Is Clearent a Safe Choice? Complaints & Transparency Examined

Updated: September 30, 2025

Maintained Since: April 3, 2013

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.

Clearent

Rating

2.5/5

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Pros

Interchange-plus pricing

Low complaint rate

Responsive to criticism

Cons

Non-transparent pricing

Potential cancellation fees

Regulatory fees reported

Three year contract

Annual fees reported

Overview

In this review of Clearent, we provide an overview of the company’s rates, fees, contract terms, and customer complaints while also discussing its transformation into Xplor following its merger with TSG. We examine Clearent’s wide range of payment processing services, unique features, and data protection measures, along with its approach to customer onboarding, embedded payments, and transparency through partner collaboration. Our analysis includes customer support quality, client feedback, and legal challenges to present a balanced perspective. This review is designed to give businesses a clear understanding of Clearent’s services and industry position to help them make informed decisions.

About Clearent

Screen Capture of Clearent Homepage — Clearent Homepage

Headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, Clearent is a merchant account provider that offers its own proprietary payment gateway and virtual terminal. Clearent claims to be a direct processor, but TSYS provides after-hours customer support for Clearent’s credit card processing equipment. Founded in 2005, the company offers services for ISOs, financial institutions, and merchants.

Clearent Acquisitions and Mergers

In January 2017, Clearent acquired Payment Alliance International‘s merchant services division, which was a primarily high-risk portfolio focused on firearm merchant accounts. In March 2018, a private equity firm named Advent International acquired Clearent and merged it with an independent software vendor named FieldEdge. In July 2018, Clearent acquired a POS provider for the dry cleaning industry named Compassmax. The Compassmax acquisition shored up Clearent’s offerings for dry cleaning merchants by pairing Compassmax’s software with previously acquired assets from SPOT Business Systems. 2020 brought the acquisition of Wintac, and 2021 saw Clearent merge with Advent’s TSG to create a new brand called Xplor, though they are currently still running Clearent under its own name.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

Clearent is a payment processor that handles a variety of payment types, including credit and debit cards and touchless payments, for a wide range of businesses. Their services include DataGuardian data-breach protection, OptBlue for American Express processing, PayTrace for reducing B2B processing fees, Compass online reporting, next-day funding, the “Empower” program to share processing costs with customers, cash advances, small business loans, loyalty programs, and ACH and check processing.

Payment Onboarding and Underwriting

Clearent offers automated onboarding and underwriting for SaaS platforms. Their boarding APIs provide a seamless and flexible experience for users and platforms alike.

Embedded Payments

Clearent focuses on building strong relationships with partners and providing effective payment solutions to drive results for small businesses.

Transparency and Collaboration

Clearent emphasizes transparency and collaboration with partners by offering detailed residual reports and easy access to support teams.

Sales and Marketing Support

Clearent provides sales and marketing support to help businesses meet their goals, acting as an extension of their team to promote product adoption and usage.

Payment Monetization

Clearent aims to create consistent annual recurring revenue streams for their partners while reducing churn and the cost of customer acquisition.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Rising Complaint Total

Currently, we have identified more than 20 negative Clearent reviews outside of the BBB, with some customers alleging the company’s involvement in fraudulent activities. Many older Clearent reviews highlight issues such as nondisclosure of early termination fees and cancellation policies. Recent complaints, possibly stemming from Clearent’s acquisition of Payment Alliance International, mention withheld funds and denied applications. In contrast, there is a significant number of unverified positive testimonials, praising Clearent’s transparent pricing and affordable contract terms. It’s worth noting that several reviews misspell Clearent as “Clearant,” indicating potential confusion among customers. If you have your own Clearent review, feel free to share it in the comments below.

Clearent Customer Support Options

Clearent provides live phone and email support during business hours, supplemented by TSYS for after-hours assistance with payment terminals. While this meets basic expectations for customer service, it falls short of the standards set by top-rated payment processors.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop	1.1
BBB Rating	1
Google Maps	1.8
Our Rating	2.5
Average Rating	1.76

PaymentPop Rating for Clearent

Negative Feedback

Clearant is a scam. Don’t use them. they will literally steal your money without any explanation.

Positive Feedback

Clearent has helped my pet store improve customer service offering multiple payment methods for in store and online payments making it easier for us to offer lots of payment options for our customers to pick from. Their customer service is always friendly and quick to answer calls!

BBB Rating Analysis for Clearent

Clearent based in Creve Coeur, MO, is not BBB accredited and has an “A+” rating. The company has an average customer review rating of 1/5 stars based on 11 customer reviews. Additionally, there are 38 complaints closed in the last 3 years, with 21 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Common themes in the reviews and complaints include issues with billing and collection, problems with product/service, and dissatisfaction with customer support. Customers frequently express frustration over unexpected fees, poor communication, and challenges in resolving disputes or canceling services.

Negative Feedback

I started with clearent and 2020 after 3 1/2 years of doing business with this company closing the business. They decided to charge me at 395 termination fee. I was never informed that it was a yearly automatic renewal. I was told I had to stay with them one year or I would be charged this termination fee, but three years later theyre still charging me.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Clearent LLC on the BBB website.

