6 Best Instant Funding Credit Card Processing: Get Paid in 2023

Imagine having a great business opportunity only to miss out because of insufficient funds, or not being able to grow your business because you lack a regular cash flow. Luckily, if you need a cash injection, some credit card processors can help you accept payments right away and get your business off the ground by offering instant funding options.

I spent over a month looking for credit card processors that offer same and next-day payouts, cash advances, and other types of business loans. The problem is that only a handful offer instant funding options for a reasonable price. Even fewer provide such services to high-risk industries.

Aside from instant funding options, I also considered zero-cost credit card processing programs. Over time, these programs can help you cut costs associated with credit card processing and encourage growth for your business, especially if you process a large number of transactions.

PAYARC stood out from all the processors I researched. It boasts a low monthly fee for a same-day payout, reasonable transaction fees, and zero-cost processing programs. PAYARC also offers several international payment gateway options so you can use your newfound cash flow to expand your business globally.

Check out PAYARC or keep reading to see if one of my other recommendations is a better fit for your business.

What We Look For in the Best Instant Funding Credit Card Processing Companies

In my quest to find the best instant funding credit card processors, I focused on these specific features:

• Same-day payouts. This is particularly beneficial for businesses that operate overnight. It enables you to access the funds from your credit card transactions on the same day you submit the batch. Maximum limits may apply, which isn’t the case with next-day funding. Most of the credit card processors on my list offer this feature.
• Next-day payouts. You can access your funds on the following business day. My recommendations offer this service as a standard or add-on feature.
• Cash advances. This instant funding option allows you to receive a lump sum of cash based on a percentage of your anticipated future credit card sales. Cash advances don’t require collateral – the processor will deduct a portion from future credit card sales until you pay off the advance and associated fees. Some of my top recommendations include cash advances at reasonable terms.
• Affordable pricing. Even if your processor offers instant funding options, you won’t reap the benefits if your day-to-day processing fees are high. I found the best instant funding credit card processing companies with fair pricing structures that align with the needs of businesses operating on a tight budget.
• Zero-cost credit card processing. If you find yourself barely staying afloat, programs like surcharging and cash discounting can shift some of the processing costs onto customers that pay via credit card. I found processors that offer these programs to help you keep more of your profit.

1. PAYARC: Best for Businesses Looking for Flexible Plans With Same-Day Funding

PAYARC has three pricing models – membership, flat rate, and cash discount – making it suitable for various types of businesses. The Flat Rate plan, in particular, is great for startups and small businesses that process less than $7,000/month. If you find your business outgrowing the Flat Rate plan, PAYARC can provide you with a tailored plan to suit your needs.

If you need to access your funds at the close of the day, PAYARC offers a same-day payout option for a low monthly fee of $20. It’s ideal if you want to establish greater control over your hard-earned money and improve your cash flow.

Additionally, PAYARC provides a few cash discount options to help you offset your processing costs. You can incorporate these costs into your base prices to deduct them from cash payments or pass them on to your card-paying customers. There’s even a cash discount program with no monthly fee, enabling you to deduct 4% from cash payments.

Features and Benefits

• Free chargeback mitigation plan. PAYARC offers a complimentary chargeback mitigation plan tailored to your business. Its risk monitoring tools can also help you reduce disputes and chargebacks.
• International processing for US-based businesses. PAYARC integrates with many third-party international gateways. Its comprehensive international capabilities include multi-currency support, localized payment methods, and compliance with international regulations.
• Mobile app. PAYARC’s mobile app allows you to accept payments and manage your business on the go. You can create and customize invoices, send invoice reminders, and accept payments remotely.
• Discounts for registered 501c3 non-profits. If you run a nonprofit organization, PAYARC offers a special discounted rate. You’ll also be able to accept international payments and set up recurring donations.

Read our in-depth PAYARC review for more details.

2. Leaders Merchant Services: Best for Small Businesses Interested in Cash Advances and Loans

Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) doesn’t impose processing minimums, making it accessible to small businesses. You’ll benefit from a low monthly fee that covers the essentials, with more features costing extra. This custom pricing ensures that you only pay for the services you use, which is ideal if you’re on a tight budget.

LMS offers cash advances and other fast business loans that could be beneficial if you need immediate funds to cover current expenses or invest in growth opportunities. You can obtain capital without extensive paperwork or collateral. To qualify, your business must be at least nine months old and processing with LMS for at least six months. The funding amount and terms depend on your sales volume and financial history.

While this processor is ideal for new businesses, it’s also great for established businesses seeking a better deal. LMS’s attractive meet-or-beat guarantee will match or beat your current rates. If it can’t, you’ll receive a $200 gift card.

