Finding The Right Credit and Debit Card Processor for Gyms and Fitness Centers
Fitness centers and gyms mainly accept credit cards through automated billing systems, but they can also use a virtual terminal or point-of-sale system to process non-member payments at the door. In addition to these fundamental merchant account services, your health club might also benefit from features like client management software integration, online marketing tools, and mobile payment processing for trainers. Of course, it's also nice to land a deal that minimizes your costs without locking you into expensive long-term agreements.
To help you find the right fit for your gym, we've put together the following list of the best merchant account providers for fitness centers. The providers on this list are able to provide recurring billing options, e-commerce solutions, virtual terminals, and other useful services for fitness clubs at a reasonable cost. More importantly, though, they all consistently receive positive feedback from merchants and third-party reviewers. In order to make sure you get the best deal for your wellness center, be sure to contact several providers on this list and compare their features and pricing.
How to Select the Best Fitness Center Credit Card Processor
When selecting the best credit card processor for a Fitness Center business in the USA, there are several factors that you should consider. We have outlined some specific considerations below.
Security
The credit card processor should be PCI compliant, and should offer EMV (chip and pin) technology to ensure that credit card information is secure.
Credit Card Payment Processing Fees
Look for a processor that offers competitive processing fees. Fitness centers typically operate on thin margins, so every penny counts.
Payment Options
Your credit card processor should be able to process a variety of payment types, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments.
Integrations
Look for a credit card processor that integrates with your gym management software, as this can streamline your payment processing and reduce errors.
Chargeback Protection
Your credit card processor should offer chargeback protection, which can help you avoid losing revenue due to fraudulent chargebacks.
Reliable Customer Support
Choose a processor that offers reliable customer support, with representatives available 24/7.
Contracts and Credit Card Processing Fees
Be sure to read the fine print and understand the terms of any contracts or fees associated with your credit card processor. Look for a processor that offers transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
Reputation
Look for a credit card processor with a good reputation in the fitness industry, with positive reviews from other fitness center owners. You can consider our review on this website, by simply searching for the processor in the search bar at the top of this page.
Equipment
Consider the equipment required for processing credit card transactions, such as card readers, mobile devices, and POS systems, and ensure that the processor offers compatible equipment.
Overall, when selecting a credit card processor for a Fitness Center business in the USA, it's essential to consider factors such as security, payment processing fees, payment options, integrations, chargeback protection, customer support, contracts and fees, reputation, and equipment compatibility.
Top Picks for Merchant Services for Fitness Centers
#1 Helcim
Top Rated for Fitness Center Merchant Accounts
Helcim is a merchant account provider headquartered in Alberta, Canada, and Seattle, Washington. The company provides merchant services and credit card processing to both U.S. and Canadian businesses. Helcim offers traditional payment processing equipment as well as a feature suite called “Helcim Commerce,” which is intended to serve as an all-in-one business management solution for merchants across all of their sales channels.
Helcim: A Trusted Option for Fitness Center Owners
Looking for a credit card processing service that caters to the specific needs of your fitness center? Look no further than Helcim! As a small business owner in the fitness industry, you need a payment processing service that can handle the unique demands of your business. Here's why Helcim is a great option for fitness center owners:
Tailored Solutions for Fitness Centers
Helcim offers tailored payment processing solutions for fitness centers that include features such as recurring payments for memberships and fitness classes, virtual terminal access for phone and mail orders, and the ability to accept payments for retail products sold in your fitness center.
Competitive Pricing
As a small business owner, you need a credit card processing service that offers competitive pricing to help you save money. Helcim offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts, so you can easily budget for your payment processing costs.
Excellent Customer Service
Helcim's customer service team is available to assist you with any questions or issues you may encounter. With 24/7 support and a commitment to personalized service, Helcim ensures that you receive the help you need when you need it.
