Reviews and expert opinion PAYARC

All-In-One Payment Processor for Domestic and International Commerce

PAYARC is a US-based credit card processor that offers tailored plans to help you manage not just payments, but every aspect of your organization. Its merchant-centered approach makes it suitable for everything from small to enterprise-scale companies.

Whether you process transactions in-person, online, over the phone, or some combination of all three, PAYARC has the equipment you need, including payment software that integrates with your existing website or e-commerce platform.

At the time of writing, PAYARC only serves businesses based in the United States. However, its partnerships with global payment gateways will enable you to process international payments.

PAYARC stands out for its willingness to offer charitable organizations special reduced processing rates for online and in-person donations. It even provides payment processing at wholesales rates to 501c3 nonprofit organizations.

I thoroughly researched PAYARC, contacted customer and sales support, and compiled every customer review I could find to assess this credit card processor’s strengths and weaknesses. I found that while PAYARC’s focus on custom pricing plans has its merits, more transparency about its rates and fees would be helpful.

Read on to see how PAYARC stacks up against the top payment processors, and see if it’s right for your business.

Terrific Suite of Technology-Driven Features

PAYARC offers an impressive set of features to help you manage your business, including built-in invoicing, data-driven reports, and real-time sales and payment tracking – all from your PAYARC dashboard.

Although it integrates with popular e-commerce gateways like WooCommerce and Magento (plus several international gateways), it doesn’t offer a shopping cart.

You should also bear in mind that not all PAYARC’s features are free, including its virtual terminal and some security tools. Since all plans are tailored to each merchant’s individual needs, I strongly recommend negotiating with PAYARC’s sales team to design a plan that works for you at the lowest possible cost.

Smart POS Terminals and Systems

PAYARC offers its customers a choice of PAX POS terminals (PAX E500, E700, E800. and the portable A920) that allow you to easily handle in-person transactions, whether your customer inserts a chip card, swipes, or taps to pay.

Whether your PAX terminal is free will depend on your plan and the model you choose. Bear in mind that free terminals must be returned if you cancel your contract.

You can also choose a Dejavoo Z8 terminal, Z6 pin pad, or Z1 mobile card reader, though you’ll have to purchase or lease the equipment from Payarc.

If you have existing POS equipment, PAYARC will try to integrate it with its platform, which could save you money. With that being said, PAYARC cannot guarantee successful integration with every brand.

Whichever terminal you choose, you’ll also get access to PAYARC’s API, software development kit, and the PAYARC App.

Impressive E-Commerce Solutions, but No Shopping Cart

PAYARC’s virtual terminal allows you to securely key in transactions, allow your customers to choose a preferred payment method, and track sales and payments in real time. But that’s just the beginning.

PAYARC gives you fantastic tools to create and customize invoices, adjust billing amounts to reflect promotions, and automate tax collection. You can also keep on top of payments by issuing invoice reminders. And with the PAYARC mobile app, you can even accept payments and access your dashboard on the go.

While you won’t get a built-in shopping cart, PAYARC seamlessly integrates with popular e-commerce solutions like WooCommerce and Magento. A sales representative also assured me that integrating PAYARC with an existing website or online store is not an issue.

Accepted Payment Methods

PAYARC accepts all standard payment methods, including credit and debit cards, ACH transfers, Google Pay, and Apple Pay (but not Samsung Pay, oddly enough). It doesn’t support payments made with cryptocurrency or PayPal.

While its accepted payment methods could be more inclusive, PAYARC offers one of the fastest payout times in the industry. Provided you pass its strict underwriting standards and pay the additional same-day payout fee, it will deposit all eligible funds from the day’s transactions into your bank account at the close of your business day.

Low-Cost Processing for Nonprofits

PAYARC is one of the few payment processors that offers special reduced processing rates for nonprofits. What’s more, PAYARC will even offer payment processing at cost to qualified 501c tax-exempt organizations.

Whether they donate by credit card (domestic or international), debit card, or ACH/e-check, PAYARC’s easy-to-integrate, PCI-compliant payment gateway will ensure that your donors’ personal information is secure.

The option to set up recurring donations can also help nonprofits with limited resources reduce their marketing costs and maximize contributions.

