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What to Know Before Partnering with American Payment Systems

Updated: September 24, 2025

Maintained Since: March 14, 2012

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

American Payment Systems

Rating

5/5

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Pros

Comprehensive payment solutions

POS system offerings

Virtual terminal access

Wireless processing options

Established industry presence

Cons

Potential cancellation fees

Variable contract terms

Possible equipment leasing

Customer support variability

Limited pricing transparency

Overview

In this review of American Payment Systems (APS), we take a closer look at the company’s merchant account services. We cover the tools they provide, including EMV card readers, POS systems, and virtual terminals, while noting which types of businesses may benefit most. The review also examines customer feedback to highlight common trends and concerns. In addition, we discuss APS’s pricing, contract terms, and available services. By the end, you will know whether APS is the right choice for your business’s payment processing needs.

About American Payment Systems

Screen Capture of American Payment Systems Homepage — American Payment Systems Homepage

American Payment Systems is a medium-sized merchant account provider founded in 2001. The company provides services and credit card terminals that allow merchants nationwide to accept checks, credit cards, and debit cards. American Payment Systems (APS) appears to use First Data (now Fiserv) as its primary backend processor.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

American Payment Systems offers comprehensive payment processing solutions tailored to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Their services ensure secure, efficient, and reliable transaction processing.

EMV Card Readers and Swipers

The company provides advanced EMV card readers and swipers, which are essential for modern payment security. These devices support chip-based transactions, reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring compliance with current industry standards.

POS Solutions

American Payment Systems delivers versatile point-of-sale (POS) solutions designed to improve business efficiency. Their POS systems are equipped with features that handle sales transactions, inventory management, and customer interactions.

Wireless Processing

For businesses that require flexibility, American Payment Systems offers wireless processing solutions. These mobile processing options allow businesses to accept payments from any location, providing convenience for both the business and its customers.

Virtual Terminals

American Payment Systems offers virtual terminals. These web-based platforms enable businesses to process payments online, expanding their reach and catering to customers who prefer digital transactions.

Loyalty and Reward Programs

American Payment Systems also supports loyalty and reward programs, helping businesses foster customer loyalty and repeat business. These programs are designed to incentivize customers, encouraging them to return and engage with the business more frequently.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Low Complaint Volume

American Payment Systems currently has only a small number of public complaints on this platform. One complaint revolves around a negative telemarketing experience. In response, a company representative clarified that American Payment Systems does not engage in any form of telemarketing. Since American Payment Systems appears to resell First Data’s (Fiserv) services, it’s plausible that any customer service issues are directed at First Data (Fiserv) instead. If you have your own experience with American Payment Systems, feel free to share it in the comments below.

Legal History and Penalties

As of our investigation, there are no outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints against American Payment Systems. Dissatisfied clients seeking an alternative to litigation are encouraged to report their concerns to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Customer Support Options

American Payment Systems provides various customer support options on its website, including a dedicated support phone number, a customer support form, and a support email address. This arrangement suggests that American Payment Systems itself does not take on direct live support responsibilities, which precludes it from placing among the top-rated providers for great customer service. Given the absence of complaints filed against the company, however, we are awarding it an “A” at this time.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop	5
BBB Rating	N/A

PaymentPop Rating for American Payment Systems

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about American Payment Systems on the PaymentPop website.

Positive Feedback

We’ve been using American Payment Systems for a while now and it’s been consistent. The equipment works well, deposits show up on time, and the billing has been straightforward. It’s reliable and gives us one less thing to worry about.

American Payment Systems BBB Rating

American Payment Systems has been an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau since 2001. The BBB is awarding the company an “A+” rating. Over the last 36 months, no complaints have been filed against American Payment Systems.

An “A” Performance

Considering the company’s low complaint total and resolution ratio, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.

Processing Rates & Fees

Understanding American Payment Systems Contracts

Details about American Payment Systems’ rates and contract terms are somewhat limited in the public domain. Due to their use of independent sales agents, contract specifics, including rates and terms, might vary based on the agent and the business in question. American Payment Systems likely employs First Data (Fiserv) for its processing, suggesting that their contract could resemble the standard First Data (Fiserv) agreement. Typical terms include a swiped rate of 2.69% plus $0.19 and a keyed-in rate of 3.69% plus $0.19 for businesses processing up to $50,000 monthly. Higher volume businesses may receive reduced rates. A common First Data (Fiserv) contract also comprises an early termination fee of $495 and a monthly PCI compliance fee of $19.95. Business owners should thoroughly review their contracts, keeping in mind that many fees are subject to negotiation.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to storefront payment processing, American Payment Systems promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services, utilizing EFSNET services for the virtual terminal. Specific pricing details for these platforms are not explicitly provided on the company’s website. Generally, additional fees such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and transaction rates may apply to these e-commerce services.

Equipment Lease Clarifications

A complaint in the review section suggested a $3,000 cost over three years for a $500 terminal. However, this situation may be related to First American Payment Systems, known for such issues, rather than American Payment Systems. American Payment Systems’ website lists outright prices for credit card terminals (e.g., $349.99), indicating they prefer to sell rather than lease equipment.

