Payment Depot is a provider of merchant services, including point of sale payment processing. Headquartered in Orange, California, the company seeks to serve businesses of all sizes with their payment needs. 

Essentially, this company provides the equipment (point of sale machines) and backend technology to help your company process payments from customers. Payment Depot uses Fiserv and TSYS Merchant Solutions as back-end payment processors, so you can rest assured knowing that payments are handled securely and efficiently, by some of the biggest firms in the industry. 

Payment Depot was the first major payment processor to pioneer the membership-based model, which swaps percentage fees for flat monthly membership fees. You will still pay the wholesale interchange fees that go straight to banks and credit card companies, but you won’t need to pay any markup to Payment Depot itself.

At Payment Depot, you’ll pay a flat $0.05-$0.15 per transaction, plus $49 to $199 per month, depending on the package you choose. This pricing structure comes in place of the traditional percentage-based markup that most payment processors charge.

For many businesses, this can result in substantial cost savings. Generally speaking, midsize to large companies will almost always save by switching to Payment Depot. Low-volume businesses will want to crunch the numbers to see if making the switch makes sense. 

In this Payment Depot review, we’ll cover all that small business owners need to know about this popular merchant services provider. 

How Payment Depot is different

There are many merchant services providers to choose from. What sets Payment Depot apart? 

Membership-based pricing model

Payment Depot is a bit like the Costco of the payment processing world. Members pay a flat subscription fee per month and gain access to wholesale pricing. In Payment Depot’s case, this means getting access to wholesale interchange rates, which are usually marked up by other competitors in the space. This model also means that the more payments you process, the more money you will save – compared to alternatives, which charge a percentage on all your revenue, resulting in more fees for more revenue. 

Transparency

Payment Depot is very transparent when it comes to pricing, terms, and the details of how its services work. There are no hidden fees and no early termination fees. This is quite different from the industry standard, which tends to be very confusing, with pricing details often obscured by an array of different fees and cost structures. With Payment Depot, you know upfront what your payments will cost to process. 

Customer service

Many credit card processing companies have a reputation for poor customer support. Payment Depot, on the other hand, has quality support available to customers of all sizes. They use the back-end processing of Fiserv and TSYS Merchant Solutions, two of the largest payment processing firms, but they handle all customer service issues themselves. This results in better service – and better pricing – for clients. 

Versatility

Most payment processors offer just a few different packages and often lock you into long-term contracts. Payment Depot, on the other hand, offers customized solutions for a variety of businesses and processing volumes. Plus, there are no cancellation fees, so you won’t be penalized if you decide to go another direction. 

Merchant account provider

Payment Depot is not a true payment processor. Instead, they offer merchant account services, but the actual credit card processors that power the service are Fiserv and TSYS Merchant Solutions. This is unique because you will mostly deal with Payment Depot, gaining the advantage of their competitive terms and quality customer service. But on occasion, for instance, in the case of a technical issue, you may need to contact the processor directly. 

Who Payment Depot is best for

Payment Depot offers processing solutions to companies of all shapes and sizes, but there are certain groups who will likely benefit most from their services:

Established businesses

Payment Depot’s pricing structure is best for companies that are already established and processing a decent volume of payments. For new companies, alternatives may be cheaper. This is because new businesses likely won’t be processing many payments, so Payment Depot’s monthly fees may actually exceed the cost of traditional payment processing. But for companies with established revenue streams, Payment Depot often comes out ahead. 

Businesses with moderate to high revenue

The companies that will save the most on fees with Payment Depot are businesses with moderate to high volume of monthly payments. Good examples include busy restaurants, mechanics, healthcare providers, and more. Keep in mind that generally speaking, the higher your payment volume, the more you will save switching to Payment Depot. On average, Payment Depot clients save about $400 per month on their payment processing costs.

Mid-sized companies

Payment Depot can help many different companies save money, but the “sweet spot” is mid-sized firms. This is because these companies process a lot of payments, but they don’t have enough volume to negotiate better rates with the large payment processors. Most huge businesses – fast-food chains or eCommerce companies, for example – have the power to actually negotiate lower rates with their payment processing services. But for most companies, an option like Payment Depot is much simpler and more cost-effective. 