Setting up a merchant account with PAYARC is not as easy as with some payment processors like Stax because you can’t apply online.

There’s also a notable lack of information on the website about the application and approval process. Still, one you get through to a sales agent, you’ll be told what information you need to provide to apply.

Once you’ve opened an account, you’ll find that PAYARC’s payment software is easy to use, with plenty of help available for integrating it with your website and other popular business software.

Getting Started With PAYARC

PAYARC’s merchant-centered approach means you’ll have to speak with a member of the sales team to apply. Sales will discuss plan options and recommend one to suit your needs.

The website is scattered with short forms you can use to start the application process. Submit your email, business name and, depending on the form, additional information like your industry and your company’s website URL. Once you click on Get Started or Contact Us, the application process will be set in motion.

PAYARC also gives you the option to book a “demo” that will walk you through what this payment processor has to offer. After you submit your email address, you can choose a convenient day and time to schedule a call with sales support.

Customer and sales support are vague about exactly what documentation you’ll need to provide with your application, though I was told that a new business owner without sufficient payment processing history would have to submit three months of their personal bank statements to PAYARC’s underwriters.

After you submit your application and the necessary documentation, you can expect to receive a response in 3-4 days, or 2-3 days if you request rush approval. Once approved, PAYARC’s onboarding team will step in to help you set up your account.

A User-Friendly Dashboard

The PAYARC dashboard is a one-stop destination for managing accounts, subscriptions, invoices, deposits, and disputes.

From your dashboard, you can add and review customer accounts, use tokens to securely store customers’ credit/debit/bank account information, issue a refund, or create a coupon.

You can also access sales data and pull reports to gain insights into your businesses performance. This can help you increase profits and maximize your revenue.

Merchants will find PAYARC’s developer’s manual helpful for taking full advantage of all the features and tools this processor offers. Step-by-step instructions guide you through the process of personalizing your dashboard and configuring reporting and invoicing features. You’ll find it in the dropdown menu under “Resources.”

If you have a question or run into an issue, you can always call PAYARC’s 24/7 customer service for technical support.

Third-Party Business and Payment Integrations

PAYARC integrates with a wide range of third-party platforms and popular apps, which makes it easier to manage payments and grow your business.

Several software integrations (RS2, TSYS) support international commerce while others, like Ethoca and Verifi, offer solutions to reduce and resolve fraud disputes, prevent future chargebacks, and help you recover lost revenue.

Still, other integrations offer industry-specific solutions, such as the Fortellis platform, which provides CRMs, IT solutions, and marketing integrations to the automotive industry.

Competitive Pricing, but Navigating Plans, Fees, and Options Could Be Easier

PAYARC claims its commitment to offering personalized plans is why it provides no information about its plans or pricing on its website. Perhaps that’s true, but it also makes it hard to know in advance what your plan will include and how much you’ll have to pay. Fortunately, I was able to get some typical prices from customer support. These show that PAYARC is one of the more affordable credit card processors out there.

PAYARC offers three very competitively priced plan types: interchange-plus, flat rate, and cash discount.

The price of a PAYARC Interchange-Plus plan is based on your monthly sales volume. There are four plans:

• $0-$25,000: $69.00/month and 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online) per transaction.
• $25,000-$50,000: $129.00/month and 0% + 10¢ (in-person & online) per transaction.
• $50,000-$75,000: $199 month and 0% + 8¢ (in-person & online) per transaction
• $100,000+: $250/month and 0% + 5¢ (in-person & online) per transaction

Compared to other membership-style processors charging a similar monthly fee, PAYARCs pricing is very competitive for businesses processing $25,000 per month or less. Still, Stax’s in-person transaction fee is lower than PAYARC’s first two pricing tiers, even on its Growth plan, which lets you can process up to $500,000 per year. On the other hand, businesses with large sales volume ($100,000+) may save more on PAYARC’S higher tier plans.

PAYARC’s Flat Rate plan is ideal for startups and small businesses that process less than $7,000 per month. With a Flat Rate plan, you’ll pay 2.49% + 30¢ (in-person) or 2.9% + 30¢ (online) per transaction, regardless of interchange rates. These are reasonable fees, but they’re not the lowest I’ve seen. Based on our research, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to negotiate lower rates with Leaders Merchant Services.

