Flint Mobile Overview
Founded in 2011, Flint is a mobile phone payment processing app that utilizes Stripe as its backend payment processor. Flint’s main innovation is that it does not require a connected card reader in order to accept credit cards. Instead, Flint uses your smartphone’s built-in camera to scan, encrypt, and securely process each customer’s credit card number. These payments are processed through a connected Stripe account and are charged Stripe’s standard per-transaction fee of 2.9% plus $0.30.
February 2016 Flint Shutdown
In its original form, Flint had its own acquiring bank and offered extremely competitive pricing in addition to its unique processing method. In February 2016, however, Flint abruptly stopped boarding new merchants and advised existing merchants to switch over to Stripe. This sudden shutdown came with no clear information about the company’s future and left thousands of users stuck with a non-functioning app. At the time, Flint’s extremely poor management of this situation and complete disregard for clear communication or transparency compelled us to caution merchants against working with Flint.
Flint Relaunch and Due, Inc.
In the years since that shutdown, Flint has relaunched itself as a mobile and e-commerce payment processing app integrated with Stripe. It also features a copyright notification from Due, Inc. on its website, which indicates that it is either a DBA or subsidiary of Due. However, that web domain is no longer functioning, making the status of Flint’s relationship with Due uncertain. Due is headquartered at 201 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, California 94301, and John Rampton is the founder and CEO of Due.
Leadership
Customer Reviews & Sentiment
Moderate Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate over 50 Flint negative reviews outside of the BBB at this time, some of which accuse the company of being a scam. Most of these complaints are related to software or hardware issues, excessive requests for private information, fund holds, account cancellation, poor customer service, and the company’s abrupt shutdown in 2016. While the company’s complaint total has grown since our last update, the fact that Flint is a growing organization with a very low barrier to signup means that that it will inevitably receive some complaints from inexperienced or confused merchants.
Flint Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Flint. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Flint Customer Support Options
Flint appears to offer email support only, although Stripe has recently launched a phone line in addition to its email channels. These options fall short of our expectations for top-rated payment processors with great customer service. In fact, a lack of easily accessible phone support has proven to be a disaster for other merchant account aggregators with reputations for holding funds.
Client Satisfaction Ratings
| Product & Service Complaints | 0 |
|---|---|
| Billing & Collection Complaints | 0 |
| Advertising & Sales Complaints | 0 |
| Guarantee & Warranty Complaints | 0 |
| Delivery Complaints | 0 |
Clean Complaint Record
Flint is currently not accredited with the Better Business Bureau and is showing an “A+” rating based on 0 complaints.
An “A” Overall
In line with this website’s policy, companies with a clean complaint record are afforded an “A” rating in this category. As such, we agree with the BBB’s rating. However, merchants should be aware that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
Card Processing Rates & Fees
Stripe Payment Processing
Flint simply uses Stripe to process payments through its app. Stripe charges 2.9% plus $0.30 on every transaction This rate does not change depending on whether the transaction was swiped or keyed, and there are no termination fees, monthly fees, or PCI compliance fees associated with the account. Merchants can terminate at any time without penalty.
Flint Pricing Plans
Flint offers 3 annual pricing plans depending on the number of features merchants wish to use. Flint’s “Basic” plan is free to use and includes unlimited transactions, 10 invoices per year, up to 10 clients, item management, and unlimited coupons. Flint’s “Pro” plan costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year and includes everything in the Basic plan plus unlimited invoices, unlimited online sales, up to 50 clients, and up to three users. Flint’s “Enterprise” plan costs $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year and includes everything in the Pro plan plus unlimited clients and up to five users.
Expensive Compared to Mobile Competitors
Although Flint’s previous incarnation offered some of the best mobile processing rates in the industry, its use of Stripe has increased its per-transaction fee well above similar companies in the market. Flint’s 2.9% plus $0.30 rate is higher than the swiped rates of Square, PayPal Here, and Fattmerchant; in fact, it’s not much better than the keyed-in rates charged by those processors.
Stripe Fund Holds
There is one other major drawback to Flint’s contract. Like other merchant account aggregators, Stripe usually approves merchants before its underwriting department can make a detailed assessment of the merchant’s risk for fraud or illegal activity. This often results in sudden termination of services and large fund holds for merchants down the line. Merchants are therefore encouraged to carefully read the company’s list of prohibited activities, inquire about processing limits before signing up, and understand how to resolve situations when Stripe holds their funds.
Bottom Line
An Average Mobile Payment Processing Option
Flint rates as an average option compared to its mobile payment competitors. The company’s innovative scanning feature may not be desirable for every merchant, and its per-transaction pricing is more expensive than industry averages. That said, the central concept of the app provides an intriguing alternative to its competitors, and Flint’s pricing is transparent and competitive. Merchants are encouraged to compare Flint’s pricing and features to those offered by top-rated mobile credit card processing apps.
Flint Mobile Rating
