by Matt Rej
Shift4 and Elavon are two of the most popular credit card processors in the US.
If you’re setting up a merchant account for the first time, you honestly can’t go wrong with either one. Your overall experience is going to be fairly similar, and it’s not like one does something significant that the other can’t handle.
Both are traditional processors in the sense that they double as acquirers, so there’s no middleman sitting between you and the acquiring bank. That’s good news, as this is the most favorable setup for securing a good rate.
The difference between the two is in the granular details.
- Both offer IC+ pricing but Shift4 tries to push “simple change” pricing (which is more expensive than interchange-plus).
- Elavon often has cheaper base rates but increases pricing more frequently.
- Shift4 and Elavon each have a range of other fees that inflate your total effective rate.
- Though the fee names vary between the two, and they’re not all legit.
- You can negotiate rates and fees with both providers, but the approach differs.
I’ve personally reviewed hundreds of statements from each of these providers, and my team has collectively audited thousands. So I know exactly what you should be looking for when comparing Shift4 and Elavon side-by-side.
Below you’ll find the evaluation criteria that I use when assessing merchant services providers, including which processor has the edge in each category.
Should You Switch From One to the Other?
Before diving into the comparison, I want to quickly get something out of the way:
If you’re considering switching from Shift4 to Elavon or switching from Elavon to Shift4, don’t do it. There’s no reason to change providers if you’re already set up with one of them.
Despite whatever you’ve been quoted by the other, switching processors rarely saves you money and is almost always more expensive over the long run.
You’re better off sticking with your current provider and negotiating cheaper rates directly with yours. Both are open to negotiations, and we’ve successfully secured lower credit card pricing for clients on both Shift4 and Elavon.
Pricing Structure
Winner: Elavon
Rates aside, you want your credit card processor to offer interchange-plus pricing because it’s the most transparent setup. You pay a pre-negotiated markup over the wholesale interchange rates (as opposed to a flat rate with extra margin baked in).
Both of these processors offer IC+ setups. But Elavon wins because Shift4 has alternative pricing called “simple change.” Simple change pricing from Shift4 isn’t mandatory, though many reps try to push it because it’s more profitable for Shift4 and results in more commission in the rep’s pocket.
If you’re pitched a simple change setup, refuse it and demand IC+ pricing. This puts Shift4 back on a level playing field with Elavon when you’re comparing them.
Base Rate
Winner: Elavon
Neither of these processors has a reputation for price gouging. So you can typically get a competitive rate with either.
I gave Elavon the edge here because I’ve seen base rates as low as 0.02% + $0.02 per transaction, which is as low as it gets. And all-in, I’ve seen effective rates just over 2% with them. Those factors combined were enough for Elavon to make my list of the cheapest credit card processors.
But Shift4 also has the ability to offer really good rates. Some of the most competitive rates I’ve seen from Shift4 include:
- 0.06% + $0.06 per transaction
- 0.10% + $0.10 per transactions
Keep in mind that your business type, volume, and transaction environment is going to have the biggest factor on your base rate.
For example, the 0.02% + $0.02 Elavon example I mentioned above is for an account doing about $10M per month. And the 2% effective rate is for another high-volume merchant (around $2M per month).
So not everyone will be eligible for something that low.
Rate Increase Frequency
Winner: Shift4
Elavon may start you off lower, but Shift4 wins when it comes to keeping your rates steady for the long run.
We consistently see Elavon increase rates annually. And while Shift4 also increases pricing, the schedule isn’t nearly as frequent as Elavon.
I’ll say that the rate increases from both of these providers tend to be more reasonable than the ones we see industry-side. Other processors can jack up rates anywhere from 20-30 basis points. But with Elavon and Shift4, increases are usually around 7 bps.
Other Fees
Winner: Tie
In addition to the headline rate that you’re charged per transaction, both of these processors add other fees that pad their margins. This is a tie, and it’s a downside of using either.
Both try to charge you for extra “monthly billing.” Shift4 charges 0.05% on total volume for this, and Elavon’s rate has jumped to 0.08%. Neither will remove it completely unless you switch to daily billing, but you can usually negotiate it down to 0.02%.
Beyond that, the way these extra fees appear on your statement are handled differently with each processor.
With Elavon, we tend to see:
- Non-qualified volume fees
- Excessive fees added to international cards
- Monthly billing fees for security and other VAS
Whereas Shift4 pads its margin with:
- Extra fees on Amex transactions
- Expensive annual fees charged per device
- Premium support fees
The good news is that the majority of these can be eliminated from your account with either provider. It’s just a matter of identifying them as a junk fee, and requesting removal before they get out of control.
Hardware and Integrations
Winner: Tie
Both processors support over 1,000+ integrations. They also have robust gateway solutions, which should make it easy to connect with whatever sales channels and industry-specific software you might be using.
You can use a range of processor-agnostic hardware, POS systems, and software with either.
Shift4’s probably has better in-house software than Elavon. Shift4 Dine is its latest and greatest innovation (which is the rebranded version of SkyTab).
