Certain Pay Review: Fees, Complaints, Comparisons & Lawsuits

By Phillip Parker

Last Updated: October 31, 2022

1 User Comments

Certain Pay

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(440) 759-0123 View Pricing

Elavon Reseller Founded By Heartland and Clearent Veterans

Launched in March 2019, Certain Pay is a merchant account provider that serves most standard-risk business types. The company’s founders were formerly employed by Heartland Payment Systems and Clearent, but Certain Pay does not disclose whether it is partnered with either of those companies. Its website does indicate that it is associated with Elavon, making it an Elavon reseller.

Certain Pay Payment Processing

Certain Pay does not give a lot of information about its services, but it appears to focus on credit and debit card processing for small businesses. They also offer website storefront building, loans, a rate tracker for their rates, an affiliate program, and PCI compliance.

Certain Pay Location & Ownership

Certain Pay is a registered ISO/MSP of U.S. Bancorp. Certain Pay is located at 5145 Brecksville Rd. Richfield, OH 44286. Adam Niec is the founder of Certain Pay while Marshall Lowy is listed as co-founder.

Certain Pay Review Table of Contents

Costs & Contract: Certain Pay offers variable contract terms depending on each merchant’s business type and processing history.
Complaints & Service: Certain Pay complaints number fewer than 10 on public complaints forums.
BBB Rating: Certain Pay does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau at this time.
Sales & Marketing: Certain Pay does not appear to hire independent sales agents and has not received any complaints about its sales practices.

Certain Pay appears to offer standard payment processing services

Certain Pay Customer Complaints & Reviews

Here's What Users Think

Complaint Summary

Total Online Complaints

<10

Live Customer Support

Most Common Complaint

N/A

No Public Complaints

We are unable to locate any negative Certain Pay reviews at this time, and there is no indication that the company is a ripoff or a scam. This clean Certain Pay complaint record is almost certainly a product of the company’s brief time in business. The company has received a large number of positive testimonials, but we do not give this much consideration because they can be easily purchased. It may be up to a year before reliable public feedback about Certain Pay begins to appear. If you have your own Certain Pay review to make, please do so in the comments below.

Certain Pay Lawsuits and Fines

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Certain Pay. However, it should be noted that because of their generic name, it is difficult to find information that actually pertains to the company. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Certain Pay Customer Service Options

Certain Pay lists a phone number, email, and a contact form on its website.

We have located a single Certain Pay customer service number:

(440) 759-0123 – General Customer Service

Certain Pay offers a dedicated email support address at [email protected] and a support form through its website.

This is moving in the right direction but is not quite up to the top-rated payment processors for great customer service.

Certain Pay BBB Rating and Report

Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment

No Profile Available

The Better Business Bureau currently does not maintain a profile for Certain Pay. We therefore will not factor a BBB rating into this review.

Certain Pay Fees and Rates

A Closer Look at the Contract

Cost Summary

Swiped Rate 1.00% - 4.99%	Keyed-In Rate 1.00% - 4.99%	Early Termination Fee Variable
PCI Compliance Fee Variable	Equipment Lease Terms Variable

Variable Contract Terms

There is no publicly available information about the standard Certain Pay contract, and we are unable to locate any merchant feedback that mentions specific Certain Pay fees or terms. As a very new company, it is possible that Certain Pay is still working out its basic pricing plan and is willing to customize its pricing for each merchant. It is also possible that it offers the standard Heartland or Clearent contract with some modifications. Until Certain Pay provides its contract documentation or begins to generate public reviews, merchants are encouraged to diligently review all contractual documents. We encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.

No Red Flags

We are unable to locate any Certain Pay complaints that mention excessive charges or unreasonable contract terms from Certain Pay. Merchants who are concerned about their bottom line are encouraged to compare Certain Pay’s pricing to that offered by the cheapest merchant accounts.

Certain Pay Jobs and Employment

Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment

Key Points

Employs Independent Resellers

Unknown

Advertises Deceptive Rates

Discloses All Important Terms

Inside Sales Team

Certain Pay currently appears to market its services exclusively with an in-house sales team, but it is possible that the company also hires or intends to hire independently contracted sales agents. We are unable to locate any negative Certain Pay reviews that accuse the company of nondisclosure or misrepresentation. This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors. If you suspect that Certain Pay is overcharging you, then you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.

No Misleading Quotes

Certain Pay does not post any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees on its website. Although the company is still very new, it does not appear to be engaging in the type of deceptive tactics that are typical of the industry.

Certain Pay Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts and Opinions

A Good Option

There are no major red flags regarding the company’s sales approach or contract terms, but merchants will want to review all contractual documentation carefully before signing up. The company appears to be a good option for most merchants, though they are very new to the space. For now, merchants are encouraged to compare Certain Pay’s contract terms to those offered by the top-rated overall merchant accounts.

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About The Author

Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker is an independent card payment expert specializing U.S. and Canadian point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile payment acceptance. He has nearly two decades of experience in credit card processing as a journalist and consultant. Phillip is the creator of this website and has written over 1,500 articles covering numerous payment acceptance topics. He has also published critical reviews about most merchant services providers currently in operation.

Expert Guidance

Phillip has consulted businesses of all sizes from mom-and-pop shops processing $10K per month to enterprise level organizations processing in excess of $300MM annually. His specialties include:

– Merchant Account Statement Auditing

– Rate & Fee Negotiation

– Processor & POS Selection

– Software Integrations

– Risk Assessment

– Fraud Prevention

– General Processing Advice

Schedule a Consultation Here

Phillip’s Top Picks

Phillip has researched and reviewed over 1,000 merchant services providers over the last 15 years. He also owns multiple businesses that accept credit card payments. If you are looking for an ethical credit card processor that doesn’t hide fees or lock you into expensive contracts, see Phillip’s merchant account picks here.

In The Media

In addition his contributions on CPO, Phillip has also been quoted in several major publications such as The Los Angeles Times, INC Magazine, Miami Herald, Computer World, and numerous others. If you would like to interview Phillip for your story or podcast, please reach out here.

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Customer & Employee Reviews

What Others Are Saying About Certain Pay

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1 Responses

Sam

September 23, 2021 7:52 pm

They are using clover devices as a form of cash discount! Unfortunately it is a book keeping nightmare and not a compliant program! The company itself isn’t horrible but would never recommend using them for cash discount.

Reply

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5-Star Adam Niec Clearent Elavon Heartland Payment Systems Marshall Lowy

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