Updated 12/19/2018: Payleven appears to have been fully absorbed into the SumUp brand, and it appears that the company no longer boards new merchants under the name “Payleven.” As a result, we will no longer update this review. See our SumUp review for up-to-date information about this company.
Launched in 2012, Payleven (payleven.com) is an international mobile payment processor that allows merchants to accept debit and credit card payments via iPhone and Android-based smartphones and tablets using an app and free chip-and-PIN reader. The service is similar to U.S.-based services like Square and GoPayment and faces competition in Europe from apps like iZettle.
In April 2016, Payleven merged with its competitor SumUp, and both companies agreed to retain the SumUp name for their products. Currently, the transition to the SumUp brand has not been finalized in all markets, so we will assess Payleven as though it is a separate company. Merchants should expect, however, that “Payleven” will ultimately become SumUp in every meaningful way. Payleven’s services are currently available in Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Konstatin Wolff is listed as the founder and CMO of Payleven, which is headquartered in London and Berlin.
Key Points
- Sales & Marketing: Payleven does not appear to hire independent sales representatives and has not received any complaints about its sales practices.
- Costs & Contract: Payleven offers a month-to-month contract with a flat per-transaction fee and no termination fee.
- Complaints & Service: Payleven has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
- BBB Rating: Payleven does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau at this time.
- Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Payleven
Customer Reviews & Sentiment
We are currently unable to locate any Payleven complaints that accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. In fact, there are very few recent Payleven reviews whatsoever on any of the usual consumer protection websites. The handful of available complaints cite a number of one-off issues, including billing errors, declined merchant types, and withheld funds. Most of the complaints focus on difficulty pairing the card reader with the merchant’s device via Bluetooth. This issue is probably device- or user-specific in most cases. The company lists a dedicated phone number and email address for customer service on its website.
Client Satisfaction Ratings
As of this review, Payleven is not an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau and does not have a current BBB rating. This is due to the fact that it is headquartered in London. We will therefore not factor a BBB score into the company’s overall rating.
Card Processing Rates & Fees
Payleven charges between 1.69% per transaction processed via its EMV card reader. The company’s chip-and-PIN reader also costs £59 plus VAT. The app itself is free, and there is no early termination fee or long-term service agreement required. The company’s terms and conditions state that Payleven can establish a cash reserve at its own discretion as a fraud prevention measure. This practice is common among mobile processors like Payleven, and in the case of some of these companies, this has been a problem for merchants. However, it does not appear to be an issue for Payleven at this time.
Bottom Line
Payleven rates as a reliable payment processor according to all available information. The company is showing very few complaints online and appears to offer competitive rates in comparison to its mobile processing competitors. We will likely stop updating this review once Payleven has been fully absorbed into the SumUp brand.
Payleven Rating
