Payline Data Review

Pros

• Transparent interchange-plus pricing
• Month-to-month billing with no long-term contract
• No early termination fee
• ACH processing available
• Free virtual terminal
• Accepts some high-risk industries

Cons

• Only available to US-based merchants
• High interchange-plus processing rates

What Is Payline Data?

Payline Data is a merchant account provider that offers interchange-plus pricing and various merchant service and products for most types of businesses. The company provides true month-to-month billing and excellent customer service. It also accepts a wide variety of high-risk industries, including CBD and cannabis merchants.

Payline Data offers a refreshingly transparent pricing structure, keeping costs predictable and eliminating most unexpected charges. At the same time, Payline Data’s current interchange-plus rates are significantly higher than what most processors charge. However, these rates are offset by the company’s low monthly account fee and general lack of additional fees, making your total cost for processing competitive with what other providers can offer you.

Products & Services

Payline Data’s lineup of products and features is broad enough to meet the needs of most merchants, including retail, eCommerce, and omnichannel businesses. For this reason, the company earned a high score from us for Products & Services. Here are the highlights:

• Merchant Accounts: Payline Data offers full-service merchant accounts. While FIS Worldpay (formerly Vantiv) is its primary back-end processor, your account will be underwritten by Fiserv (formerly First Data) if you use a Clover device.
• High-Risk Accounts: In addition to low-risk businesses, Payline also accepts high-risk merchants in various industries. Be aware that you will almost certainly have to accept higher processing rates and stricter contract terms than those advertised on the Payline Data website.
• Nonprofit Accounts: Payline is one of several high-quality providers that offer discounted processing rates to registered 501(c)(3) charities and nonprofit organizations. If you are running a nonprofit, you can also take advantage of the company’s “Commercial Co-Venture” program to gain recurring donations by referring business customers to Payline Data. There are no additional costs to you or your customers to sign up for this program.
• Payment Gateway: Payline Data offers eCommerce merchants a choice between its proprietary Payline Gateway, Authorize.Net, or the NMI gateway. With any of these options, you’ll have access to recurring billing, electronic invoicing, and a customer information vault. There are no separate gateway fees or per-transaction charges for this product.
• Virtual Terminal: The company’s virtual terminal allows you to accept card-not-present payments from any internet-connected computer. The terminal software can also process card-present transactions when coupled with a USB-connected card reader, eliminating the need for a credit card terminal in some cases. The default Virtual Terminal is CardPointe, but an unbranded version may be used for unique merchants who require it. Both versions can store customer data, set up recurring billing, accept ACH payments, view customized reporting, send invoices, and have direct access to support.
• Mobile Payments: Payline Data offers several third-party mobile payments systems for iOS and Android devices, including the Cardpointe mobile POS system and the Clover Go mobile app and card reader.
• Credit Card Terminals: Payline Data offers a variety of countertop credit card terminals from various manufacturers. The Ingenico Desk/3500 and Clover Flex are currently featured on its website, but many other models are also available. To keep costs reasonable, Payline does not offer terminal leases. All of these terminals support magstripe, EMV, and NFC-based payment methods.
• POS Systems: In addition to offering the Clover POS hardware suite, Payline Data also features the NCR Silver and many other POS systems. If you’d prefer to run your POS on a tablet, the company also offers Vend cloud-based POS software.
• Shopping Cart Integration: eCommerce merchants can integrate their website with any of Payline’s third-party shopping cart partners. There are currently over 175 shopping cart options available.
• QuickBooks Enterprise & Premier Integration: These are available for integration free through Instant Accept, a CardConnect partner. The process takes about 15-30 minutes to set up and allows merchants to work directly through QuickBooks. While the integration is free, you will still have to pay for QuickBooks. However, you’ll only be paying for the front-end software, so the cost will be lower than if you purchased QuickBooks individually.
• ACH Processing: Like most merchant account providers, Payline Data also supports ACH payments. This is a good option to add to your account, giving your customers an additional payment method to choose from and saving you money in processing costs.
• Fraud Protection: Payline Data offers several anti-fraud features designed to lower the risk of chargebacks with its pricing plans. The company partners with Ethoca and Verifi to provide specialized programs to prevent chargebacks before they occur.
• Payline API: This is a REST API toolkit aimed at developers who want to accept their B2B clients’ credit card payments. It’s compatible with over 175 online shopping cart integrations. You’ll mostly be interested in payment APIs if you plan to primarily make use of Payline’s payment gateway. The developer resources are only available to customers, so you won’t be able to evaluate them in advance. Generally speaking, however, they seem to be well-received.