Security and Compliance
Helcim is committed to protecting your business and customers' sensitive payment data. The company is PCI-DSS compliant and offers advanced fraud prevention tools to help you prevent chargebacks and other payment-related issues.
Helcim offers tailored payment processing solutions for fitness centers, competitive pricing, excellent customer service, and top-notch security and compliance. As a small business owner in the fitness industry, you can't go wrong with Helcim.
Host Merchant Services
Top Rated for Fitness Center Credit Card Processing
Host Merchant Services is a Newark, Delaware-based merchant account provider that is well-suited for fitness centers of all sizes. The company's products and services include point-of-sale solutions, online marketing tools, an online payment gateway and virtual terminal, custom software integration, mobile credit card processing, gift and loyalty programs, and merchant cash advance. Host Merchant Services specializes in e-commerce businesses and provides a free website and email address to interested merchants. Host is an excellent option for gyms that would like robust in-store payment options as well as a strong online presence.
Host Merchant Services has received only positive feedback on public forums, with most reviewers singling out the company's customer service for praise. Host offers interchange-plus pricing with no early termination fees to all of its merchants, meaning that users will enjoy the most transparent pricing model and can cancel service without penalty. The BBB gives Host an “A+” rating, and CPO also gives the company an “A+.”
Why Host Merchant Services is the Perfect Payment Processing Solution for Fitness Center Businesses
As a fitness center business owner, one of your top priorities is to provide your clients with convenient payment options. Host Merchant Services (HMS) is an excellent payment processing solution that provides small businesses like fitness centers with the tools they need to accept credit card payments from their customers. Here are a few reasons why HMS is the perfect payment processing solution for fitness centers:
Seamless Integration
HMS offers seamless integration with most fitness center management software systems, making it easier for business owners to manage their payments and streamline their operations. You won't have to worry about manually inputting payment data or reconciling your payments with your management system.
Competitive Rates
Host Merchant Services offers some of the most competitive rates in the payment processing industry, with no hidden fees or surprises. As a fitness center business owner, you can benefit from their low rates and save money on payment processing fees, which can add up over time.
High-Quality Customer Support
HMS has a dedicated customer support team available 24/7 to assist you with any payment processing issues or concerns. With their knowledgeable and friendly support team, you can rest assured that your payment processing needs will be taken care of promptly and efficiently.
Security and Fraud Protection
HMS uses state-of-the-art security and fraud protection measures to safeguard your customers' payment data and protect your business from fraudulent transactions. This can give your customers peace of mind when making payments, and protect your business from potential losses due to fraud.
Host Merchant Services is a great payment processing option for fitness center business owners. With its seamless integration, competitive rates, high-quality customer support, and security measures, HMS can help you provide your customers with convenient payment options and streamline your payment processing operations.
For more information, visit the Host Merchant Services website or call (888) 727-4538.
PaymentCloud
Top Rated for Fitness Center Merchant Services
Based in Woodland Hills, California, PaymentCloud is a merchant account provider that specializes in serving standard to high risk business types. The company's products and services include point-of-sale solutions, mobile phone swipers, an online payment gateway and virtual terminal, EMV-compatible terminals, and merchant cash advances. These features allow merchants to automated recurring payments for memberships as well as process one time payments. PaymentCloud's POS offering also enabled fitness centers to keep track of supplements, apparel, and other items they sell. For these reasons, PaymentCloud is a great option for fitness centers.
PaymentCloud provides a dedicated account rep to all new merchants for the life of the account. The company has not received any negative complaints on consumer forums, and it customizes its pricing according to each merchant's business type and processing history. The BBB does not maintain a profile for PaymentCloud at this time, but CPO gives the company an “A.”
PaymentCloud – The Best Credit Card Processing Solution for Fitness Center Businesses
PaymentCloud is an excellent option for fitness center business owners who need to accept credit card payments from their customers. With a wide range of features specifically designed for fitness center payment processing, PaymentCloud can help streamline your business operations and boost your bottom line.
