Finding the Right Credit and Debit Card Processor for Your Landscaping Business
Whether you are an independent landscaper or the owner of a landscaping business, finding a credit card processing solutions can sometimes feel like fitting a square peg into a round hole. Conventional merchant accounts often come with excessive features, monthly fees, and long-term contracts, while free mobile apps can provide inadequate customer service and end up holding your funds. As if these issues weren’t enough, there are also numerous money-hungry credit card processors that simply want to mislead you into the most expensive contract possible.
To help you avoid a negative experience and find the right fit, we’ve put together the following list of the best merchant accounts for landscapers. The companies on this list offer simple invoicing tools, mobile payment apps, virtual terminals, and other features that can streamline your everyday business operations and keep your customers’ payments coming in regularly. More importantly, the companies on this list are known for their low-commitment contracts with transparent pricing and quality customer service. To find the right provider for you, be sure to research each processor’s products and features and compare pricing and terms.
Top Picks for Merchant Services for Landscapers
Host Merchant Services
Host Merchant Services is a Newark, Delaware-based merchant account provider that is well-suited for landscaping operations of all sizes. The company’s products and services for landscapers include a virtual terminal, online marketing tools, and a free mobile credit card processing for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. The company also offers a free website and business-class email to interested applicants. Host Merchant Services is a good option for independent landscapers as well as larger landscaping businesses.
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+.”
For more information, visit the Host Merchant Services website or call (888) 727-4538.
PaymentCloud
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 landscapers to accept payments on-site using their phones as well as through online billing. For those reasons, PaymentCloud is a good option for landscapers.
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.”
For more information, visit the PaymentCloud website or call (888) 506-7859.
CDG Commerce
Located in Chesapeake, Virginia, CDG Commerce is a great option for standard-risk merchants of all sizes and types. CDG has been privately owned since 1998 and offers a proprietary payment gateway (as well as a discount on Authorize.Net’s payment gateway), a virtual terminal, QuickBooks integration, mobile phone processing, sales reporting, security breach protection, and vulnerability scanning. CDG Commerce is ideal for landscapers that require a simple, low-cost, integrated retail or online processing solution.
CDG Commerce only charges a low, fixed fee per transaction and offers competitive contractual terms, including no annual fees, monthly minimums, or termination fees. CDG also offers next-day funding to most business types. CDG has earned an “A+” rating in our review as well as an “A+” rating with the BBB.
For more information, see the CDG Commerce website or call (888) 393-1079.
Additional Options
Shopify
Shopify is primarily known as an e-commerce platform for online merchants, but the company recently launched a point-of-sale software solution for iPad and iPhone. The Shopify POS app can accept cards via a headphone jack card swiper or a $129 EMV reader and includes features like inventory syncing with a webstore, emailed receipts, automatic tax calculations, basic email marketing, and in-store refunds. The service can also be paired with a Shopify online store, which comes with numerous customization options. Shopify POS is a great fit for landscapers who would like to accept payments on-site using their phones as well as through online billing.
Shopify offers month-to-month pricing plans with variable pricing and product tiers. The company is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been in operation since 2005. 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.”
For more information, see the Shopify website.
National Processing
National Processing offers several small business processing options and can assist landscaping businesses with identifying the right POS system or virtual terminal for their needs. The company offers two pricing options: one an interchange-plus program or a “zero-fee” program, both of which offer competitively priced rates.
National Processing has a clean reputation with just one complaint filed in the last three years, which is not concerning in nature. Our independent review finds National Processing to be a solid option for most landscapers.
For more information, see the National Processing website or call (385) 777-1235.
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