pages and serves small businesses through enterprise organizations.
Read this answer in the FAQHow does online credit card processing work?
When a shopper pays online, your checkout sends the card details through a payment gateway to a processor, which asks the card network and the issuing bank to approve the charge. Approval comes back in seconds and the funds settle later. With Avendo, a routing step sits between your checkout and the processors and chooses one in real time for each transaction.
Read this answer in the FAQHow does Avendo make money if it does not charge merchants?
According to Avendo, it does not bill or charge merchants directly; its compensation is handled between Avendo and the payment processors. That means there is no separate Avendo invoice on the merchant side. You can ask Avendo for more detail on how that arrangement works for your account when you contact the team.
Read this answer in the FAQHow is Avendo different from a single payment processor?
A single processor gives you one rate card for every transaction. Avendo connects your checkout to multiple PCI DSS-compliant processors and routes each transaction to the one offering the best available rate in real time, with clearer pricing reports on top. A single processor may still suit a business that values one vendor relationship above rate optimization.
Read this answer in the FAQCan I switch processors without changing my checkout?
With a single processor, switching usually means a new application, new integration work and a planned cutover date. Because Avendo works with existing checkout pages and connects to multiple processors, it changes the routing behind your checkout rather than asking you to replace the checkout itself. Ask Avendo what the move looks like for your store.
Read this answer in the FAQDoes Avendo work for larger e-commerce businesses?
Yes. Avendo serves small businesses through enterprise organizations. Larger merchants with higher volume often care most about routing and reporting across several processors, which is the core of Avendo's platform. Enterprise teams should contact Avendo to discuss the processors they use today, their checkout setup, and the reporting they need.
Read this answer in the FAQ
See routing for your checkout
Ask Avendo how its routing would connect to your existing checkout and which processors are available.