Updated 2/8/2019: The Momentum Payment Systems website (momentumpayments.com) redirects to EVO Payments International. As a result of Momentum’s parent organization Encore Payment Systems being acquired by EVO in 2013, it appears that Encore and all of its DBAs have been fully absorbed into the EVO Payments International brand. For up-to-date information about this organization, see our EVO Payments International review.
Momentum Payment Systems (momentumpayments.com) is an alternate business name of Encore Payment Systems. Like Encore and Prodigy Payment Systems, Momentum is based out of Addison, Texas. Encore was founded in 2004. Momentum Payment’s overall rating is based on our Encore Payment Systems review.
Also see our reviews of this company’s other known DBAs:
Sales & Marketing: Momentum Payment Systems hires independent sales agents and has received a high number of complaints about its sales practices.
Costs & Contract: Momentum Payment Systems appears to offer a three-year contract through EVO Payments International with an early termination fee of $195 or more.
Complaints & Service: Momentum Payment Systems and its DBAs have received more than 100 public complaints.
BBB Rating: Momentum Payment Systems does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau at this time.
Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Momentum Payment Systems
Momentum Payment Systems Customer Reviews
This section is covered in the Encore Payment Systems review.
Summary:
Company has received a moderate-to-high number of complaints for time in business
Numerous complaints have been filed by former employees and agents
Common complaints include expensive and non-cancellable equipment leases, and undisclosed/”hidden” fees
Momentum Payment Systems Customer Satisfaction Ratings
Momentum Payment Systems does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau at this time. We therefore will not factor a BBB rating into this review.
Momentum Payment Systems Fees, Rates & Contract
Momentum Payment uses the same merchant account agreement as Encore. An older version is available below. In recent months, merchants have reported even more expensive contract terms than those shown in the linked document.
Summary:
Pricing will vary by merchant based on business type and sales agent.
Standard contract includes 3- or 4-year service agreement
Equipment leases often have a 4-year commitment and cannot be cancelled without paying the full lease amount, often in the thousands of dollars (leasing equipment is optional)
Momentum Payment Systems Employee Reviews & Sales Practices
This section is covered in the Encore Payment Systems review.
Summary:
Ethically questionable marketing tactics
Use of multiple business names/DBAs
“Hiring mill” recruiting strategy of Independent Sales Agents (ISAs) with high turnover
Agents appear to receive higher commissions for selling expensive contracts and rates
Underwriting policies allow for excessive fees and contract terms
Markets expensive and non-cancellable equipment leases
Momentum Payment Systems Review Summary
Momentum Payment Systems rates poorly as a credit card processor due to its close affiliation with Prodigy Payment Systems and Encore Payment Systems. For a full understanding of Momentum Payment Systems, please visit the Encore Payment Systems review.
Top Performing Momentum Payment Systems Competitors
Please note that we only suggest providers that adhere to strict ethical standards and offer top performing support at extremely competitive pricing. We may earn revenue if choose one of our recommendations.
Reader Comments, Testimonials & Complaints
9 User Reviews
Agneta Stevens
Please do not sign up to use this company. When I first signed up I was told a few lies about how this company operates. I was in the process of switching over to the SQUARE, when a sales rep walked into my shop. I was told by the sales person that momentum credit card processing on the cellphone was just like the square and even cheaper. The sales rep was new and had to get her information from her supervisor over the phone. After the first month I realized it was not so , not even close. Four years later when my contract was finally over (and by the way I was told verbally the contract was 3 years.) I was a week or so late in canceling and got charged a $400 early cancellation fee because I did not cancel on the exact day and by not doing so it automatically renews for a year. I now have the square in my one person salon and I save about $1000 per year. These people does not tell the truth when you sign up with them.
Ruthie DeHaven
I canceled my account Jan. 1 2015 and they still continue to steal Money from my account. 4/14/15
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY !!!!!
Christine
Wow…I have been trying to cancel my account since I sold my business in November. What a run around!! They need to have something done to them to make them stop! It is now April and now….my contract has been renewed automatically. Really………
Russell Mann
MOMENTUM PAYMENT SYSTEMS is a nightmare. My biggest issue with them is that my corporation has two different entities. Instead of combining both entities under the corporate name they set up two separate accounts for credit card processing. I was charged two monthly fees in addition to two separate fees for processing. One entity was PCI Compliant but they would not get me access to the PCI Compliant website (password required) for the other entity which therefore continued to run Non-Compliant PCI so I was charged additional fees. I submitted a complaint in July of 2013 and a technician responded to my request in October 2013. The fees continued, the rates were NOT what the salesman told me, of which his phone is disconnected.