Fees & Rates

We rated Payline Data highly in this area due to its transparent, affordable pricing.

Payline Data uses interchange-plus pricing exclusively and offers a complete breakdown of its fees and rates on its website. Pricing is simple, with most businesses paying the same monthly fees and processing rates:

If the majority of your transactions are in-person (card-present):

• $10/month
• Interchange + 0.4% + $0.10 per transaction

If the majority of your transactions are online (card-not-present):

• $20/month
• Interchange + 0.75% + $0.20 per transaction

Customized pricing is available to larger businesses with a very high monthly processing volume. Also, discounted rates are available for healthcare businesses and qualified nonprofits. Note that these rates aren’t standardized, so you’ll have to negotiate to get the best rates available.

Although we love interchange-plus pricing and recommend it to most businesses, Payline Data’s rates are considerably higher than what we usually see from competing providers. In truth, most merchant account providers are currently forced to raise their rates to keep up with inflation. However, with the interchange fees charged by the credit card associations going up as well, merchants are getting hit with a double whammy of price increases. At the same time, Payline’s rates also apply to American Express payments, and the company does not charge a discrete PCI compliance fee.

Payline Data also waives fees for the first month after you open your account, which is a nice discount. You’ll still pay all applicable transaction processing fees, of course.

We’d also caution you that Payline’s advertised rates are most likely only available to low-risk businesses. High-risk merchants will pay considerably higher processing rates and may also have additional monthly fees.

Sales & Advertising Transparency

Payline Data’s website is clean and easy to navigate. The information provided isn’t as extensive as it could be, but standard pricing and contract terms are disclosed, which is better than what you’ll get from most other providers. Overall, the company earned a strong score from us in this area.

While Payline’s website is an excellent advertising vehicle to get potential customers in the door, the bulk of the work of setting up accounts gets done by a sales team composed of both in-house and independent sales representatives. The use of independent agents frequently leads to problems in the merchant accounts industry, but that’s not the case with Payline Data. You’ll get the same high level of support and integrity, whether you’re working with one of the company’s employees or an independent agent.

Payline Data deserves plenty of credit for providing adequate training and supervision to all its agents. It also helps that many of the issues that frequently get independent agents in trouble — such as failing to provide accurate information about rates, contract length, or early termination fees — are already fully disclosed by the company before you ever talk to an agent.

High-risk merchants and large businesses seeking enterprise pricing will probably still have to negotiate the best rates and terms they can get, as these businesses won’t be on one of Payline’s standardized pricing plans.

Contract Length & Early Termination Fee

Payline Data’s standard contracts come with month-to-month billing and no early termination fee (ETF). In other words, you can close your account at any time — and for any reason — without paying a penalty or worrying about being charged for months after your account is closed. Be aware that you’ll have to return any free equipment that came with your account promptly.

This is the best arrangement you can hope for in the processing industry, where long-term contracts and expensive cancellation fees have long been the norm. Accordingly, Payline Data earned an excellent score from us in the contract department.

One word of caution: If you’re a high-risk merchant, you probably won’t be on a standard contract, and you might not be offered such flexible terms. Be sure to read your merchant agreement carefully so you’ll know your contract length and whether you have to worry about an ETF.

As mentioned above, Payline Data waives its monthly fees for first-month customers.

Customer Service & Technical Support

Payline Data provides customer service and support through email and telephone, both of which are available 24/7. You’ll also get a dedicated account manager who will serve as your primary point of contact for support issues (during business hours, at least). Unfortunately, account managers aren’t available all the time, and we’ve found a few scattered complaints from merchants alleging rude or unhelpful interactions with the company’s support team.

You’ll find a handy FAQ on the company’s website. While it’s not as extensive as other full-blown knowledgebases, it’s educational and will answer the most common questions new merchants will have. For developers, an extensive API Reference is available online that will be invaluable in integrating Payline’s payment platform with your customers’ websites. If you have any Clover products, technical support is handled by Clover directly — and it’s available 24/7.

