Payline Data Review
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- Date Established
- 2009
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois
Pros
- Transparent interchange-plus pricing
- No early termination fee
- PCI-compliant solution
- Nonprofit discounts available (medical)
- eCheck processing offered
- Free gateway
- Free virtual terminal
Cons
- Not available for international merchants
- Hidden developer tools
Payline Data Overview
If you’ve ever been frustrated by the opaque pricing schemes of merchant account providers, you’ll likely find Payline Data refreshing. Payline Data puts all of its cards on the table upfront, allowing businesses to choose a plan that works for them without worrying about surprise fees, hidden clauses, or having to negotiate rates.
Payline Data is a merchant account provider. As you’ll see in our Payline Data review below, the company is one of the stronger contenders in its industry, meeting most of our benchmarks for what makes an excellent merchant account provider. These benchmarks include interchange-plus pricing by default, no long-term contracts, transparent pricing, and excellent customer service and support.
Payline Data has a well-deserved reputation for transparent and honest sales practices — something that’s all too rare in the credit card processing industry. The standardized pricing packages also eliminate most of the negotiating over rates and terms you’ll have to deal with when signing up with a more traditional provider. With Payline Data, you can pick a plan that’s right for your business, and you’ll know your rates, fees, and terms ahead of time.
Overall, Payline Data’s merchant services earn a glowing 5 out of 5 stars rating and our strongest recommendation. A five-star rating doesn’t mean it’s perfect, but it does indicate that the company offers the best combination of products, features, pricing, and service to meet most merchants’ needs. The company’s top-notch products and competitive pricing provide some of the best overall value you’ll find from any provider. Check them out!
Table of Contents
Payline Data Services & Products
As we’ve noted, Payline Data provides a wide variety of products and features to meet the needs of most merchants, including retail, eCommerce, and omnichannel businesses. Here’s a list of Payline Data’s services:
- Merchant Accounts: These are Payline Data’s core products. Despite the low, simplified pricing, they’re full-service merchant accounts, complete with unique merchant ID numbers for each business. The company uses Worldpay (formerly Vantiv) as its primary back-end processor. However, if you’re using a Clover device, expect to have Fiserv doing your processing.
- High-Risk Accounts: If your business falls into the high-risk category, Payline Data can help you get a merchant account via its partner SMB Global. In fact, SMB Global is one of our favorite high-risk merchant account providers. You will almost certainly have to accept higher processing rates and stricter contract terms, but these should be reasonable. Note that while Payline Data still advertises high-risk accounts on its website, new merchants will be referred to SMB Global.
- Nonprofit Accounts: As we mentioned above, registered 501(c)(3) charities and nonprofit organizations are eligible for discounted processing rates. 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 its proprietary Payline Gateway, a fully-featured payment gateway for processing online transactions. The Payline Data gateway includes a variety of features, such as recurring billing, electronic invoicing, and a customer information vault to store your customers’ payment method data. 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 process card-present transactions as well when coupled with a USB-connected card reader, in some cases eliminating the need for a credit card terminal. 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.
- Credit Card Terminals: Payline Data typically offers Clover POS and hardware for merchants — you have your choice of the Clover Station, Mini, and Flex. However, if you don’t want the Clover system or already have a POS and just need a terminal, Payline has other options for you as well. To keep costs reasonable and transparent, Payline does not offer terminal leases. All of the terminals Payline offers support EMV payments. The Payline card-present pricing plan includes the option for a “free” terminal under some circumstances. Note that, in this case, “free” merely means you can use the terminal for as long as you maintain your account. You’ll still have to return it promptly if you later decide to close your account. Be sure to read the fine print in your contract if you choose to take advantage of this offer.
- POS Systems: In addition to offering the Clover POS and its hardware, Payline’s processing system can integrate with your existing setup if you want to keep your current POS but change the processor on the back end. While Payline says it can do this for most systems, you should still contact your sales representative to ensure compatibility.
- Mobile Payments: For customers wishing to use their smartphone or tablet as a mobile credit card terminal, the company offers the Cardpointe mobile POS system. It’s available for both iOS and Android and works with smartphones and tablets. You can also get the Clover Go mobile app and card reader.
- 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.
- eCheck (ACH) Services: Like almost all merchant account providers, Payline Data also supports echeck (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 all of its pricing plans. The company partners with Ethoca and Verifi to provide specialized programs aimed at preventing 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 the API 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, but generally speaking, they seem to be well-received.
