Host Merchant Services Review

With transparent pricing and excellent customer support, Host Merchant Services is a solid credit card processing choice for many small businesses.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Frank Kehl
Expert Contributor

Last updated onUpdated July 22, 2026

REVIEWED BY

Editor & Senior Staff Writer

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Host Merchant Services

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Total Rating	4.9
Fees & Rates5.0
Products & Services5.0
Contract5.0
Sales & Advertising Transparency4.7
Customer Service4.6
User Reviews4.8

Host Merchant Services At A Glance

Transparent interchange-plus pricing with no long-term contract
Supports retail, restaurant, eCommerce, and some high-risk businesses
No early termination fee, setup fee, or monthly minimum

May be less cost-effective for very low-volume businesses

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Pros

Transparent interchange-plus pricing
Accepts high-risk businesses
No early termination fee, setup fee, or application fee
No monthly minimum
Good customer support

Cons

Can be expensive for low-volume merchants
Limited to US & Canadian businesses

Table of Contents

What Is Host Merchant Services?
Products & Services
Host Merchant Services Fees & Rates
Sales & Advertising Transparency
Contract Length & Early Termination Fee
Customer Service & Technical Support
User Reviews
Final Verdict On Host Merchant Services

What Is Host Merchant Services?

Host Merchant Services is a U.S.-based merchant services provider offering interchange-plus pricing, payment processing, POS systems, ecommerce tools, and merchant accounts for businesses of various sizes.

The company accepts some high-risk industries through a partnership with Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) and is one of our top recommendations for the best high-risk merchant service providers.

Products & Services

Products & Services5.0
Software & Services 5.0
Hardware & Equipment 5.0

Host Merchant Services offers a full range of products and services for just about any type of business. Here’s a brief overview of its primary services:

Host Merchant Services Features	Availability
Dedicated Merchant Account
PCI Compliance
High-Risk Accounts
International Accounts	US & Canadian businesses only
Contactless Payments
ACH Processing
Digital Wallet Acceptance
EBT Acceptance
Virtual Terminal
Mobile POS Reader & App
Hosted Online Store
Payment Links
Payment Gateway Integrations
Shopping Cart Integrations
POS Integrations
BNPL Integrations
API Documentation
Currency Conversion
Recurring Billing
Invoicing
Cash Discount Program
Cryptocurrency Processing

Basic Credit Card Processing Services

Merchant Accounts: HMS offers merchant accounts with interchange-plus pricing for in-person and eCommerce businesses. Customized pricing is also available for nonprofits and businesses with unusually large or small transaction sizes.
High-Risk Merchant Accounts: The company also accepts some high-risk companies and industries. High-risk services are provided through a partnership with Electronic Merchant Systems and will have different pricing and contract terms than what is presented on the HMS website. Offshore accounts are also possible through HMS’s international acquiring partners.
ACH Processing: HMS supports ACH and electronic check payments through HMS Pay and other compatible gateways.
Cash Discounting Program: HMS offers a No-Cost Program that lets eligible merchants offset processing costs through a compliant cash discount structure.

Processing Hardware For Retail Businesses

Credit Card Terminals: HMS offers countertop, wireless, and smart terminals from brands such as PAX, Dejavoo, Ingenico, Valor, and Verifone. Qualified merchants may be eligible for promotional equipment, while others can purchase hardware through HMS.
Mobile Processing: HMS offers SwipeSimple mobile readers and app-based processing, along with portable terminals from Clover, PAX, Valor, and other supported brands.
Point Of Sale (POS) Systems: HMS offers its Bonsai POS system along with third-party options such as Clover, Korona, Dejavoo, and SwipeSimple.

Software For eCommerce Businesses

Payment Gateways: HMS Pay includes a virtual terminal, hosted payment pages, customer management, recurring billing, invoicing, tokenization, and fraud tools. HMS also supports third-party gateways such as Authorize.Net, NMI, FluidPay, and SwipeSimple.
Shopping Cart Integration: HMS Pay (and third-party gateways) are compatible with most of the major online shopping carts on the market, including WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, and many others.
Web Hosting: A merchant account with HMS includes a free basic website and business email. You’ll pay extra for some additional “premium” features.
PCI Compliance/Data Breach Insurance: HMS provides PCI compliance support and optional Trustwave data breach protection with up to $100,000 in coverage.

Ancillary Business Services

Gift Cards & Loyalty Cards: HMS offers to customize a system for you to accept one or both types of cards.
Business Funding: HMS offers merchant cash advances through a financing partner. Because repayment is tied to sales and can be expensive, compare the total cost with other financing options.
Partnering/Referral Program: If you are happy processing payments with HMS and are looking to sweeten the deal, you can refer your business-owning clients to them. You essentially become a reseller for HMS merchant accounts to your end customers, and HMS handles the application and approval process.

