Should Your Business Switch to CardX? Read This First

Name: CardX
Item: CardX
Rating: 5
Author: Phillip Parker

Updated: September 26, 2025

Maintained Since: September 11, 2019

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.

CardX

Rating

5/5

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Pros

Zero-fee credit processing

No setup fees

Month-to-month contracts

Virtual terminal access

24/7 technical support

Cons

Terminal rental fees

Customer surcharge fees

Ambiguous contract terms

Limited POS integrations

No 24/7 support

Overview

In this review of CardX, we take a closer look at the company’s credit card processing services. Their offerings include point-of-sale systems, mobile payment options, and e-commerce features designed to support a variety of businesses. We’ll highlight which business types may benefit most from these services. We’ll also examine client and customer feedback to uncover common trends and concerns. In addition, we’ll cover pricing, contract terms, and included services. By the end, you’ll know whether CardX is the right fit for your payment processing needs.

About CardX

Screen Capture of CardX Homepage — CardX Homepage

Founded in 2013, CardX is a merchant account provider that serves business, government, and education sectors. The company exclusively promotes its zero-fee (surcharge) pricing model as a way for merchants and institutions to pay nearly zero net fees for payment processing. In late 2021, Stax Payments acquired CardX but continues to run the company under the CardX brand.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

CardX processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types, including government and education.

EMV Card Readers and Swipers

EMV card readers and swipers are tools for businesses that process in-person payments. These devices allow merchants to securely accept credit and debit cards by reading the chip embedded in EMV cards, which offers greater protection against fraud compared to traditional magnetic stripe cards.

Virtual Terminals

Virtual terminals provide a flexible solution for businesses that need to process payments without physical interaction with a customer’s card. These online platforms allow businesses to accept credit and debit card payments over the phone, through email, or via online forms.

Payment Gateway

A payment gateway is an element in the online payment processing ecosystem. It serves as the secure bridge between a customer’s payment method and the merchant’s bank account, ensuring that transactions are processed quickly and securely. Payment gateways handle the authorization, processing, and settlement of online payments, making them indispensable for e-commerce businesses.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

No Public Complaints

We are currently unable to locate any CardX reviews that accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. This suggests that CardX may have an efficient and responsive customer support team, or it could imply that the company’s merchant base is still growing. If you have a CardX review or feedback, whether positive or negative, please share your experience in the comments below to assist other consumers.

CardX Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against CardX. Nevertheless, CardX has participated in legal proceedings and court cases defending its model of surcharges for “zero-fee” processing. Merchants who have issues with CardX and prefer a non-litigious resolution are advised to report their concerns to the appropriate supervisory organizations.

CardX Customer Service Options

The CardX website offers various customer support options, including phone and email. Below are the key contact details:

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop
BBB Rating	N/A
Google Maps	4
Average Rating	4

PaymentPop Rating for CardX

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about CardX on the PaymentPop website.

Positive Feedback

CardX helped us set up surcharging the right way, and it’s made a big difference in what we’re paying out each month. They explained everything clearly and made sure we were compliant. Now we’re keeping more of what we earn.

CardX BBB Rating

CardX has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB accredited. The company has not received any complaints in the past three years. It also has not received any informal reviews.

An “A” Performance

Given the company’s clear complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Merchants should note, however, that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.

Google Maps Rating for CardX

CardX has as 4 out of 5 star rating based on 25 user reviews on Google Maps.

Positive Feedback

Great company for credit cards. They answer their phones and are very helpful. Since we have gone to card x our company has saved THOUSANDS of dollars in processing fees.

Negative Feedback

Customer be aware of the scam! They have false advertising stating that they are 0% processing, yet they charge for their cut from your total. You already pay them for the month, yet they want more. Filled with lies and associates. Working from home that don’t care. I would shop somewhere else.

Processing Rates & Fees

CardX Pricing

CardX offers a pricing model that passes credit card transaction costs onto the merchant’s customers as a surcharge, effectively minimizing the merchant’s processing fees. However, this approach might not be well-received by all customers, as it introduces additional charges to their credit card purchases. Legally, CardX cannot apply surcharges to debit card transactions. For these, merchants incur fees of 1% plus $0.25 for qualified swiped debit transactions and 3.38% for commercial debit card transactions. Additionally, CardX imposes a monthly rental fee of $35 for a countertop card reader, which merchants have the option to return anytime.

No Red Flags

There are no known complaints regarding CardX’s contract terms, leading to an “A” rating in this regard. However, this evaluation is made without detailed knowledge of the company’s standard contract duration or any potential early termination fees. CardX’s contract terms are anticipated to be in line with those of the most competitive merchant accounts available.

Merchants seeking advantageous services are advised to explore our curated list of the best merchant accounts.

CardX zero-fee pricing — CardX’s zero-fee processing pricing

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Inside Sales Team

CardX appears to rely on an in-house staff to market its services. There is no evidence at this time indicating that the company employs independent sales agents, and we are unable to locate any CardX reviews that report unethical behavior by the company’s sales staff. This compares favorably to our list ofbest credit card processors.

No Misleading Quotes

CardX does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials. If you suspect that you are being charged undisclosed CardX fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.

CardX Competitors

Compare CardX to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

From all available data, CardX ranks as a trustworthy merchant services provider. While its pricing model may not be universally available across all states or ideally suited for every merchant, the company’s spotless complaint record speaks volumes about its dedication to customer satisfaction. Even with highly rated companies like CardX, it’s essential for merchants to carefully scrutinize the terms of any contract before signing. Comparing the pricing and conditions with those offered by other top-rated merchant account providers will help ensure merchants find the best match for their business needs. Staying vigilant during the selection process enables merchants to make more informed decisions, securing optimal terms that align with their specific requirements.

Read Actual User Reviews

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

Contact CardX

Contact & Customer Support
CEO	Jonathan Razi
Headquarters	401 N Michigan Ave #1610, Chicago, Illinois 60611
Toll-Free General Customer Service	(877) 885-2097
Additional Support Channels	Online Contact Form
Website	cardx.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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