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Heartland Payment Systems: Examining Fees, Services, and Reviews

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Heartland Payment Systems
Rating
D
2.9/5
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Pros

Diverse Products
One-Stop Shop
Strong Security Features

Cons

Potential Contract Commitment
Cancellation Fees Possible
Fine-Print Complaints
Business Practice Lawsuits
Fee Hike Complaints

Overview

In this review of Heartland Payment Systems, a long-established U.S. merchant services provider, we’ll take a close look at the company’s services, pricing, operations, and history. We'll explore its growth through key acquisitions and examine its offerings, including payment processing, point-of-sale systems, payroll, and HR solutions.

You’ll gain insight into customer experiences through an analysis of complaints and reviews, along with a look at legal challenges and lawsuits Heartland has faced. We’ll also evaluate the company's contract terms, pricing structure, and customer support to offer a clear, balanced view of the benefits and drawbacks of working with Heartland. This review aims to help small business owners decide whether Heartland Payment Systems is a good fit for their payment processing needs.

About Heartland Payment Systems

Screen Capture of Heartland Payment Systems Homepage
Heartland Payment Systems Homepage

Heartland is a very large merchant account provider headquartered in Oklahoma City. The company was founded in 1997 and, according to several reports, it ranks as the fifth-largest payment processor in the United States and processes over $80 billion in credit card transactions annually. Heartland was acquired for $4.3 billion by Global Payments in December 2015, which was in turn followed by Global Payments acquiring TSYS in 2019. It is unclear whether the merged companies intend to absorb the Heartland brand into the Global Payments brand over time, but for now, Heartland still appears to operate under its original branding.

Products & Merchant Services

Heartland offers a wide array of business services but for the purposes of this review, we will primarily cover the following:

  • Payment Processing
    • Heartland Payment Systems specializes in payment processing, catering to a range of business sizes from small businesses to large-scale enterprise operations.
  • Point of Sale Systems
    • Heartland provides cloud-based point of sale (POS) software that integrates with multiple hardware options. This system includes features for tracking sales and managing inventory.
  • Payroll and HR Solutions
    • The company also offers payroll and human resource services. These solutions cover the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement.
  • Financial Services
    • Heartland’s financial services include options such as surcharging, instant deposits, and billing and invoicing. They also offer gift and loyalty programs as part of their payment processing suite.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Low-to-Moderate Complaint Volume

For a processor of Heartland’s size, there are a relatively low-to-moderate number of negative Heartland Payment Systems reviews posted across common forums and review platforms. Most negative reviews focus on fees that were not clearly disclosed prior to signup, or sudden increases in fees shortly after. The satisfaction of Heartland’s clients often hinges on the individual sales agent involved, highlighting the importance of working with a representative you trust. To address this, Heartland says that it assigns dedicated relationship managers to improve communication. Additional complaints mention poor customer service and withheld funds, though these issues vary in scope and detail.

Specific Heartland Payment Systems Reviews from Customers

Beyond agent-related concerns, some businesses report unexpected fee increases without prior notice—an issue that has even led to at least one lawsuit. In one case, a merchant stated, “I told [the sales agent] I would try his company but I would not sign a 3-year contract. [The agent] said no problem.” However, the business later reported, “they told me I signed a 3-year non-cancellable contract and I would be charged $295. I asked them to send me a copy of the contract and it was an obvious forgery.”

Heartland Payment Systems Customer Support Options

Overall, Heartland appears to provide above-average customer support, though its billing practices may undermine this perception. The company lists several support contact options on its website.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop1
BBB Rating1.11
Trustpilot Rating2.9
Google Maps2
GetApp Rating3.8
Our Rating2.9
Average Rating2.54

PaymentPop Rating for Heartland Payment Systems

Negative Feedback

I felt this company took advantage of businesses. For us, they charged for a service that was not ever used. Turned out to be thousands of dollars. After trying to give them an opportunity to prove themselves, they failed. This company lost tens of thousands of dollars from my company only to keep a few thousands. I went with another company I found through Costco and we are saving thousands.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Heartland Payment Systems on the PaymentPop website.

Heartland Payment Systems BBB Rating

Heartland Payment Systems is not BBB accredited and has a “B-” rating. The company has been in business for 24 years. It has an average customer review rating of 1.11/5 stars based on 36 customer reviews. There are 104 customer complaints closed in the last 3 years, with 50 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Common themes in the reviews and complaints include issues with billing, customer service, and difficulties in canceling services.

Negative Feedback

They lied repeatedly to me… Forget getting customer service..Been trying to resolve issues for 2 months… No success.

Very difficult to speak to a representative and when you do they are rude. They are expensive. The customer service is terrible. Do not use this company.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Heartland Payment Systems on the BBB website.

Trustpilot Rating for Heartland Payment Systems

Heartland Payment Systems has an average rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, based on 5 customer reviews. The company is rated as “Average” in the category. The reviews are mixed, with 20% of the reviews being 5-star and 60% being 1-star.

Negative Feedback

horrible customer service, no response. Website is not user friendly and cannot locate previous paystubs. Their app has clocked me out on 2 separate days while at work.

Heartland “analyzed” my credit card transactions and the rep assured me they would save me thousands of dollars if I switched over to them. Instead, my merchant fee percentage went up and that decision cost me thousands. The last straw was when they imposed an annual “infrastructure fee” without warning or approval. I immediately closed the account and moved to another provider. I have requested a refund of the infamous infrastructure fee and have been told they cannot refund it because the account is closed. (Of course, if the account stayed open, they would not have refunded it either). Don’t touch this company with a ten foot pole.

