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North Payments Review
Table of Contents
- North Payments is willing to work with high-risk industries.
- The processor promises fast approval, an easy setup and free equipment.
- Some of the company's features are limited to paid plans.
- North Payments lacks some of the bells and whistles of competitors that provide integrated point-of-sale (POS) and credit card processing solutions.
North Payments is a credit card processor that offers fast and easy setup. The company is willing to work with many business types, even those in high-risk industries. Additionally, North Payments provides fast and easy approval, free equipment and next-day funding. You can access many of the same payment tools that big-name credit card processors provide through its Payments Hub.
North Payments Editor's Rating:
8.1 / 10
- Pricing and fees
- 8/10
- Customer service
- 8.5/10
- Third-party integrations
- 8/10
- Payment options
- 8.5/10
- Added POS tools
- 7.7/10
Why We Chose North Payments as the Best Credit Card Processor for Fast Setup
North Payments promises an easy application process, fast approval and a straightforward setup for businesses that want to start accepting credit card payments. Notably, North Payments will work with businesses in high-risk industries, including CBD, debt collection, peptides, telemedicine and credit repair.
The company offers next-day funding with cutoff times as late as 12 a.m. ET. You can also choose from various free equipment options upon sign-up. North Payments is our pick for the best credit card processor for fast setup for these reasons.
North Payments focuses on simplifying payment processing. Source: North Payments
Ease of Use
North Payments uses a merchant portal called Payments Hub as its customer-facing software. We think business owners and their employees will find Payments Hub easy to use, even the first time.
- The user interface is well designed and intuitive with a modern and sleek dashboard featuring collapsible menus.
- The Payments Hub main screen displays data analytics and key statistics, like gross sales, transactions, refunds, disputes and other recent activities.
You can also access the virtual terminal, invoicing and other tools from the main screen.
North Payments’ merchant portal, Payments Hub, is intuitive and well designed. Source: North Payments
North Payments Features
North Payments offers several services and features that businesses of all sizes will find valuable. Here’s an overview of this vendor’s key features.
Reporting
We found Payments Hub’s reporting feature particularly useful for small business data analytics:
- View data on gross sales, transactions, average transaction amount and more.
- Run and export reports using various preset or custom fields.
- Sort your employees by various measures, including sales, discounts and tips.
Virtual Terminal
You’ll find the virtual terminal on Payments Hub, where you can manually key in credit card information. The virtual terminal is indispensable for businesses that want to accept credit card payments over the phone. You can also use this feature with a card reader to accept physical credit card payments.
Payments Hub’s virtual terminal allows you to enter transactions manually. Source: North Payments
E-Commerce
Payments Hub’s developer portal provides the resources you need to create a payment solution for your online store. More tech-savvy business owners can also integrate North Payments’ processing services into their online stores, add checkout functionality, integrate terminals with internal software, process payments on WooCommerce and more.
Inventory Management
Use the Payments Hub portal to manage your inventory and create a catalog of your products:
- Set multiple prices.
- Add modifiers and product images.
- Track your in-stock items
- Itemize your receipts.
- Integrate this system with a barcode scanner to sync POS operations with inventory management.
Security
North Payments makes it easy to comply with credit card payment processing laws, including PCI compliance.
- North payments simplifies the PCI compliance process by eliminating the need for annual reports if you use a Payanywhere device.
- The company also partners with SecureTrust to provide a team of service professionals to help you with the technical aspects of PCI compliance.
- North Payments added PCI Plus service includes a more personalized, white-glove treatment that handles PCI compliance for business owners.
Hardware
North Payments provides an impressive number of third-party POS devices.
- Options include the Payanywhere Bluetooth credit card reader, which can accept EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa), magstripe and NFC contactless payments, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Other Payanywhere devices include the handheld Smart Terminal, the Smart Keypad and the Smart Flex.
- The Smart POS+ functions as a full cash register, complete with a customer-facing touch screen, a receipt printer and an optional port for a cash drawer.
- North Payments also offers the handheld Ingenico ICT220 terminal.
- New customers receive free equipment when they sign up for a contract.
The Payanywhere Smart Terminal is one of North Payments’ hardware offerings. Source: Payanywhere
Mobile Solutions
North Payments offers a range of mobile payment solutions designed to help businesses accept payments on the go.
- The company’s portable devices are compact and allow you to accept payments on smartphones or tablets.
- The platform ensures secure transactions with advanced security measures.
- Mobile payment solutions offer fast processing times.
- You can also accept various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards and digital payment methods.
Cash Discounting Program
North Payments offers a unique service called Edge, which is designed to reward customers for paying in cash. The Edge program automatically adjusts the transaction to reflect the payment method, which boosts your profit margins. This feature could prove especially useful for businesses that still deal with many cash transactions or operate on a cash-only model.
North Payments Pricing
North Payments offers a few monthly subscription plans. The Free plan has no monthly charge, although you’ll pay processing fees. The Premium and Premium Plus plans cost $14.95 and $29.95 per month, respectively, and include free POS supplies and additional features. Here’s a breakdown:
Plan | Monthly fee | Key features |
|---|---|---|
Free | $0 | In-person payments, next-day funding, tap to pay, virtual terminal, charge-back management, inventory management, unlimited users, developer API access |
Premium | $14.95 | Free supplies, terminal replacement, full access to integrations, reputation management |
Premium Plus | $29.95 | Enhanced invoicing, recurring payments, the ability to save cards on file, loyalty program |
Processing Fees
North Payments’ pricing model for processing rates is straightforward and easy to understand.
Payment type | Processing fee |
|---|---|
In-person (dip, tap, swipe, digital wallets, PIN debit, EBT, cash) | 2.69% per transaction |
Online (secure payment page or direct link) | Custom pricing |
Keyed entry (virtual terminal) | 3.49% + 19 cents per transaction |
Invoices (one-time or recurring) | 3.49% + 19 cents per transaction |
Implementation and Onboarding
North Payments’ quick setup includes a straightforward application process and fast approval. You can apply online and receive approval in as little as one day or call the company directly to get started. New customers have the option to receive free equipment at sign-up.
Customer Support
North Payments maintains a 24/7 customer service helpline for technical support. Representatives are available for other support needs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET daily. Additionally, North Payments has an online knowledge base and a FAQ section where customers can find answers.
North Payments hosts an online knowledge base where customers can find answers. Source: North Payments
Limitations
North Payments doesn’t offer the lowest credit card processing rates, but the company’s pricing model is relatively straightforward. The software also lacks some of the bells and whistles of competitors like Clover, such as a fully integrated POS and credit card processing solution. Learn more in our in-depth Clover review.
Some customers on user-generated review sites have complained about high termination fees and other undisclosed charges. North Payments doesn’t advertise its fees publicly, so we advise customers to read the fine print in their contracts to avoid misunderstandings.
Methodology
We researched and analyzed leading credit card processors to find the best credit card processors for small businesses. We investigated by exploring demos and free trials, carefully examining user reviews, and interacting with each vendor’s customer service team. We looked at the usability of each company’s hardware and software offerings, as well as the fairness of the contract terms. Additionally, we scrutinized each processor’s rates and fees. To identify the best credit card processor for fast setup, we paid particular attention to the application process, ease of approval and free-equipment provisions.
FAQs
Bottom Line
We recommend North Payments for …
- High-risk businesses that want to get started quickly with a credit card processor.
- Businesses that still deal with many cash transactions.
We don’t recommend North Payments for …
- Business owners who want an integrated POS and credit card processing solution.
- Merchants in search of the lowest credit card processing rates.