Features and Benefits

• Same-day approvals. In most cases, LMS approves merchants the same day they apply, meaning you can start taking credit card payments almost immediately.
• Cash discount program. The program allows you to deduct 4% from cash payments or charge your card-paying customer the same percentage on top of their total.
• Free POS. LMS is one of the few processors that offer a high-quality Clover terminal for free. Upon purchase, you will receive the system with free installation, training, and if applicable, already set up for cash discounting.
• Flexible contracts. LMS won’t burden you with long-term contracts and early cancellation fees. You can use its services on a month-to-month basis.

For more features, check out our detailed Leaders Merchant Services review.

3. Flagship Merchant Services: Instant Funding for New and High-Risk Businesses

With a 98% approval rate in most industries, Flagship Merchant Services is an ideal choice if you have a new business without credit history or have a less-than-stellar credit score. In addition to a high approval rate, Flagship’s monthly fee is one of the lowest in the industry. Like LMS, this pricing structure is suitable if you have simple needs but if you need to add extra features like a payment gateway or ACH processing, be prepared to pay more.

Flagship will typically release your funds in 48 hours, but a same-day payout is available for an upcharge. If you need extra capital, Flagship offers cash advances of up to $150,000 to qualified candidates. The application process is pretty straightforward. If approved, you can receive funds within one day.

If you’re looking for more ways to keep a steady profit, Flagship offers both surcharging and cash discounting programs. With the first option, you can pass a 3.85% transaction fee to customers using credit cards. With the latter option, you can offer the same percentage as a discount to those who pay in cash. The advantage of a cash discount is that you’ll also save on debit card fees.

Features and Benefits

• Free terminal. If you’re looking to further cut down on costs, an additional perk is a free Clover Mini Point-of-Sale or EMV terminal as a welcome gift. Like LMS, Flagship is one of the rare credit card processors that offers these premium-quality devices for free. You’ll also receive personal training on how to use it.
• Negotiable rates. Flagship’s better price guarantee can help you earn money or save on credit card processing. If you’re processing elsewhere, you can potentially receive a $200 gift card just for asking Flagship to analyze your current plan. If it can’t beat or at least meet your current rates, you’ll receive a $200 AMEX gift card.
• Premium gateway. If you need to accept online payments securely and efficiently, Flagship is a certified reseller of Authorize.net, a popular payment gateway. It normally costs $25/month, but Flagship gives you unlimited access to Authorize.net for only $7.95/month.
• Branded gift cards. Flagship offers a choice of branded or pre-designed gift cards with flexible redeemable options and real-time reporting. Gift cards can help you improve customer loyalty and cash flow. As many as 65% of consumers spend 38% extra on their gift card value. Plus, you can issue gift cards instead of cash for returns to keep the money in your business.

Read our expert Flagship review for more details.

4. Stax: Best for High-Volume Businesses That Need Same-Day Payouts

Stax has a membership-based zero-markup pricing model and the lowest transaction fees in the industry. Its predictable pricing can save you up to 40% if you process $8,000+/month. And although the monthly fee isn’t cheap, Stax includes many features for established businesses with more complex needs and high processing volumes.

Stax takes 1-3 business days for credit card payouts and 4-5 business days for ACH transfers. If this isn’t fast enough, you can get next-day funding for an additional charge. You can also access instant loan options from 100+ funders through Stax Capital. After submitting the online application, you can get a credit decision in 15 minutes and funds in as little as 24 hours, provided you meet the minimum criteria.

You can speed up the payment collection process with Stax’s powerful invoicing tools, which are included in your monthly fee. Its subscription tool allows you to collect timely payments and maintain a stable cash flow. Stax’s Text2Pay feature allows your customers to pay you via text, a convenient method that will contribute to faster payment collection.

Features and Benefits

• Hardware of choice. When you sign up with Stax, you can choose between Pax, SwipeSimple, or Dejavoo terminal. Stax stands out as one of the few processors that provide multiple free models so you’re free to choose the one that best suits your needs.
• Free business management software. Stax’s proprietary software will power your business with analytics, reports, and many helpful tools.
• POS mobile app. Stax’s mobile app allows you to carry your business anywhere with you, both in terms of management and accepting payments. It can also transform any handheld device into a POS, allowing you to save on dedicated POS equipment and take payments remotely.
• Leading surcharging program. Through its subsidiary CardX, Stax gives you free access to an industry-leading surcharging program. CardX comes with 100% compliant hardware, software, and signage to pass on a 3.5% fee for credit card payments.

Read our detailed Stax review for more info.

5. Chase: Best for Free Instant Funding With a Business Account

Chase Payment Solutions offers a standard merchant account with no monthly fees. It also has lower-than-average flat-rate pricing, making it a great deal for small and growing businesses. Unfortunately, there’s no free or leased options for POS terminals, meaning you must purchase your equipment outright. There’s a limited POS selection and it’s only available to Chase Business Banking account holders.