Customer Satisfaction and Negotiable Pricing

The lack of significant complaints against American Payment Systems suggests client satisfaction with their pricing, though it’s advisable for businesses to negotiate to get closer to the rates offered by the most affordable merchant accounts. If you have insights into the company’s contract terms, sharing them in the comment section would be valuable.

For broader payment processing options, exploring our selection of top merchant account providers is recommended.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Outside Sales Team

APS appears to hire independent sales agents to market its services. This is a common practice in the industry that can often result in a sales force comprised of untrained, unregulated agents who fail to disclose important contract terms. As of this update, there are very few negative American Payment Systems reviews, so it would appear that the company oversees its agents with a greater degree of diligence than is typical of the industry. According to the company’s response to a complaint posted beneath this review, American Payment Systems does not utilize telemarketing as part of its sales strategy.

This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

No Deceptive Rates

APS also does not promote any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees in its official materials. If you suspect that the company is adding hidden fees to your contract, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate undisclosed charges.

American Payment Systems Competitors

Compare American Payment Systems to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

American Payment Systems (APS) stands out as an above-average credit card processing provider based on our criteria. Its relatively strong performance and service make it a solid choice for businesses seeking dependable merchant account solutions. However, it’s crucial to emphasize that a processor with a similar name, First American Payment Systems, holds a considerably poorer reputation and could easily be mistaken for APS in search results.

The distinction between these two providers is critical, given APS’s near-pristine record, boasting almost zero complaints, which speaks to the high level of customer satisfaction. This solid track record ensures businesses can feel confident when choosing APS to manage their credit card processing needs. Despite this positive outlook, it’s always beneficial to explore a range of options. We recommend that businesses compare APS’s pricing and features with those offered by top-rated credit card processors to secure the best deal and meet their specific payment processing needs effectively.

Read Actual User Reviews

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All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact American Payment Systems

Contact & Customer Support
Owner and President	Jim Barnes
Headquarters	7025 S 115th St Plaza, #102, La Vista, NE 68128
General Support	(402) 502-9985
Website	americanpaymentsystems.com

About Us

CardPaymentOptions.com

Established 2009

My name is Phillip Parker, and I started this website back in 2009 as a simple blog to call out shady credit card processors that were taking advantage of small business owners. At the time, I had no idea this side project would grow into a leading voice pushing for transparency and integrity in the payment processing industry. I also didn't anticipate just how far some of these companies' owners would go to try to silence me.

I was recruited out of college for a sales role with a credit card processor. At the time, I didn't realize the “training” was really about tricking me... into selling business owners expensive processing with hidden fees and long-term service agreements. In my first few sales, I unknowingly cost friends and family thousands of dollars after they trusted me to switch their services. When it finally clicked that something was seriously wrong, I was furious. I quit immediately and made a promise to expose that company and any others operating the same way. That promise is what led to the creation of this website.

As I wrote about these processors, their tactics, and the people behind them, the articles started to spread among business owners. News organizations picked up the stories, readers shared them online, and traffic to the blog took off. Unsurprisingly, that also caught the attention of the companies and individuals I was exposing.

Over the last 17 years, I've received several anonymous death threats and defeated four lawsuits meant to intimidate me into taking my blog down. Their efforts to muzzle me only made my determination to expose them even stronger, leading me to work with state authorities to help shutdown some of the worst offenders.

I'm proud to say that of the millions of people who have read my work, thousands have taken the time to write and thank me for helping them narrowly avoid a very costly mistake. This blog has played a small role in pushing the industry toward more ethical practices - but there are still bad actors out there, which means the work isn't done.

If I can offer one piece of advice, it's this: get every promise in writing, and take the time to review contracts carefully. Tools like ChatGPT can help surface red flags and uncover expensive surprises buried in the fine print.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I truly appreciate you being here, and I wish you every success with your business.

Our Research Methodology

Pricing & Fees

We analyze all costs including rate structures (interchange-plus, tiered, flat-rate, etc), monthly fees, equipment costs, early termination fees, and hidden charges. This data is gathered from service agreements, statements and client feedback.

Features & Technology

Evaluation of POS systems, e-commerce integrations, mobile capabilities, reporting tools, recurring billing..., and developer resources. When possible, we directly test services and hardware. Otherwise, we rely on client feedback and public information.

Customer Support

We evaluate availability across phone, email, chat, and social channels. Measuring hold times, night and weekend availability, and client feedback regarding effectiveness, professionalism, and resolution rates.

Contract Terms & Conditions

We review service agreements and equipment contracts for reasonability, transparency, and fairness. We focus on uncovering any predatory clauses, such as unjustified early termination fees, hidden costs, and unclear cancellation policies.

User Experience

We comb the internet and interview current and former clients to evaluate the overall user experience and identify any common pain points that may impact the user experience.

Sales & Marketing Practices

We evaluate sales tactics, marketing materials, and client feedback to determine the level of transparency and ethical nature of the provider's approach. Does the provider publicly disclose pricing? Do they use teaser rates? We score based on these and other factors.

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