- Business Loans: Payline offers small business loans under its Payline Capital program. The company partners with Lendio to fund its loans.
Payline Data Fees & Rates
| Monthly Fee | Transaction Fees | Monthly Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority Transactions Are Card Present | $10 | Interchange + 0.2% + $0.10 | $25 |
| Majority Transactions Are Card Not Present (CNP) | $20 | Interchange + 0.4% + $0.20 | $25 |
| Reduced Rate: Medical & 501(c)(3) | $10 | Interchange + 0.1% + $0.10 | $25 |
If the majority of your transactions are in-person (card present):
- $10/month
- Interchange + 0.2% + $0.10 per transaction
If the majority of your transactions are online (card not present):
- $20/month
- Interchange + 0.4% + $0.20 per transaction
Medical and 501(c)(3) merchants can still qualify for a reduced rate:
- $10/month
- Interchange + 0.1% + $0.10 per transaction
Included in all plans are:
- Virtual terminal
- Payment gateway
- Account manager/solutions engineer
- QuickBooks integration
- Payments page
- Middleware account
Note that Payline’s plans also include PCI compliance at no extra charge. However, you may still be subject to a PCI non-compliance fee if you allow your account to become non-compliant.
These plans also include American Express card processing — something many providers charge extra for. We encourage you to read your contract documents very carefully before signing up, as there will inevitably be other minor fees (such as the Visa FANF fee) that will be passed on to you at cost.
Overall, Payline Data’s fees represent a great bargain for the majority of small to medium-sized businesses. While its interchange-plus rates aren’t the lowest we’ve seen, the low fees and free equipment (or software) mean that your overall costs will be significantly less than with most other competing providers.
Conveniently, Payline Data waives merchants’ first month’s fee, allowing them to go over their first statement with their account manager to make sure they are comfortable with all the rates/fees.
Contract Length & Early Termination Fee
All of 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 having to pay the penalty and without having to worry 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.
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 contract very 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.
Sales & Advertising Transparency
Payline Data’s website is polished and, with a few minor criticisms, 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 of the other merchant account providers out there.
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 of its agents. It also helps that many of the issues that frequently get independent agents in trouble — such as providing accurate information about rates, contract length, and early termination fees — are already fully disclosed by the company before you ever talk to an agent. Note that 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.
I was a bit disappointed to see its developer resources hidden from non-customers. One of the bigger selling points for, say, a company such as Stripe is the extensive developer support. Being able to evaluate the platform ahead of time would be a boon to merchants that have the technical resources to work with the API.
Payline Data Customer Service & Technical Support
Payline Data provides customer service and support through email and a phone line that’s available from 8 AM until 5 PM (CST), Monday through Friday. While we like to see 24/7 telephone support to cover the inevitable after-hours emergencies, the truth is that most companies providing around-the-clock support rely on outsourced help to cover their non-business hours. That means you won’t get the same level of expertise and helpfulness at 3 AM as you would during the day. With Payline, the quality of the telephone support is top-notch, and it’s one of the areas where its customers have frequently offered praise in their Payline merchant services reviews.
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, there’s also an extensive API Reference available online that will be invaluable in integrating Payline’s payment platform with your customers’ websites. If you have any Clover products, technical support for them is handled by Clover directly — and it’s available 24/7.
Like most companies these days, Payline Data has a very robust presence on social media. It has accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Instagram. Here, you’ll find plenty of content, including blog posts and educational materials. Payline also has a YouTube channel, which includes numerous videos about the company and a handful of educational videos. The interchange-plus pricing video is a very good overview if you’re still kind of hazy about how that pricing model works.
Payline Credit Card Processing Reviews & Complaints
Negative Reviews & Complaints
Payline Data has been accredited by the BBB since 2014 and currently has an A+ rating. There have been five Payline Data complaints in the last three years, with none of those complaints being filed within the last twelve months. This is a 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. As is typical, customers’ Payline Data reviews on BBB trend negative (it is a site for complaints after all).
Here are some of the issues customers have mentioned in their Payline credit card processing reviews:
- 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.
- Sales Tactics: Though it may be an isolated event, a customer complained about a Payline Data representative offering to use the customer’s services if they signed up for Payline Data.
- Customer Service: Though the company usually seems to be responsive, there are a few cases where customers expressed frustration about not being able to get their issues resolved in a timely manner.