You can access same-day funding if you open a Chase Business Banking account. Same-day payouts typically cost extra unless you can maintain a minimum daily balance of $2,000. If you want to receive same-day deposits from mobile payments, you’ll need a Chase Business Complete Banking Account, which costs $15/month.

Through its partnership with BigCommerce, you can also enjoy same-day access to funds from your e-commerce sales, provided you use a Chase banking account.

Features and Benefits

• Free business analytics platform. Customer Insights offers robust business analytics and valuable insights into payment transactions and customer behavior. You can even see how your business compares to other companies, giving you a competitive advantage.
• Subscription management. As a Chase customer, you can sign up for a free three-month trial with FuseBill. It’s a multifaceted subscription management software that can handle billing, invoicing, and recurring payments. These features can significantly improve your cash flow.
• Industry-specific software. Chase offers many industry-specific software solutions as add-ons. Buildertrend is specifically designed for construction project management and invoicing. EventZilla is for event management and marketing. PREto3 is a business management and sales software for childcare centers.
• Free mobile app. The Chase mobile app provides a convenient and user-friendly platform to accept payments, manage disputes, view sales analytics, access customer data, and practically run your business from anywhere. It also acts as a banking app, giving you access to your accounts from your phone.

Read our Chase Payment Solutions review for more information.

6. Square: Best for Low-Risk Businesses That Need Instant Transfers Without Limits

Square’s popularity stems from its effortless and hassle-free onboarding process – it only takes 3 minutes to create a free account. You can begin processing the same day without any approval requirements. But there’s a catch: Square terminates accounts and freezes funds without warning, meaning high-risk merchants should consider more reliable options like Leaders Merchant Services or Flagship Merchant Services.

Even on its free plan, you can enjoy next-day transfers. If you need faster payouts, Square has an optional same-day payout service for 1.5% per transfer. Your daily earnings will be automatically transferred to your bank account 15 minutes after you close the day.

For the fastest access to funds, Square provides instant transfers at a rate of 1.5% for amounts up to $10,000 per transfer. There are no transfer limits for daily and weekly payouts. Square also offers instant access to your funds through an FDIC-insured business checking account, which seamlessly integrates with your Square account.

Features and Benefits

• Free mobile reader. You’ll get a free mobile reader as a welcome gift from Square. It’s a compact and versatile device that can transform your smartphone or tablet into a powerful payment terminal to accept payments on the go.
• Free Square Point-of-Sale app. The free Square POS app allows you to accept payments, track inventory, generate sales reports, and create and send invoices.
• Free online store with Square Online. Square Online is a website builder that lets you create and manage a basic online store. It has ready-to-use templates to help you establish your online presence fast.
• Sell online without a website. If managing a website sounds like too much work, you can use Square’s Buy buttons and QR codes to sell without an actual website. You can share these in your emails, social media, and anywhere else you see fit.

See our in-depth Square review for more information.

Partner With the Best Instant Funding Credit Card Processing Company for Your Business

If you need fast access to funds through same-day payouts, next-day transfers, instant deposits, cash advances, or other business loans, partner with a credit card processor that offers these services at reasonable rates. My top recommendations give you fast access to money under the best terms.

What if your priority is to access funds from international sales as efficiently as possible? PAYARC offers a competitively priced same-day payout service and offers custom pricing plans to grow with your business. On top of this, PAYARC offers integrations with international payment gateways, enabling you to expand your business globally without additional costs.

If your business needs additional funding beyond the current sales, LMS’s cash advances and business loans can come to the rescue. Additionally, its no-frills pricing model ensures you’ll never waste money on features you don’t need.

Lastly, Flagship’s same-day payouts and cash advances will help you keep a healthy cash flow if you have a tight budget and need urgent access to funds. Plus, you’ll benefit from the lowest monthly fees in the industry and the most reasonable transaction fees. What’s best, Flagship accepts many merchants, including high-risk, new businesses, and even those with bad credit.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the best instant funding credit card processors:

FAQ

How can I speed up my credit card processing?

Services like same-day payouts, next-day transfers, instant transfers, and cash advances can help you speed up your credit card processing and gain faster access to funds, ensuring consistent cash flow for your business.

What is same-day payment processing?

Same-day payment processing refers to the ability to receive funds from credit card transactions on the same day they are processed. You typically need to submit your batch earlier in the day, before a specific cutoff time. PAYARC provides same-day payouts for a competitive price.

How long does it take a merchant to receive funds?

Typically, it takes 1-3 business days to deposit into the merchant’s bank account. Some credit card processors like Flagship Merchant Services offer faster options such as same-day payouts or cash advances.

How long do same-day payments take?

Sometimes, processors release funds within a few hours. In other cases, you may have to wait until the end of the business day. If you need even faster access to your funds, Square’s instant transfers are an excellent option.