Payline Data has a robust presence on social media, with accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You’ll find plenty of content here, including blog posts and educational materials. The company also has a YouTube channel, which includes numerous videos about the company and a handful of educational videos. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated with new content in over five years.

Overall, PD earned a higher-than-average score from us for its level of customer service.

User Reviews

Payline Data has minimal complaints and high average scores on aggregate consumer review websites, and their Merchant Maverick User Reviews score reflects this.

Negative Payline Reviews & Complaints

Payline Data has been accredited by the BBB since 2014 and currently has an A+ rating. There have been two Payline Data complaints in the last three years, with the most recent complaint being two and a half years old at this point. This is a very low complaint volume for a company of Payline’s size and a good indication that it’s keeping most of its customers happy. The company also responded to every complaint and attempted to resolve issues to the customer’s satisfaction wherever possible.

While there are no worrisome trends with such a low complaint volume, you might still occasionally encounter the following issues:

• Account Freezes & Holds: This is probably among the most common complaints about any merchant account provider. Be sure to read your contract carefully and be honest about the nature of your business up front to minimize your risks here. Also, be aware that issues such as a funding hold or the imposition of a rolling reserve are the back-end processor’s responsibility (usually Worldpay in this case), not Payline Data.
• Customer Service: Though the company usually seems responsive, there are a few cases where customers expressed frustration about not being able to get their issues resolved in a timely manner.

Positive Payline Reviews & Testimonials

Payline Data doesn’t blow its own horn very much, and you won’t find customer testimonials on its website. You will find a few unusual “testimonials” on the company’s YouTube channel. They’re unusual because they’re offered by Payline employees speaking on behalf of some of the businesses they represent. While it’s nice to see that the company is paying attention to its customers this way, it doesn’t have the impact that an unscripted testimonial from an actual client conveys.

Here are some of the positive vibes we’ve seen from customers in Payline reviews:

• Fair Rates: It may not be the lowest price-wise, but Payline Data offers competitive, transparent interchange-plus pricing and a big helping of side perks.
• Customer Service: Hiccups such as those above notwithstanding, customers generally seem happy with the service they get.
• Positive Sales Experience: Again, there are exceptions, such as those noted above, but most customers felt Payline Data’s sales approach was respectful.

Final Verdict

With month-to-month billing, no early termination fee, and exclusive interchange-plus pricing, Payline Data offers all the primary features to look for in selecting a reputable merchant account provider for your business. The company’s ample customer support options and low complaint volume make it a strong contender, especially for nonprofits and healthcare practices/medical businesses.

We’re also impressed with the company’s broad line of terminals, card readers, and POS systems, which you can purchase upfront when you open your account. We would, however, like to see equipment prices listed as well, to allow merchants to make a better-informed decision as to what they really need.

Payline’s fee schedule is also very reasonable and compares favorably with most of our top-rated providers. However, the company’s interchange-plus rates are quite a bit higher than you’ll usually find elsewhere. While the lack of other fees offsets this to a degree, we recommend you crunch the numbers using your current sales data to see if Payline Data can still save you money over what you’re paying now.

Payline Data is great, but if you want some more processing options, check out our list of the best credit card processing companies.

Credit Card Processor Review Methodology

We evaluate and test each payment processor that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on certain key characteristics in order to generate our granular ratings for merchant accounts and credit card processors.

For payment processing reviews, we use a 24-point rubric to evaluate the provider. First, we look at pricing structure – interchange plus, subscription-based, tiered, or hybrid – giving the most points to providers that provide fair, transparent pricing and docking those that rely on tiered models. Then we examine rates, the presence and transparency of early termination fees, and any additional fees.

We also look at contract length and fairness and test out sales staff and customer service channels ourselves to ensure that the company uses reputable, above-the-board sales techniques. Finally, we take the company’s online reputation into account, reading customer reviews and comments.

Read more about how we rate payment processors.

The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆

Payline Data	Visit Site

After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Payline Data for yourself.

The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆

Payline Data	Visit Site

After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Payline Data for yourself.

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