Positive Reviews & Testimonials
Payline Data doesn’t blow its own horn very much, and you won’t find any testimonials from customers on its website, although a few of its more prominent clients — such as Ace Hardware — are mentioned. On the company’s YouTube channel, you’ll find a few unusual “testimonials.” 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 in this way, it doesn’t have quite 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 absolute lowest price-wise, but Payline Data offers competitive, transparent interchange-plus pricing and a pretty big helping of side perks.
- Customer Services: 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 On Payline Merchant Services
Interchange-plus pricing? Check. Month-to-month billing? Check. No early termination fee? Check. These features alone make Payline’s merchant services stand out from the vast majority of merchant account providers in the industry. Throw in free equipment, no gateway fees, and a low monthly account fee, and it moves to the top tier of providers. A reputable sales team and quality customer support are even more reasons to do business with Payline Data.
Overall, we’re impressed enough to award Payline Data a coveted 5 out of 5 stars rating. That’s as good as it gets, but it doesn’t mean that the company is perfect or that it will be a great fit for everyone. There’s no such thing as a perfect processor — ever.
Also, a pricing model that works great for one business might be too expensive for another. You’ll have to run the numbers and see how much a merchant account with Payline will cost you and how that estimate compares with other providers. Really low-volume businesses may be better served by a company such as Square, for example.
A word of caution: If you’re a high-risk merchant, you need to understand that although Payline Data specializes in supporting high-risk businesses through its affiliate SMB Global, those accounts are handled and set up very differently from the advertised pricing plans. While we consider SMB Global to be one of the best high-risk providers in the industry, you should expect to pay significantly higher rates and fees than businesses that aren’t high-risk.
Do you have any insights about Payline Data? Reviews, testimonials, complaints, questions, and any other pertinent remarks are always welcome!
Looking for additional resources for credit card payment processing? Check out some of our other payments posts:
Frank Kehl
Frank Kehl has been writing about merchant services, payment gateways, and international money transfer services since 2015. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State and a Juris Doctorate from the Ventura College of Law. After a long and enjoyable career of traveling around the world as an Air Force navigator, he’s comfortably settled down in the wine country town of Paso Robles in California’s scenic Central Coast region. He enjoys reading, photography, hiking, and numerous other outdoor pursuits.
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The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Payline  |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Payline for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Payline |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Payline for yourself.
Though Payline charges a bit high but very transparent about their fees. Their mobile payment service is outstanding as all and it’s not that popular but a great payments platform
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: PLANO NAIL BAR
STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY. I signed up with this company 2 weeks ago. They sent me the machine and I’ve set it up to try out. They could not help me to add a tip line on the receipt, after 6 downloads and still no tip line. The agent told me that he has to call someone above to figure out what the problem was and would call me back. I waited all day for the call back but he never call back. I decided to call them and ask for the address to send back the equipment and terminate my service with them. I have spoken to few agents, but no one seems to know the address. I have emailed three times for the address, still waiting for the address. How hard is it for them to give me the address to send back the equipment? Very bad service. I would not recommend this company to anyone.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Payline Data
HI Phung
Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that we were unable to get the download to the original terminal, as we were unaware a tip was needed at the initial time the account was set up. As a reminder, we were willing to send out a brand new machine but, we understand that your decision was already made to cancel the service. Your machine was received back and all fee’s were refunded back for the inconvenience.
We wish you the best in moving forward.
-Andy
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Salvage Auto Online
I gotta say – Payline Team work at a lightening speedIf you have a concern just share it with them and the very next minute you realize that it fixedI also very happy to work with Collin Driscoll from the Payline team who helped me out with 2 of my requirements, I see a very positive attitude and dedication towards providing amazing Customer Service ExperienceI am not to sure if this is a place the to give bad review about about processors – but I tried working things out with another company called PaySimple, and the only thing that comes to my mind when think about them is rigidness and unwillingness towards even listening to a potential ClientTo summarize my experience – If I was a boss in these 2 companies – I would have promoted Colin Driscoll in every yearly Paceand at same time would have fired the guy from PaySimple for being completely unwilling to bring new business in the company
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Blackstone Valley Vocational RSD
Highly recommend this company. Payline has been a pleasure to work with. Our rep worked closely with us to ensure our equipment was received and functioning properly. Any issues that that we encountered were quickly resolved. We look forward to our first full month of savings.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.