Google Maps Rating for Clearent

Clearent has as 1.8 out of 5 star rating based on 68 user reviews on Google Maps

Positive Feedback

I love ShopKeep. We have used it for over a year now and have been completely satisfied. It’s modern, clean, and easy to set up. Customer service has always been wonderful and they work hard to answer my questions. The integration with QuickBooks is also a plus and a time saver. I am able to track sales, see my top categories, and create lots of different reports. I am very satisfied with this POS system.

Negative Feedback

Awful awful.
They make you sign agreement and take your money, clumsy expensive and dumb designed equipment, can’t take transactions offline, bad customer service. And they will take your money with hidden service and agreements. They called me once trying to sell me their gift cards, I was not interested, few months later I found that they already signed me in without my
permission, never got refunded for the money took from me. got rid of them after a year, now much happier with square. And I advice anyone to not have my nightmare experience.. run run away!!

Processing Rates & Fees

Three-Year Contract

The standard Clearent contract spans three years through TSYS and includes an early termination fee of $395 per location or the maximum amount allowed by state law. Additionally, merchants are subject to a PCI non-compliance fee of $24.99 monthly, an initial annual fee of $29.95, which increases to $59.95 thereafter, and an interchange-plus pricing model.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Apart from its in-store payment processing services, Clearent promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway without disclosing pricing. According to the terms and conditions, merchants can opt for a third-party service for online payment gateway needs. Typically, additional charges such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and extra transaction rates are applicable to these e-commerce services.

Clearent Cancellation Policy

Multiple sources suggest that the Clearent early termination fee is $295 if not canceled with a 30-day notice. However, recent reports from company representatives indicate that Clearent’s contract can be canceled free of charge with a 30-day notice. Some representatives state that the company’s annual fee is actually a $49.95 regulatory fee.

Clearent Regulatory Fee

Contrary to industry standards, “regulatory fees” are typically imposed by processors to cover mandatory IRS reporting costs. In most cases, these fees do not approach $49.95 per account, warranting caution regarding any “IRS reporting” or “regulatory” fee. According to a company representative, Clearent’s regulatory fee can be waived by the company’s agents, and business owners should request its removal whenever possible.

Industry-Average Pricing

Clearent’s three-year contract with automatic renewal and a $49.99 regulatory fee may not be competitive compared to terms offered by the most affordable merchant accounts. For updated information on the standard Clearent contract, please share your insights in the comment section below.

Lawsuits & Legal History

In 2015, Clearent faced a lawsuit in Federal District Court filed by Eastward Capital Partners for breach of contract, which was later remanded to state court.

Another lawsuit, Mr. JJ, LLC v. Clearent, LLC, emerged in 2022. The plaintiff accused Clearent of breaching its contract and engaging in deceptive trade practices by misrepresenting fees and failing to disclose additional charges. Allegations included violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Texas Business and Commerce Code. While Clearent denied any wrongdoing, the lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount. As part of the settlement, Clearent agreed to refund fees to affected businesses and enhance its disclosures and billing practices.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Inside/Outside Sales Team

Clearent appears to employ both in-house and independently contracted sales agents to market its services. As a general rule, the use of independent sales agents is usually tied to high complaint rates for a company because these agents tend to receive less training and oversight than W2-employed reps. Clearent appears to be no exception, as we are currently able to locate a handful of client complaints alleging nondisclosure or misrepresentation of rates and fees by the company’s agents. If you suspect that Clearent is overcharging you, you can get an in-depth analysis of your rates and fees with a third-party statement audit.

Positive Response to Criticism

One area where Clearent distinguishes itself is in its response to these complaints. Rather than holding clients accountable for contract terms that they didn’t fully understand at the point of signing, Clearent consistently apologizes for agents’ failure to fully explain contract terms. The company usually attempts to resolve issues to the satisfaction of the client. This practice indicates that any negative experiences with Clearent agents are not consistent with the company’s official policy, which has raised the company’s grade in this section.

Clearent Competitors

Compare Clearent to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

Clearent ranks as a reliable credit card processing provider. The company’s relatively low complaint rate is commendable, given its size and tenure in the industry, indicating a level of consistency and customer satisfaction that surpasses some competitors. However, its contract terms could be more competitive. The annual $49.95 regulatory fee and less client-friendly cancellation policy diminish its appeal to prospective merchants, leaving room for improvement. By eliminating these charges and reworking its cancellation terms to better serve clients, Clearent has the potential to enhance its standing among processing providers.

Despite these shortcomings, Clearent remains a viable option for businesses seeking reliable payment solutions, particularly those who value transparency and responsiveness. Nevertheless, prospective clients should carefully compare Clearent’s offerings with those of top-rated virtual terminal providers to ensure they secure the best pricing and features for their specific needs. A thorough evaluation of all available options will help businesses understand how Clearent aligns with their operational goals and whether it offers the right balance of cost-effectiveness and flexibility for their payment processing needs.

Read Actual User Reviews

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

Contact Clearent

Contact & Customer Support
CEO	Pamela Joseph
Headquarters	11330 Olive Blvd Ste 200 Creve Coeur, MO 63141
Sales and Support	(866) 435-0666
Activations Support	(866) 617-6079
Headquarters Office	(314) 732-0515
Fax	(314) 721-7300
Website	clearent.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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