National Processing is a merchant service that offers a high-quality payment processing service at an affordable rate. With National Processor you can more effectively process payments at scale across your physical storefront, or eCommerce store.
National Processing allows you to partner with a payment processor that offers transparent pricing and allows you to keep more of your revenue. This National Processing review will highlight everything you need to know about the provider and whether it’s a good fit for your business.
Overview
National Processing is a payment processing company geared towards small to medium-sized business owners. The company is on the smaller side as well, which means they can provide more personalized service.
One of the big stand-out features is they’re open about their pricing and payment terms. A lot of credit card processing companies hide their prices and you’ll have to sign up for the service to finally find out how much you’re going to pay. Plus, the lack of transparency leads to all kinds of added fees on the backend.
National Processing has clear pricing and sections of its website dedicated explicitly to its pricing and fees. They provide examples of the actual interchange rates you’ll pay, along with additional markups and fees. Nothing will be unexpected.
Beyond its fair and transparent pricing structure, you have the option to choose between a variety of payment terminals to suit your business needs.
Pros & cons
Like all other merchant services and payment processors, National Processing has its pros and cons you’ll want to be aware of:
Pros
- Billing is month-to-month, so you won’t get locked in a long-term contract
- Interchange-plus pricing and membership pricing plans available
- POS systems and Clover terminals are included with certain plans
- ACH payment processing is affordable
- NFC payment support for contactless payments
Cons
- The early termination fee can be pricey
- Bundled POS equipment requires long-term contracts
- The feature set isn’t as rich as other competitors
National Processing core features
National Processing has a variety of features designed to help your business process card payments and save you money. Here are some of the core features:
Merchant accounts
National Processing is a merchant account service provider, but it’s not a direct payment processor. This means that they use a third-party payment processor to handle credit card processing.
However, their team still provides support and will handle any support requests and payment issues on your behalf.
POS and card terminals
Companies that rely on POS systems like restaurants and other shops can utilize the provided Clover Station point of sale system. This is one of the top-rated POS systems available today. Depending on your plan and the length of the contract, this can be included for free.
If you require a simpler payment terminal, you can use the Clover Flex or Clover Mini, which offer basic POS functions.
Both of these accept standard EMV payments and contactless payment methods.
You can purchase the equipment outright, or have the option to use a free terminal if you choose one of the pricing plans where it’s included.
Mobile payment processing
Some small businesses only require a simple mobile payment processing solution. National Processing offers the Clover GO mobile-POS system. This works across mobile and tablet devices powered by iOS or Android.
The card reader can accept payments via magstripe, EMV, and contactless NFC.
All standard credit and debit cards are accepted, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and more.
eCommerce payment gateways
National Processing is partnered with the popular payment gateway Authorize.net. Through this partnership, you won’t have to pay any additional payment gateway setup fees. There isn’t much additional information provided regarding their virtual payment software.
ACH and eCheck processing are also available. A lot of merchant services offer exorbitantly priced ACH processing, so it’s nice to see low rates coupled with this option.
Here are the current ACH-related fees you can expect:
- ACH fee. $15 per month
- ACH processing fee. $0.48 per transaction
- Return fee. $3.50 per return
- ACH rejection fee. $15.00 per rejection
National Processing fees
National Processing provides clear pricing information. The pricing plans receive a full breakdown on their website. The three main pricing plans have a standard interchange-plus pricing fee, along with a payment processing fee.
If you’re a high-volume business, then you’ll be eligible for the membership pricing, which gets rid of the fee per transaction and makes up for it with a higher monthly fee.
All plans also include the option to include a free credit card reader or a POS terminal with your account. The plans differ based on the type of business that they cater to.
Here’s a breakdown of the three main pricing plans for small to medium-sized businesses:
Restaurant plan
- $10 per month
- Interchange rate of $.15% and $0.07 per transaction
- Free Clover Go
- Free setup
Retail plan
- $10 per month
- Interchange rate of $.20% and $0.10 per transaction
- Free Clover Go
- Free setup
eCommerce plan
- $10 per month
- Interchange rate of $.20% and $0.15 per transaction
- Free Clover Go
- Free setup
You’ll also find two higher-level plans for customers who process a high volume of sales. These plans include free equipment and have a monthly membership price with no percentage transaction fee. To sign up for these plans you’ll have to get in touch with their team, as these are available to companies who process a certain volume of sales per month.
