Granite Payment Alliance Review
(888) 580-7344 Note: As of March 2021, Granite Payment Alliance has been absorbed by Talus Pay. It appears that all branding for new and current customers will be under the Talus Pay brand, so please check out our review for that company if you are interested in Granite Payment Alliance. We will no longer be updating this profile, though we will leave it up.
Serving a Variety of Business Types
Granite Payment Alliance is a merchant account provider for business types ranging from small businesses to large, nationwide organizations. The company boasts an endorsement from Western Independent Bankers, an association of over 200 independently operated banking institutions across the western United States.
Granite Payment Alliance Location & Ownership
Granite Payment Alliance’s corporate address can be found at 3400 Douglas Blvd, Ste 150, Roseville, California 95661. Granite Payment Alliance is a sub-ISO of TriSource Solutions and a registered ISO/MSP of Esquire Bank, Jericho, New York, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Walnut Creek, California. Alex Batlle was the last CEO of GPA.
Granite Payment Alliance Review Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Granite Payment Alliance offers a 3-year contract through Global Payments or TSYS with a variable early termination fee. The company also offers a payment gateway through Authorize.Net.
- Complaints & Service: Granite Payment Alliance has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
- BBB Rating: Granite Payment Alliance has an “A+” rating and has received 0 complaints in the past 3 years. The company has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2010.
- Sales & Marketing: Granite Payment Alliance appears to hire independent sales representatives but has not received any complaints about its sales practices.
- Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Granite Payment Alliance
Granite Payment Alliance Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | N/A |
Clean Complaint Record
At the time of this review, we are unable to locate any Granite Payment Alliance complaints that accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. This may indicate that the company employs a responsive and well-trained customer support staff, or it might be possible that any complaints are redirected to Global Payments or TSYS rather than the online profiles of Granite Payment Alliance.
Granite Payment Alliance Lawsuits
In October 2018, Granite Payment Alliance filed a lawsuit against its former CEO and a number of former employees on the basis of stealing trade secrets to start a competing credit card processor, 1Point Merchant Solutions. Granite Payment Alliance accused its original owner, Wayne Keddy, of conspiring with both customer service specialists and sales representatives to access sensitive customer information, revenue sharing agreements, and documents containing Granite Payment Alliance’s pricing, contracts, and activity with banks and merchants. According to the suit, the company’s confidential files were then saved to removable storage drives that Keddy and his co-conspirators were able to access and reference while creating 1Point, and then used to undersell identical services. In August 2020, the case was dismissed and closed.
Granite Payment Alliance Customer Service Options
At this time, it is unclear whether the company outsources its customer service or employs an in-house staff. The Granite Payment Alliance website lists a dedicated support phone number, SMS number, and an email address, but its support options are not enough to qualify it as a top-rated merchant account provider for customer service.
Granite Payment Alliance Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Product & Service Complaints | 0 |
| Billing & Collection Complaints | 0 |
| Advertising & Sales Complaints | 0 |
| Guarantee & Warranty Complaints | 0 |
| Delivery Complaints | 0 |
No BBB Complaints
Granite Payment Alliance has been an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau since 2010 and currently maintains an “A+” rating. As of this review, 0 complaints have been registered with the BBB against the company. The company has also received 0 informal reviews on its BBB profile, but it is important to note that these reviews are not verified by the BBB.
An “A” Performance
Since it is our philosophy that “A+” ratings should be reserved for companies with 0 complaints, we agree with the BBB’s rating in this instance. However, merchants should be aware that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
Granite Payment Alliance Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Swiped Rate | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Keyed-in Rate | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Virtual Terminal Rate | 2.90% + $0.30 |
| Payment Gateway Fee | $25 Per Month |
| Batch Fee | $0.10 |
| Annual Fee | $10+ |
| Monthly Service Fee | $4.95 Per Month |
| Monthly Minimum Fee | $25 |
| PCI Compliance Fee | $4.95 Per Month |
| Equipment Lease Terms | 48 Month (locked) |
Contract Pricing
As of this update, there is very little publicly available information about the standard Granite Payment Alliance contract. The company is a sub-ISO of TriSource Solutions, which means it is likely that Granite Payment Alliance resells the contracts offered by TriSource. According to TriSource’s Agent Program Overview, the sales agents of that company can offer a standard agreement of three years with an early termination fee set at the agent’s discretion, an annual fee of at least $10, a monthly service fee of $4.95, a monthly PCI compliance fee of $4.95, and a $25 monthly minimum.
These figures reflect both the buy rates for agents and the amounts recommended by TriSource, but they appear to be optional or adjustable in many cases. For instance, the document mentions that agents are capable of offering month-to-month agreements with no early termination fees and interchange-plus pricing, which is a favorable contract for merchants.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Granite Payment Alliance also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services through Authorize.Net. A typical agreement with Authorize.Net includes a rate of 2.90% plus $0.30, a $25 monthly gateway fee, and a $0.10 batch fee. However, Granite State Payment Alliance reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions as a reseller.
No Contract Complaints
TriSource utilizes the processing networks of Global Payments and TSYS. Many of the rates listed in the Agent Program Overview appear to be negotiable depending on how much the agent intends to make in commissions. Given the lack of complaints about Granite Payment Alliance’s contract terms, we are not inclined to lower the company’s grade too dramatically despite the possibility of average rates and fees. However, we have also seen no clear indication that Granite Payment Alliance pricing competes with the cheapest merchant accounts.
If you have any knowledge of the standard Granite Payment Alliance contract, please share that information in the comment section of this review. See the TriSource Agent Program Overview.
Granite Payment Alliance Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Employs Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Advertises Deceptive Rates | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Dual Approach
Granite Payment Alliance appears to hire independently contracted sales agents in addition to employing an in-house team to market its services. Generally speaking, the use of independent sales agents can be a source of frustration for merchants, as it can be difficult for any company to monitor the conduct of independent entities. In this case, however, we are unable to locate any negative Granite Payment Alliance reviews that mention the company’s sales team.
No Deceptive Advertising
In addition, the company does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials. That said, we always recommend that merchants consider a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden fees. We will for now award the company an above-average grade of “A” in this category.
Our Granite Payment Alliance Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
An Above-Average Option
Granite Payment Alliance rates as an above-average merchant services provider by our standards. The company’s apparent affiliation with TriSource, Global Payments, and TSYS means that it offers a wide range of possible contract terms, but the complete lack of public complaints filed against the company seems to indicate that most of its clients are satisfied with the service they receive. Even when dealing with highly rated credit card processors, merchants are advised to strongly negotiate contract terms and to compare its pricing to the top overall providers.
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