Today I was charged a $450.00 early cancellation fee in addition to the hundreds of dollars I have spent on their other surcharges and fees.
EQUIPMENT is a joke. I purchased a standard card reader (swipe machine) for $900.00 that was supposed to have the capability of being wireless. When I activated the wireless feature there was an additional $15.00 monthly fee. The wireless reader never worked and technical support was like a physics conversation with a fourth grader. Even hooked to a phone line the reader (swipe machine) can take 3 minutes to process a transaction.
When I called customer service about my last bill I was transferred to Shante and was told there was nothing they could do and my account would be debited an early termination fee. I did find the early termination clause in the several page fine print contract, but no amount was listed. MOMENTUM PAYMENT SYSTEMS is horrible for their misleading sales tactics, zero customer support, and overall inability to anything for the customer other than charge fees for everything!
Jeff Bronner
I just quit as a sales agent for Momentum. Stay away from these people! They sent me out on 10 “appointments”; 5 of the business merchants did not show or were closed, 4 told me they told the telemarketer that they did not want the appointment, and 1 person actually talked to me and did not sign up. The three appointments I did get were from my own contacts and friends. I am switching to a new processor and am not yet sure who I will be going with. The bummer thing is Momentum actually has great rates and deals for people, but their marketing techniques are deceptive and not honest.
Chris Morrison
My name is Chris Morrison I own a small screen printing and tattoo shop In Franklin, Pa. The screen shop is Tank’s T’s and more and the tat shop is Rottin Ink. The facts you have on this company are not skewed, they are actually probably a mild representation of the fraudulant tactics this company uses to aquire new customers, the way they treat you once you are a customer and their overall business ethic. My experience with this company has been horrible. They continue to get their monthly income from me, even though I have not processed a transaction thru them in about a yr. The promise they made to pay off a previous contract never materialized and getting a return call from the rep Randy Cooper is like pulling teeth from a lion. I am happy for any customer that has had a good dealing with this company, as business owners we all know that easy customers are not what makes a good company, satisfying a customer with particular needs and having to work to do so is what makes a good company. Momentum shows no desire to step up and deal with any issues. Bad bad company in my book.
Pauline
Wow! I so wish I had seen this before I agreed to go with these people. I’m learning my lesson the hard way. I was told there would be no fees other than when I use it. No annual or monthly fees. Well what a shock when I suddenly have $40 removed from my account. I call my rep, Michael H, and he tells me that there was a mistake and he promised the money would be back in my account the next day. It wasn’t, nor was it back a week later or almost a month later. He kept telling me he put in another request for it to be returned. I asked him if it was going to happen again the following month and he assured me it wouldn’t. Well no, they didn’t take $40 they took $120! Again, he tells me it’s a mistake, he’d take care of it, but then he just disappeared. He won’t answer my calls or my texts. I called the company and asked what I needed to do to get out of it and they told me it would cost me $595 early termination. They were “kind” enough to drop my monthly fee down to $5 a month from $9. Uh, sorry, no I’m done. So warning to anyone considering this company, run the other way as fast as you can!
John
Not exactly sure how you came up with these figures but they are completely skewed in my opinion. Momentum has been a great processor for us for over 2 years and the rates we were give for our convenience store were far below our prior processing company. In fact we have saved over $4800 per year from our previous company. Customer service is great as well. When you call them they answer the phone immediately with a real person! More than I can say for alot of companies these days. Plus they give us all the free paper we need. What more can a business ask for? Hopefully your poor review does not keep people away because Momentum is a far better company than most out there.
Phillip CPO
Hi John,
Can you reply to this comment with your business name, location and contact info? We would like to verify your testimonial.
Sharing your experience influences our rating and helps other business owners make informed decisions. Promotional content and contact information will not be published. Please provide a detailed summary of your experience.
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Agneta Stevens
Please do not sign up to use this company. When I first signed up I was told a few lies about how this company operates. I was in the process of switching over to the SQUARE, when a sales rep walked into my shop. I was told by the sales person that momentum credit card processing on the cellphone was just like the square and even cheaper. The sales rep was new and had to get her information from her supervisor over the phone. After the first month I realized it was not so , not even close. Four years later when my contract was finally over (and by the way I was told verbally the contract was 3 years.) I was a week or so late in canceling and got charged a $400 early cancellation fee because I did not cancel on the exact day and by not doing so it automatically renews for a year. I now have the square in my one person salon and I save about $1000 per year. These people does not tell the truth when you sign up with them.