Easily Handle Recurring Payments
One of the primary benefits of using PaymentCloud for fitness center payment processing is its ability to handle recurring payments. As a fitness center business owner, you likely have customers who pay for monthly or annual memberships. PaymentCloud makes it easy to set up and manage these recurring payments, saving you time and hassle.
Seamless Integration with Fitness Center Software
Another key advantage of PaymentCloud is its seamless integration with popular fitness center software solutions. Whether you use MindBody, Zen Planner, or another software platform to manage your business, PaymentCloud can integrate with it, ensuring a smooth payment processing experience for both you and your customers.
Advanced Security Measures
PaymentCloud also offers advanced security features to protect your customers' payment information. With PCI-compliant payment processing and secure tokenization, you can rest assured that your customers' sensitive data is safe and secure.
Excellent Customer Service
PaymentCloud provides excellent customer service and support to ensure that any issues or concerns you have are quickly addressed. With 24/7 support and a dedicated account representative, you can always get the help you need to keep your business running smoothly.
If you're a fitness center business owner in need of a reliable and secure credit card processing solution, PaymentCloud is an excellent option. With its ability to handle recurring payments, seamless software integrations, advanced security features, and outstanding customer service, PaymentCloud is the ideal choice for fitness center payment processing.
For more information, visit the PaymentCloud website or call (888) 506-7859.
National Processing
Top Rated for Fitness Center Merchant Accounts
Active since 2008, National Processing is a merchant account provider leading the industry’s move toward flat-rate, subscription-style pricing. The company’s products and services include EMV-compatible countertop terminals, a virtual terminal, an online payment gateway, an online shopping cart, mobile phone processing, QuickBooks integration, online invoicing, and recurring billing. National Processing is capable of serving all gyms and fitness centers and offers a comprehensive dashboard for tracking all payments and customers.
National Processing offers multiple pricing plans with different rates. Merchants can select either a plan that charges a flat fee on all transactions or a plan that charges a fixed monthly fee plus a fixed per-transaction dollar amount above interchange. In other words, merchants can choose whether or not they are charged a percentage markup on each transaction. National Processing currently has an “A” rating on CPO and an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau.
National Processing: A Top Choice for Fitness Center Payment Processing
When it comes to payment processing for fitness centers, National Processing is a top choice for small business owners. As a fitness center owner, you want to make sure that your payment processing system is secure, efficient, and reliable. National Processing delivers on all these fronts and more.
Competitive and Tailored Rates
National Processing offers competitive rates that are tailored to the specific needs of fitness center businesses. With transparent pricing and no hidden fees, you can rest assured that you're getting a fair deal. Additionally, National Processing offers a range of payment options that are popular among fitness center customers, such as contactless payments and mobile payments. This makes it easy for your customers to pay for their gym memberships or personal training sessions using the payment method they prefer.
Advanced Security Technology
National Processing also offers advanced security features to protect your business and your customers' payment information. Their payment processing systems are PCI-compliant and use advanced encryption technology to safeguard against fraud and data breaches. This means that you can accept credit card payments with confidence, knowing that your customers' sensitive information is protected.
Specialized Customer Service
Another advantage of National Processing is their excellent customer support. Their team is available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your payment processing system. They can also help you set up and customize your payment processing solution to meet the unique needs of your fitness center business.
National Processing is an excellent option for fitness center owners who need a reliable, secure, and cost-effective payment processing system. With their competitive rates, flexible payment options, advanced security features, and exceptional customer support, National Processing has everything you need to streamline your payment processing and improve your bottom line.
For more information, visit the National Processing Website, or call (385) 777-1235.
Additional Options
CDG Commerce
CDG Commerce is a Chesapeake, Virginia-based merchant account provider that offers retail, mobile, and e-commerce solutions for fitness clubs. The company's products include credit card terminals, an online payment gateway and virtual terminal, fraud protection, a chargeback dispute resolution system, tokenized payments, ACH processing, and recurring billing. CDG Commerce is a good option for gyms that would like to accept payments online and in person using a simple, fully integrated solution.