Pros and cons of Payment Depot

Before making a choice, it’s always wise to consider both the advantages and disadvantages of a given option. Here are some important things to consider about Payment Depot.

Pros

  • Transparent pricing
  • Flat-fee membership structure
  • Access to wholesale interchange rates
  • Most companies will save money on fees
  • Variety of hardware available
  • Free gateway and virtual terminal available
  • No fees for setup or cancellation
  • Cancel any time with month-to-month billing
  • Solid customer service

Cons

  • Only available for US-based merchants
  • May be more expensive for very small companies with low sales volumes
  • Does not accept “high risk” merchants, like casinos or pawn shops

Payment Depot features

Considering the specific features and services that Payment Depot offers is an important step in making the right decision. Here is an overview of what is offered: 

  • US-based merchant accounts – Payment Depot handles the setup and maintenance of merchant accounts for US-based merchants. Credit card processing is handled via partners Fiserv and TSYS Merchant Solutions. 
  • Point-of-sale (POS) systems – Payment Depot customers can purchase POS systems directly from the company, to be used in retail and service businesses. The popular Clover line of POS systems is available, with price points ranging from $750 to $1,500+.
  • Credit card terminals – Standard countertop credit terminals are also available, with prices starting from $299. With higher-tier monthly plans from Payment Depot, you may be able to get a free terminal shipped to you. 
  • Online payment gateway – For eCommerce merchants and anyone accepting payments online, Payment Depot can help set up a payment gateway for your website, such as Authorize.net. There are no additional gateway fees, as they are included in the monthly membership.
  • Merchant cash advances – Payment Depot can issue small merchant cash advances to companies who need immediate business funding. This is best used to cover short-term gaps in cash flow, as interest rates and other terms are generally not as competitive as standard term loans. 

Payment Depot pricing

Payment Depot’s pricing structure is a flat-fee membership style. You pay a flat fee per month, plus a $0.05-$0.15 transaction fee, to Payment Depot. On top of this, you’ll pay the standard interchange rates charged by Visa/MasterCard/etc., but these rates won’t be marked up by Payment Depot. Here is a breakdown of the different packages that are available:

Basic – $49/mo

  • $0.15 per transaction
  • Wholesale interchange rates
  • Process up to $25,000/mo

Most Popular – $79/mo

  • $0.10 per transaction
  • Wholesale interchange rates
  • Process up to $75,000/mo
  • Includes free basic terminal

Premier – $99/mo

  • $0.07 per transaction
  • Wholesale interchange rates
  • Process up to $150,000/mo
  • Includes free Smart Terminal or Premium Gateway
  • Breach protection

Unlimited – $199/mo

  • $0.05 per transaction
  • Wholesale interchange rates
  • Unlimited processing
  • Includes free Clover Mini and Premium Gateway
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Breach protection

Keep in mind that all plans charge the same wholesale interchange rates available directly from Visa, MasterCard, etc. These rates can vary depending on the specifics of your business, and/or the type of card that is used. It also depends on whether it’s a credit card or a debit card being used for the transaction. 

These processing fees are an unavoidable aspect of payment processing, but the advantage of Payment Depot is that they don’t mark up these rates. The only fees that actually go to Payment Depot as the service provider will be the $0.05-$0.15 per transaction, and the monthly subscription rate. 

Payment Depot customer service

Payment Depot has excellent customer service. They can be contacted via phone or email 24/7. It’s worth noting that actual Payment Depot employees are typically only available during normal business hours. If you call after business hours, you will likely reach a representative of Fiserv or TSYS Merchant Solutions, the backend processors that Payment Depot uses. 

In general, if you look up Payment Depot reviews, you will find that the company has very good marks for customer service. Very few complaints have been lodged, and the company maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Compared to other card processing services, the reputation of Payment Depot is excellent. 

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