Though it’s annoying that when Shift4 comes out with new tech, their legacy solutions tend to get neglected (like POSitouch and Future POS). So whatever you’re using with them today may be outdated in five years, and rather than revamping it, they just create something new and pressure you to migrate.
So Shift4’s offering is a +1 and -1 at the same time. Putting them back even with Elavon for this category.
Customer Support
Winner: Shift4
Elavon’s customer service team isn’t terrible. But it’s underwhelming.
It’s often a hassle to contact them, get in touch with a real person, and it can feel like you’re pulling teeth to get any issues resolved.
Whereas Shift4’s support is decent. Not spectacular, but better than Elavon.
Though lots of this just depends on the day, time, and method you use to contact your processor. It can also depend on the rep you connect with on the other line.
It’s also worth noting that Shift4 tries to charge extra for “premium” support. But I definitely wouldn’t pay for that and I don’t think you actually get service that’s better for doing so. It’s just another way for them to charge an extra $70 per month on your account. You can still get solid support without it.
Ability to Negotiate
Winner: Tie
Here’s a secret that most merchants don’t realize is even an option. Your credit card processing rates are negotiable, and you don’t have to switch providers to do this.
Both Shift4 and Elavon are open to negotiations.
And our team here at MCC has successfully negotiated with each of these processors on behalf of multiple clients.
Whether it’s asking for a rate reduction, getting certain fees removed from your statement, or other contract terms re-written in your favor, there are plenty of ways to approach this.
The key to success here is coming to the table with the right ask. Simply calling your processor and saying “I think I’m overpaying, charge me less” isn’t going to work.
You have to identify the fees that they’re willing to move on, and understand how much of a concession you can ask for based on your volume and card mix. That’s when it helps to have a merchant consultant in your corner who knows the answers to these questions before the conversation even begins.
Statement Transparency
Winner: Elavon
Elavon has the slight edge here because statements are better organized into specific categories for each card network. Interchange fees and assessments are each in their own section, and there’s a total breakdown for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex in both.
You can also find Elavon’s base per-transaction markup in a separate category, which isn’t something that every processor does (shockingly).
Shift4 statements include all of the same information, but it’s not categorized as efficiently. Interchange rates all run together without any organization.
Both of these statements mix additional processor markups within the other fees, listed alongside network assessments. That’s where you’ll find most of the extras I called out earlier.
It’s also worth noting that Shift4’s simple change statements look cleaner because there’s less information, but they aren’t transparent at all.
But even if you’re comparing IC+ statements side-by-side between these providers, I still give Elavon the edge because of the way it’s organized.
Contract Clauses and Cancellation Terms
Winner: Elavon
90% of all merchant services contracts include the same core boilerplate language to protect your processor. It gives your processor the right to reserve accounts, hold funds, and terminate the agreement if you violate policies.
Lots of this is “at their discretion” and doesn’t come into play for the average business.
Though one difference worth calling out is that we rarely see early termination or liquidated damages clauses on Elavon contracts. Shift4 often has both.
These are contract-dependent though. So there could definitely be instances where Elavon imposes them and others where Shift4 doesn’t. But those are two things you definitely don’t want in your statement. Even if you have no intention to ever cancel or switch, those clauses can definitely impact your leverage.
Industry and Business Type
Winner: Tie
This one is often overblown just based on marketing materials. But you can get a merchant account with either provider regardless of your industry or business size.
Shift4 tends to prioritize:
- Food & Beverage
- Hospitality
- Sports, Entertainment, and Stadiums
- Casino and Gaming
- Airlines and Transit
Shift4 has also publicly said on its earnings calls with investors that they want to prioritize enterprise accounts and larger volume businesses.
Whereas Elavon is less niche-specific. They’ll work with retailers, ecommerce, small business, healthcare providers, government and public sector, professional services, and all of the industries mentioned above for Shift4.
But again, these “specialty” verticals are more about marketing than anything else.
If you’re running a high-volume hotel, sure, Shift4 might be better for you. But that alone doesn’t give it the edge over Elavon because there are certain scenarios where Elavon may be slightly better for the business type.
Final Verdict
In the 10 categories evaluated above:
- Elavon won 4
- Shift4 won 2
- Remaining 4 were tied
Based on this criteria, Elavon has a slight edge. But the difference is marginal, and definitely not enough of a reason to switch from Shift4 from Elavon.
The key here for your business is knowing what to focus on when dealing with each one, either before you’re onboarded and even after you’re up and running.
If you ultimately go with Elavon, use your volume as your best leverage to get a lower rate. And make sure they’re not charging you extra “non-qualified” fees or excessive rates for processing international cards.
If you’re leaning toward Shift4, the biggest money-saver for you upfront is ensuring you’re actually on an IC+ structure instead of simple change pricing.
Both are going to try to charge you extra fees whenever they can get away with it. So you’ll need to keep a close eye on your statements to identify junk fees when they arise, and negotiate them off your account ASAP.
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