CDG Commerce was founded in 1998 and has consistently maintained a positive reputation among merchants and third-party reviewers since then. The company currently has an “A+” rating from CardPaymentOptions.com and an “A+” from the BBB.
CDG Commerce: A Reliable Payment Processing Solution for Fitness Centers
As a Fitness Center business owner, it's crucial to have a reliable payment processing solution to accept credit card payments from your customers. CDG Commerce is an excellent option for Fitness Center owners looking for a payment processor that specializes in small businesses.
Low Rates for Credit Card Processing
One of the key benefits of CDG Commerce is its low rates for credit card processing, which can help Fitness Centers save money on transaction fees. They offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees, so you'll know exactly what you're paying for each transaction.
A Variety of Payment Processing Solutions Offered
In addition to competitive pricing, CDG Commerce also offers a range of payment processing solutions that are tailored to the needs of small businesses. They provide online payment processing, mobile payments, and recurring billing options, which are essential for Fitness Centers that offer membership programs or recurring classes.
Commitment to Security
Another advantage of CDG Commerce is their commitment to security. They use the latest encryption technology to protect sensitive payment data and comply with PCI DSS standards to ensure that your customers' payment information is safe.
CDG Commerce is a reliable payment processing solution for Fitness Centers looking to accept credit card payments from their customers. Their competitive rates, tailored solutions for small businesses, and commitment to security make them an excellent choice for Fitness Center owners who want to streamline their payment processing and focus on growing their business.
Shopify
Shopify offers chargeback recovery, email marketing, rewards programs, and an iPad-based point-of-sale application that merchants can use to accept payments in-person. Shopify offers month-to-month pricing plans with variable pricing and product tiers. Gyms and fitness centers that do not maintain robust brick and mortar storefronts and rely heavily on e-commerce and online product sales can benefit greatly from Shopify's easy online merchant account services.
The company provides phone, email, and live chat support to all of its merchant tiers and enjoys very few online complaints despite its massive user base. The BBB gives Shopify an “A+” rating at this time, while CardPaymentOptions.com awards the company an “A.”
Why Shopify is a Great Payment Processing Option for Fitness Centers
As a small business owner in the Fitness Center industry, accepting credit card payments is essential. Not only does it offer a convenient payment option for customers, but it can also increase your revenue and help your business grow. Shopify is an excellent payment processing option for Fitness Center owners, and here are a few reasons why.
Easy Setup and Use
Shopify makes it incredibly easy to set up and use its payment processing system, even for those who are not tech-savvy. Fitness Center owners can quickly get started with Shopify's user-friendly interface and can begin accepting credit card payments from their customers in no time.
Secure Payment Processing
Security is a top concern for businesses that accept credit card payments, and Shopify provides a secure payment processing system. The platform is PCI compliant and uses industry-standard security measures to ensure that all transactions are safe and secure.
Mobile Payments
Fitness Center owners who operate on-the-go or at multiple locations can take advantage of Shopify's mobile payment processing system. With this option, customers can make payments using their mobile devices, and Fitness Center owners can easily accept these payments.
Excellent Customer Support
Shopify provides excellent customer support to its users. If Fitness Center owners run into any issues or have any questions about their payment processing system, Shopify's support team is available to assist them.
Shopify offers an easy-to-use, secure, mobile-friendly, and customer-focused payment processing system that is an excellent option for Fitness Center owners who want to accept credit card payments. By choosing Shopify, Fitness Center owners can focus on their business while Shopify takes care of the payment processing.
For more information, visit the Shopify website.
