How routing works

How multi-processor payment routing works

Multi-processor payment routing sends each card transaction to one of several connected processors instead of always using the same one. Avendo connects an existing checkout to multiple processors and routes every transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time, then reports what each transaction cost.

Last updated: November 2026Published by Avendo

What is payment routing?

Payment routing is choosing, for each transaction, which processor will handle it. With a single processor there is no choice to make: every sale gets the same pricing. With Avendo, one checkout reaches several PCI DSS compliant processors, and each transaction goes to the one with the best available rate at that moment.

One transaction, step by step

Your store

Existing checkout

Routing

Avendo

Processor A
Processor BBest rate now
Processor C

How Avendo routes a single transaction. Processor names are illustrative; the chosen processor changes per transaction based on the best available rate in real time.

A customer pays on your existing checkout page. Nothing about the checkout needs to change.
The transaction reaches Avendo instead of going straight to one fixed processor.
Avendo compares the connected processors and picks the one offering the best available rate right then.
That processor handles approval and settlement as usual.
The result appears in Avendo's pricing and processing reports, so you can see how it was handled.

Why route across processors at all?

Definition

Single processor versus routing

A single processor gives you one rate card and one point of contact. Routing, as Avendo provides it, gives one checkout access to several rate cards and chooses between them per transaction. Merchants keep their checkout, and Avendo works exclusively with PCI DSS compliant processors and gateways.

Numbers

What industry data says about processor choice

Decline rates ran from 2.8% to 98% across 106 US dollar gateways in Spreedly's 2023 data, cited by Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026".
An instant retry on a different processor recovers about 20% of declines, versus 2% on the same merchant account (Primer, cited by Beast Insights).

These are industry figures, not Avendo results. Ask Avendo which options apply to your account.

How does Avendo get paid?

Avendo says it does not bill or charge merchants directly. Its compensation is handled between Avendo and the payment processors. Your transactions still carry the processing fee of whichever processor handles them, which is why routing to the best available rate matters.

Avendo serves e-commerce businesses from small businesses through enterprise organizations. For how it compares with single processors, see the best credit card processing companies guide or the payment processor comparison. Security standards are maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council.

Questions about routing

What is payment routing?: Payment routing is the practice of deciding, per transaction, which processor should handle a payment. A routing platform such as Avendo connects your checkout to more than one processor and sends each transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time, instead of sending every sale to the same provider at the same price.
How does Avendo work?: Avendo connects your checkout to multiple payment processors and automatically routes each transaction to the processor offering the best available rate in real time. It works with existing checkout pages, so customers keep the checkout they already know. Merchants also get clearer pricing and processing reports showing what each transaction cost.
Do I have to rebuild my checkout page to use Avendo?: No. Avendo works with existing checkout pages, so you keep your current checkout while Avendo handles which processor each transaction is sent to. Integration details depend on how your store is built, so contact the Avendo team to confirm the steps for your platform before planning any changes.
Is Avendo a payment processor?: Avendo provides credit card processing for e-commerce businesses by connecting a checkout to multiple payment processors and routing each transaction among them. Rather than being one more single processor, it chooses between processors per transaction based on the best available rate. It works exclusively with PCI DSS compliant processors and gateways.
Does retrying a declined payment on another processor help?: Industry data suggests it can. Beast Insights cites Primer data showing an instant retry on a different processor recovers about 20% of declines, versus 2% on the same merchant account. That finding describes multi-processor setups generally. Ask Avendo directly which retry options apply to your account.
What reporting does Avendo give merchants?: Avendo provides merchants with clearer pricing and processing reports, so you can see how transactions were handled and what they cost. That visibility matters because processing statements are often hard to read. For a walkthrough of the reports available for your account, contact the Avendo team through the official contact page.

Read all payment processing questions on the FAQ page

See routing on your own checkout

Avendo works with existing checkout pages. Start a conversation with the team.

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