Large business one
- $59 per month account fee
- Interchange rate of 0% and $0.09 per transaction
- Free mobile card reader, terminal, and pin pad
Large business two
- $199 per month account fee
- Interchange rate of 0% and $0.05 per transaction
- Free mobile card reader, terminal, and pin pad
- Free terminal upgrades every two years
- Option for free Clover Go, Flex, or Mini
The rates you’ll pay per transaction differ depending on your plan and the industry you’re in. You’ll find a detailed breakdown of the service fees for a $100 transaction for the retail, online, and restaurant plans on their website. Keep in mind that these rates are based upon businesses that are classified as low-risk. Businesses that are deemed high-risk will have higher processing fees.
Additional service fees
National Processing has a lower number of add-on fees when compared to other payment processors. First, you won’t have to pay any annual fees or account setup fees. You also aren’t restricted by a monthly minimum number of payments you need to process.
Here are some of the additional fees you can expect:
- PCI-Compliance fee. $7.95 per month
- Chargeback fee. $15.00 per chargeback
- AVS fee. $.05 per verification
- Batch fee. $0.10 per batch
- Retrieval fee. $5.00 per retrieval
- Voice authorization fee. $1.50 per authorization
Overall, the fees and rates are some of the lowest across the merchant service industry, which makes it an excellent choice for small and medium-sized businesses who are looking to cut costs.
Termination fees
There is a $295 early termination fee, which is standard. However, this termination fee doesn’t apply to every plan. If you don’t need any physical equipment, like a POS or terminal, then you can sign up for a plan without a termination fee.
There are also two additional circumstances where the fee will be waived:
- Your business ends up being sold or closed
- National Processing can’t meet or beat the rates you’re getting from another competitor
Company transparency
Overall, the website and marketing materials are pretty bare-bones, and there isn’t a ton of information about the products and services. However, you will find a wealth of information in regards to their processing plans and payment structure.
You also get a detailed breakdown of any hidden fees and additional charges that can come up. Most payment processors won’t disclose this information upfront.
When you create an account you can also speak to your sales agent to determine which fees are completely non-negotiable and if any fees can be waived.
You’ll also find a breakdown of their ISO policy, which dictates the sales agents who are working for the company.
National Processing customer support
National Processing offers phone, email, and live chat support 24/7. Whether or not they have an in-house support team, or outsource support, isn’t clear. However, most customer reviews online speak positively about their support team.
Complaints about credit card processors are one of the most common complaints online, so the fact that there aren’t any negative reviews about their support team speaks volumes.
National Processing review: Our verdict
National Processing is a solid provider and a great fit for businesses that want reliable service at competitive rates.
The feature set is limited, and you won’t find advanced functionality like analytics, tracking, and advanced software. However, with the money you’re saving you could easily invest in third-party tools to make up for the difference.
Keep in mind that if you do need payment processing equipment, then you’ll need to accept a year-long contract, with an early termination fee if you choose to end your contract early. But, the low overall processing fee and free payment processing terminal makes up for it.
If your business has grown to the point where a full merchant account is a necessity, National Processing, could be a great solution.
The low interchange and membership rates make this a great choice, but you’ll need to look at the feature-set first, since it may not be equipped with every feature your business needs.
Businesses with basic payment processing needs will find a lot to like with this payment processor.
FAQs
Are National Processing and National Processing Company the same?
National Processing is not the same company as National Processing Company (NPC). Although they have a similar name, they are very different companies. NPC has a poor reputation online and with the BBB. Negative reviews speaking to NPC are referring to a completely different company that has no affiliation.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
There is no trial period or money-back guarantee, however, there is a unique “meet or beat” guarantee. National Processing offers a $500 gift card if you can find a lower rate with another provider. Or, if you’re migrating from another provider and they can’t beat your current prices, then you’re eligible for the gift card as well.
Does the early termination fee apply to every plan?
There is an early termination fee, but it only applies to accounts that chose to include a free terminal during sign-up. However, plans that don’t elect for the free terminal or POS won’t have to pay any cancellation fees for early account termination.
Does National Processing have a good Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating?
Yes, National Processing has been accredited with the BBB since 2008 and has an A+ rating. There is currently only one complaint against the company. Across the rest of the web, you’ll find positive customer reviews as well.