Frequently Asked Questions: Merchant Fitness Centers Credit Card Processing
Merchant accounts for fitness centers are financial services that enable gym owners and fitness facilities to accept credit card and electronic payments from their members. These accounts facilitate secure and efficient payment processing for membership fees, classes, personal training sessions, and other fitness-related transactions.
Fitness centers have unique payment processing needs, including handling recurring membership fees, class bookings, and tracking various services. Specific merchant accounts for fitness centers cater to these requirements and offer solutions tailored to the fitness industry.
To find the best merchant account for your fitness center, consider the following steps:
a. **Research Fitness-Centered Processors:** Look for payment processors that specialize in serving fitness centers and health clubs. These providers will understand your industry's specific needs and offer features tailored to gyms and fitness facilities.
b. **Check for Recurring Billing Support:** Ensure that the merchant account supports recurring billing to efficiently process monthly membership fees and subscription-based services.
c. **Compare Fees and Rates:** Assess the processing fees, transaction rates, and any other costs associated with each potential merchant account. Choose a provider with transparent and competitive pricing that aligns with your fitness center's size and transaction volume.
d. **Consider Payment Options:** Ensure that the merchant account supports various payment options, including credit cards, debit cards, and online invoicing, to offer convenience to your members.
e. **Verify Integration with Gym Management Software:** If you use gym management software to handle member data, class scheduling, and attendance tracking, ensure that the merchant account can integrate seamlessly with it for streamlined operations.
While fitness centers can use regular merchant accounts offered by mainstream providers, specialized accounts that cater to the unique needs of the fitness industry are often more suitable. Regular accounts may not offer the same level of support for recurring billing and fitness-specific features.
Both large fitness centers and smaller gyms should consider their unique requirements when choosing a merchant account. Larger fitness centers may require higher transaction processing capabilities and advanced features, while smaller gyms may prioritize cost-effectiveness. Select a provider that aligns with your fitness center's size and specific needs.
The time it takes to set up a merchant account can vary depending on the provider and your fitness center's specific circumstances. Typically, the process can take a few days to a couple of weeks. Initiating the application process early can help ensure a smooth setup.
Yes, many merchant account providers offer contactless payment options, such as tap-and-go cards and mobile wallet payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Accepting these payment methods can enhance the convenience for your members during check-ins and class bookings.
Yes, specialized merchant accounts for fitness centers typically support both one-time transactions for individual services and recurring billing for monthly membership fees and subscription-based classes.
Carefully review the contract terms and fees of potential merchant account providers to identify any hidden costs. Watch out for setup fees, monthly minimums, and any other charges that might impact your overall costs.
Yes, in most cases, fitness centers can switch merchant account providers if they are not satisfied with the service or find a better fit for their specific needs. However, be mindful of any contractual obligations and potential termination fees that might apply.
Finding the best merchant account for your fitness center can significantly impact your payment processing efficiency and member satisfaction. Take the time to research and compare different options to choose a provider that aligns with your specific needs and offers the best solutions for fitness-related transactions.
Dexter
I am writing to extend my heartfelt appreciation for your comprehensive and insightful article on “Best Merchant Accounts for Fitness Centers”. As a fitness center owner, your guide has been a vital resource in helping me understand and navigate this specialized area.
Your detailed evaluation of each merchant account, highlighting their unique benefits, potential drawbacks, and key features, was exceptionally done. Your ability to simplify complex topics, making such dense subjects much more digestible for readers like me, is commendable.
I particularly appreciated your focus on critical aspects such as transaction fees, customer service, and security measures. Your insights into the specific needs of fitness centers, including managing recurring membership fees, facilitating online class bookings, and integrating with gym management software, were extremely beneficial.
Your guide clearly reflects the depth of research, time, and understanding of the fitness industry you’ve invested. Your commitment to providing accurate, current, and practical information has significantly simplified the typically complex decision-making process, enabling professionals like me to make more informed decisions.
Thank you once again for your invaluable contribution to this field. Your hard work, dedication, and expertise are greatly appreciated.