Not accepting cards yet

Taking cards for the first time.

No statement, no processor, no history — that is the normal place to start. Here is what you need, what it costs, and how long it takes.

or call (404) 585-1079

Free · No commitment · A local rep, not a call centre

Already accepting cards somewhere else? The statement audit is the faster route for you.

The short version

Three things stand between you and your first card payment.

That is genuinely the whole list. Everything else is detail we handle with you.

  1. 01 A merchant accountThe account that lets you accept cards and have the money settle to you. You apply for it; a bank underwrites it.
  2. 02 Something to take the cardA terminal on the counter, a reader in your pocket, a full POS, or a payment page online. Which one depends on how you sell, not on how big you are.
  3. 03 A business bank accountWhere your card sales land, usually the next business day.

Not sure which device fits how you sell? See the four shapes below →

The hardware

Pick the counter, not the catalogue.

How you sell decides this, not how big you are. Four shapes cover almost every new business, and you are not locked into the first one you choose.

  1. 01
    A card terminal on the counter

    The simplest setup. Takes tap, chip, and phone payments, prints a receipt, and nothing else to learn. Ingenico Desk terminals, in a standard or high-volume build. Right for most first shops, salons, and counters.

  2. 02
    A full register

    Elavon POS (talech) — a tablet register with a printer, scanner, and cash drawer. It tracks inventory and staff as well as taking payment. There is a restaurant build that adds a kitchen printer. Right if you need to run the business from the same screen you sell on.

  3. 03
    Something you carry

    An Ingenico Move for tableside and field work, or a simple mobile reader if you only take a few payments a week. Right for service businesses, market stalls, and anyone who sells where the customer is.

  4. 04
    A Clover system

    We supply and configure new Clover systems on Clover’s own platform, separate from the lineup above — the Mini on a counter, the Flex in your hand, or a full Station Duo setup. Right if you already know you want the Clover app ecosystem. See the Clover options →

Not sure which is yours? That is the conversation, not a form. Compare every option →

Equipment is quoted separately from your rate, always — rent or buy, and we tell you which is cheaper for your volume. Clover equipment is quoted for your business. If you already own a Clover device from somewhere else, note that existing devices can’t move to a new account.

What it costs

Priced the same as everyone else. No new-business premium.

You have no statement for us to beat, so there is nothing to compare against and we will not pretend otherwise. What we can tell you is exactly what our pricing is.

  1. 01
    2.19% + 9¢ per card-present transaction

    Our published starting rate, the same one an existing business is quoted. Your final rate is confirmed once we understand your business.

  2. 02
    No monthly platform fee

    There is no separate monthly charge for the processing account itself.

  3. 03
    Equipment is quoted separately

    Buy outright or rent. It is never folded into your rate, so you can always see what the hardware actually costs.

  4. 04
    Month to month

    No long-term processing contract and no cancellation fee. If it does not work out, you leave.

  5. 05
    Some charges pass straight through

    A small number of charges are set by the card networks, not by us, and are passed through at cost.

  6. 06
    Online and keyed sales price differently

    Card-not-present transactions carry a different cost than card-present ones. We quote those from how you actually plan to sell.

Want a number for your own projections? Estimate your monthly cost →

Estimates are not quotes. Actual cost varies with your volume, average ticket, card mix, and how you take payments.

Applying

What you will typically be asked for.

Every application is underwritten by the bank. These are the items normally requested — not a guarantee of approval, and your situation may call for more.

  1. 01 How your business is registeredYour legal business name and structure, with an EIN if you have one. Sole proprietors are often asked for an SSN instead.
  2. 02 A business bank accountAccount and routing details for where your sales should settle.
  3. 03 Photo ID for the ownerFor the owner or officer signing the application.
  4. 04 What you sell, and howYour products or services, and roughly what you expect to process. A projection is fine when you have no history.

Approval is the bank’s decision, not ours. A brand-new business is underwritten on projections rather than history, and an approval can come with conditions. We will tell you where you stand before you sign anything.

The sequence

From first call to first card payment.

Four steps. You will know who to call at every one of them.

  1. 01
    Tell us how you will be selling

    Counter, mobile, online, over the phone, or some mix. This decides the equipment and how you get priced.

  2. 02
    We put the application together

    We complete it with you rather than emailing you a blank form, so it goes in right the first time.

  3. 03
    Underwriting reviews it

    This is the step nobody can put a firm clock on. Straightforward applications move quickly; some come back with questions first.

  4. 04
    Equipment, setup, first sale

    Once you are approved we get the hardware to you, set it up, and stay on the phone through your first transactions.

We do not publish a guaranteed timeline for a new account. Underwriting is outside our control, and a date we cannot stand behind is worth nothing to you.

Start here

Tell us how you’ll be selling. We’ll take it from there.

No statement required, because you do not have one. Just a short conversation about the business you are opening.

or call (404) 585-1079

Local. Direct. Not a call centre. Our story →