PAYARC also offers Cash Discount plans that allow you to give a percentage discount on purchases to customers who pay in cash. It offers three plans:

• Cash discount of 4%: No monthly fee
• Cash discount of 3.5%: $99/month
• Cash discount of 3.25%: $199/month

If you incorporate your processing costs into your base prices, your cash discount will effectively let you pass on these costs to your card-paying customers. Just note that cash discount programs are also only legal in certain states.

PAYARC’s $25 chargeback fee is pretty standard. Unlike some credit card processors, though, PAYARC doesn’t charge a PCI compliance fee. On the other hand, you’ll have to pay 1¢ per transaction tokenization, which is something other processors rarely charge extra for.

More clarity about plan features and pricing would be helpful. Still, because plans are “tailored” to your unique needs, whether you have to pay certain fees or not is fluid. For example, customer support said I would have to pay $5/month to use the virtual terminal, plus 4¢ per transaction and 1¢ per tokenization, but the sales rep offered me full access at no additional charge.

Sales also offered me a free credit/debit card reader I could connect to my laptop or mobile. Depending on the contract you’re able to negotiate, PAYARC may also offer a free PAX A920 terminal. One thing is certain, however – Dejavoo equipment is never free.

A PCI-Compliant Platform Helps Protect You and Your Customers

Whether your customers pay in person, online, or over the phone, PAYARC’s POS hardware and payment software come with the encryption and data protection you need to secure yourself and your customers against fraud.

PAYARC offers a choice of several secure payment gateways, including its modern and accessible proprietary gateway, the Authorize.net gateway, and a number of international gateways.

It also offers advanced risk monitoring to help you reduce the likelihood of disputes and chargebacks. PAYARC will even help you design a chargeback mitigation plan free of charge.

PCI Compliance & More

When it comes to security, PAYARC meets the highest Level 1 PCI DCS standards for payment processing. It also offers additional advanced security features to protect your business and your customers from domestic and international threats.

Control Scan integration provides a suite of tools to help you achieve and maintain PCI compliance, including self assessment, vulnerability scanning, educational materials, and consulting services. Just be aware that additional fees apply for using this service.

Given its support of franchise and enterprise-scale companies, PAYARC’s payment gateway also complies with the highest security standards for business-to-business and business-to-government transactions. If this applies to your company, it can give you access to cheaper interchange rates.

PAYARC is also one of the few payment processors that meets HIPAA security standards through its integration with Rectangle Health. This ensures health insurance companies and medical, dental, and specialty practices can manage client billing and payments securely.

Additional Security Features

When it comes to security, PAYARC goes above and beyond. With velocity filtering, you’ll be able to limit the number of transaction attempts from certain countries, or by a specific customer or IP address. You can also place a cap on the value of a single transaction.

What’s more, all transactions benefit from end-to-end encryption, real-time confirmation of addresses and zip codes, and advanced fraud detection features.

You’ll also have the option to store customer credit/debit card and bank information securely using tokenization, though PAYARC makes you pay for the privilege. Still, the small 1¢ per tokenization fee is well worth the security it provides.

Helpful and Knowledgeable, but Sales Focused

You can reach PAYARC’s customer support representatives by email or phone. According to the website, PAYARC support staff are on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. I should note that while the website refers to live chat support, it appears to be no longer available. Obviously, adding a live chat option would be a plus.

To gather information about PAYARC’s pricing and plans, I first emailed customer support, getting a response a day later.

Next, I reached out to sales support by submitting my information on the website. I received an email response in minutes.

The sales rep I worked with was helpful and knowledgeable, though the plan details/pricing he outlined were slightly different from the information I’d been given by customer support.

While PAYARC also has a “Knowledge Hub” and blog, they’re really nothing special.

Articles in the knowledge base offer general information about the payment processing industry, PCI compliance, and security/fraud prevention, but they don’t give much insight into PAYARC itself and what it offers.

That was also the case when I reviewed the blog, though I did uncover a helpful roundup of interchange fees charged by the major credit card companies.