Host Merchant Services Fees & Rates

Fees & Rates5.0
Pricing 5.0
Affordability 5.0

HMS uses interchange-plus pricing and publishes its standard processing markups and account fees online. The company also advertises lifetime rate guarantees, no monthly minimum, no setup fee, and month-to-month service with no early termination fee.

Item	Value
Pricing Range	$0 - $20/month
Pricing Starts At	$0/month for cash discount plan; $14.99/month for standard plan
Contract Length	Month-to-month
Processing Model	Interchange-plus
Card-present Transaction Fee	Interchange + 0.20 - 0.25% + $0.09 - $0.10/transaction
eCommerce Transaction Fee	Interchange + 0.35% + $0.10/transaction
Equipment Cost	$0+

Advertised pricing is as follows:

Host Merchant Services Plans	Price	When To Use
Retail	$14.99/month (interchange + 0.25% + $0.10/transaction)	For face-to-face retail transactions.
Restaurant	$14.99/month (interchange + 0.20% + $0.09/transaction)	For face-to-face restaurant transactions.
eCommerce	$14.99/month (interchange + 0.35% + $0.10/transaction)	For online transactions.
No Cost (Cash Discount)	$0 for merchants processing >$5K/month; $20/month for merchants processing <$5K/month	For merchants who want to pass their processing costs to their card-paying customers.

Overall, Host’s pricing is fair and reasonable and compares favorably to most of our other preferred providers. You’ll note that rates for restaurants are lower than for retail. This rate variance is due to the generally lower risk/higher volume nature of the food business.

Extra Costs

Host Merchant Services Extra Costs	Price
Gateway Fee	$5/month (optional)
Voice Authorization	$0.75/authorization
Batch Processing Fee	$0.20/batch
Chargebacks	$15
Retrievals	$20
1099 Reporting Fee	$24/year

Additional fees besides those listed may apply. Make sure to review your contract carefully to understand all fees associated with your account.

Sales & Advertising Transparency

Sales & Advertising Transparency4.7
Sales Practices 4.6
Web Presence 4.9

HMS publishes its standard processing markups and many account fees online, which makes its pricing more transparent than that of many traditional merchant account providers. Some hardware, high-risk, and account-specific costs still require a quote.

HMS uses both an in-house sales team and independent agents through its ISO and agent program. Public complaints don’t show a significant pattern of misleading sales practices, but pricing and terms may vary by account and sales channel.

Contract Length & Early Termination Fee

Contract5.0
Commitment 5.0
ETF & Other Fees 5.0

There are no long-term contracts or early termination fees with HMS. Your merchant agreement includes an attached waiver of any cancellation fees, so keep your eyes peeled for this.

Customer Service & Technical Support

Customer Service4.6
Personal Support 5.0
Self-Service 4.2

Host Merchant Services offers 24/7/365 U.S.-based support by phone and email, along with live chat and a dedicated account manager. Additional support options may vary depending on the merchant’s processing setup.

Host Merchant Services Customer Service	Availability
Phone Support
Email Support
Support Tickets
Live Chat
Dedicated Support Representative
Knowledge Base or Help Center
Videos & Tutorials
Company Blog
Social Media

HMS also provides online help content covering payment processing, terminals, troubleshooting, account management, and related merchant-service topics.

User Reviews

User Reviews4.8
Customer Feedback 5.0
Review Site Aggregate 4.7

Host Merchant Services has great user reviews. The company is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating, and it receives a 4.6/5 rating on Trustpilot (based on 60+ reviews).

Negative Reviews & Complaints

Negative reviews are uncommon, so there isn’t a strong pattern of recurring complaints. The limited critical feedback mentions:

Slow underwriting or setup
Funding holds
Difficulty resolving account-specific issues

HMS responds to negative Trustpilot reviews, though responses may take time.

Positive Reviews & Testimonials

Positive feedback commonly highlights:

Helpful customer service
Competitive pricing
Easy setup
Reliable payment processing
No long-term contracts

HMS also publishes detailed customer testimonials that frequently mention responsive support, competitive rates, and dependable equipment. Because these testimonials appear on the company’s own website, they should be considered alongside independent reviews.

Final Verdict On Host Merchant Services

Host Merchant Services stands out for its transparent interchange-plus pricing, month-to-month billing, broad product lineup, and strong customer support reputation.

HMS is a good fit for many established small and midsize businesses, including retail, restaurant, service, and ecommerce merchants. Very low-volume businesses may find a flat-rate processor simpler or less expensive, while high-risk accounts will have different pricing and contract terms.

Overall, HMS remains one of our top credit card processing options for businesses that want transparent pricing, flexible terms, and personalized support.

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Frank Kehl

Expert Contributor at Merchant Maverick

Frank has been writing about payment processing and business services since 2015. He is a retired Air Force officer and a former practicing attorney. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Ventura College of Law.