Positive Feedback

This company has some great rates! I have been with them for almost a year and have no complaints.

Google Maps Rating for Heartland Payment Systems

Heartland Payment Systems has a 2 out of 5 star rating based on 21 user reviews on Google Maps.

Positive Feedback

Local, fast and efficient. Good value for services. Excellent service. Highly recommend for your payroll and admin needs

Negative Feedback

They keep on withdrawing money from my business account and I’m constantly fighting with this company over wrong withdrawal of funds. They will steal your money. Thousands of dollars. It’s a sick company.

GetApp Rating Analysis for Heartland Payment Processing

Heartland Payment Processing has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5 on GetApp, based on 52 reviews. The software is primarily used in the hospitality sector for payment processing. The rating criteria include value for money, ease of use, features, and customer support. Reviews are mixed, with 27 five-star, 10 four-star, 2 three-star, 2 two-star, and 11 one-star ratings.

Negative Feedback

Zero follow through during the aggressive sales attempt, poor documentation processing, no support. – Review by Chase B.

I finally spoke to [SENSITIVE CONTENT], a Client Manager, who said that there was nothing he could do to reclaim the fees charged to us. Very poor client service. – Review by Barbara A.

Positive Feedback

The people are so friendly and helpful when you need help. The software is very easy to use. – Review by Kris K.

Customer service has been top notch with clarity and ease of communication. The system is easy to use also with payment processing and deposits. – Review by Chase O.

Processing Rates & Fees

Heartland Payment Systems Pricing

Heartland’s merchant account pricing varies based on business type, sales volume, and the agent setting up the account. According to the company’s standard contract, most agreements include a three-year term and a $295 early termination fee, though both are negotiable. In some cases, Heartland may waive these fees entirely.

Heartland advertises interchange-plus pricing for all merchants, considered the most transparent model in the industry. The company doesn’t charge an annual PCI Compliance fee, but it does apply a $25 monthly “service and regulatory mandate fee,” which agents can choose to waive. Merchants who request monthly instead of daily billing may pay slightly higher rates.

Hardware can be leased or purchased. Leases that match the contract term often exceed the cost of buying the equipment outright—typically under $500.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Heartland also offers a virtual terminal and payment gateway for online payments. Pricing for these services is not disclosed online. Expect extra charges like gateway fees, tech support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction costs—common with e-commerce payment processing.

Fee Increases

Some businesses have reported unexpected fees and rate hikes. In 2018, Heartland confirmed a price increase for merchants with expired contracts and reduced sales. Other complaints include a $299 fee charged without notice for not upgrading to EMV-compliant terminals—a high cost for small businesses. See our list of the low-cost merchant accounts for alternatives.

Slightly Better Than Average Terms

Heartland’s contract terms are better than many traditional providers but still less favorable than true month-to-month options with no cancellation fees.

Lawsuits & Legal History

2012 Data Breach Settlement

As part of the fallout from a major data breach, Heartland was ordered to pay $2.4 million in a class-action settlement finalized in 2012.

2017 American Express Fee Adjustment Lawsuit

In October 2017, a judge preliminarily approved a $2.5 million settlement in a proposed class-action lawsuit. Plaintiffs claimed that Heartland promised in June 2014 to charge the same rates for American Express as it did for Visa and MasterCard, but later imposed an “American Express Fee Adjustment” in October 2014 that allegedly violated both its earlier statements and client contracts.

2018 Insider Trading Allegations

In July 2018, the SEC filed a lawsuit against former Heartland CEO Robert Carr and his partner, Katherine M. Hanratty, accusing them of insider trading during Heartland’s sale to Global Payments. A settlement was reached in October 2018 requiring Hanratty to return funds and pay a civil penalty. The case against Carr remains ongoing.

2018 Employee Lawsuit Over Compensation

That same year, a Heartland employee sued the company for alleged unjust enrichment related to unpaid compensation. As of the latest available information, this case appears to still be unresolved.

2020 School Payment Fee Lawsuit

In 2020, Heartland was sued for allegedly retaining fees from parents making school-related payments. Plaintiffs claimed they were misled into believing the fees benefited schools, when in fact Heartland kept the funds.

2021 Restaurant Fee Class Action

A 2021 class-action lawsuit was filed by a group of restaurants claiming Heartland imposed new and excessive fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The businesses argued these charges were unfair and implemented without proper disclosure.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Inside Sales Team

Heartland does not appear to engage in deceptive advertising or rate quoting. Company representatives state that all sales reps are internal W-2 employees who pass background checks. Heartland does not outsource services or use sub-ISOs, resellers, or independent contractors to sell its services.

Early Termination Fee Disclosure Issues

Despite claims of full transparency, the most common complaint in Heartland Payment Systems reviews involves nondisclosure of its $295 early termination fee (ETF). Heartland typically provides two documents at signup: a short “merchant agreement” summarizing rates and terms, and a lengthy “program guide” that includes the ETF deep within its text. Some reviewers claim the fee isn’t clearly stated, though company reps say it appears above the signature line.

Heartland Payment Systems Competitors

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Bottom Line

Heartland Payment Systems, as a significant player in the credit card processing industry, exhibits a complaint volume that aligns with industry norms for a company of its scale. Nevertheless, recent legal challenges and its acquisition by Global Payments warrant close observation as these developments could impact Heartland’s services and customer satisfaction.

Read Actual User Reviews

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Contact Heartland Payment Systems

Contact & Customer Support
CEOJeffrey Sloan
Headquarters616 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
Toll-Free Support and Sales(800) 285-0005
Websiteheartland.us