Ruthie DeHaven
I canceled my account Jan. 1 2015 and they still continue to steal Money from my account. 4/14/15
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY !!!!!
Christine
Wow…I have been trying to cancel my account since I sold my business in November. What a run around!! They need to have something done to them to make them stop! It is now April and now….my contract has been renewed automatically. Really………
Russell Mann
MOMENTUM PAYMENT SYSTEMS is a nightmare. My biggest issue with them is that my corporation has two different entities. Instead of combining both entities under the corporate name they set up two separate accounts for credit card processing. I was charged two monthly fees in addition to two separate fees for processing. One entity was PCI Compliant but they would not get me access to the PCI Compliant website (password required) for the other entity which therefore continued to run Non-Compliant PCI so I was charged additional fees. I submitted a complaint in July of 2013 and a technician responded to my request in October 2013. The fees continued, the rates were NOT what the salesman told me, of which his phone is disconnected.
Today I was charged a $450.00 early cancellation fee in addition to the hundreds of dollars I have spent on their other surcharges and fees.
EQUIPMENT is a joke. I purchased a standard card reader (swipe machine) for $900.00 that was supposed to have the capability of being wireless. When I activated the wireless feature there was an additional $15.00 monthly fee. The wireless reader never worked and technical support was like a physics conversation with a fourth grader. Even hooked to a phone line the reader (swipe machine) can take 3 minutes to process a transaction.
When I called customer service about my last bill I was transferred to Shante and was told there was nothing they could do and my account would be debited an early termination fee. I did find the early termination clause in the several page fine print contract, but no amount was listed. MOMENTUM PAYMENT SYSTEMS is horrible for their misleading sales tactics, zero customer support, and overall inability to anything for the customer other than charge fees for everything!
Jeff Bronner
I just quit as a sales agent for Momentum. Stay away from these people! They sent me out on 10 “appointments”; 5 of the business merchants did not show or were closed, 4 told me they told the telemarketer that they did not want the appointment, and 1 person actually talked to me and did not sign up. The three appointments I did get were from my own contacts and friends. I am switching to a new processor and am not yet sure who I will be going with. The bummer thing is Momentum actually has great rates and deals for people, but their marketing techniques are deceptive and not honest.
Chris Morrison
My name is Chris Morrison I own a small screen printing and tattoo shop In Franklin, Pa. The screen shop is Tank’s T’s and more and the tat shop is Rottin Ink. The facts you have on this company are not skewed, they are actually probably a mild representation of the fraudulant tactics this company uses to aquire new customers, the way they treat you once you are a customer and their overall business ethic. My experience with this company has been horrible. They continue to get their monthly income from me, even though I have not processed a transaction thru them in about a yr. The promise they made to pay off a previous contract never materialized and getting a return call from the rep Randy Cooper is like pulling teeth from a lion. I am happy for any customer that has had a good dealing with this company, as business owners we all know that easy customers are not what makes a good company, satisfying a customer with particular needs and having to work to do so is what makes a good company. Momentum shows no desire to step up and deal with any issues. Bad bad company in my book.
Pauline
Wow! I so wish I had seen this before I agreed to go with these people. I’m learning my lesson the hard way. I was told there would be no fees other than when I use it. No annual or monthly fees. Well what a shock when I suddenly have $40 removed from my account. I call my rep, Michael H, and he tells me that there was a mistake and he promised the money would be back in my account the next day. It wasn’t, nor was it back a week later or almost a month later. He kept telling me he put in another request for it to be returned. I asked him if it was going to happen again the following month and he assured me it wouldn’t. Well no, they didn’t take $40 they took $120! Again, he tells me it’s a mistake, he’d take care of it, but then he just disappeared. He won’t answer my calls or my texts. I called the company and asked what I needed to do to get out of it and they told me it would cost me $595 early termination. They were “kind” enough to drop my monthly fee down to $5 a month from $9. Uh, sorry, no I’m done. So warning to anyone considering this company, run the other way as fast as you can!
John
Not exactly sure how you came up with these figures but they are completely skewed in my opinion. Momentum has been a great processor for us for over 2 years and the rates we were give for our convenience store were far below our prior processing company. In fact we have saved over $4800 per year from our previous company. Customer service is great as well. When you call them they answer the phone immediately with a real person! More than I can say for alot of companies these days. Plus they give us all the free paper we need. What more can a business ask for? Hopefully your poor review does not keep people away because Momentum is a far better company than most out there.
Phillip CPO
Hi John,
Can you reply to this comment with your business name, location and contact info? We would like to verify your testimonial.