Is PrimePay a Reliable Payment Processor?

Updated: September 29, 2025

Maintained Since: November 18, 2013

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

PrimePay

Rating

3/5

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Pros

Low-rate guarantee

User-friendly interface.

Robust compliance tools.

Cons

Feature Limitations

Pricing Concerns

Customer Service Delays

Limited Global Reach

Questionable contract Terms

Overview

In this article on PrimePay, we provide a clear review of their credit card processing services, focusing on rates, fees, contract terms, and feedback from both customers and employees. We examine their payment processing options, including POS systems, mobile payments, and e-commerce solutions, along with their approach to security and fraud prevention. The review also considers PrimePay’s customer support, processing costs, and contract practices to highlight both benefits and potential drawbacks. By offering a balanced perspective, this article is designed to help businesses understand what PrimePay brings to the table and decide whether their services are the right fit for their payment processing needs.

About PrimePay

PrimePay is a privately owned merchant account provider that specializes in payroll services. This review will focus on the company’s credit card processing rather than its payroll and accounting products. PrimePay resells the merchant services of First Data (now Fiserv) and should not be confused with PrimePay Global, a former business name of ElitePay Global.

In 2021, PrimePay became heavily backed by Aquiline Capital Partners and acquired SyncHR.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

PrimePay offers payment processing for all major debit and credit cards across various business types. Their services include EMV readers, card swipers, POS solutions, mobile payments, and e-commerce options.

POS Systems and Terminal Options

PrimePay provides a variety of point-of-sale (POS) systems and terminal options to meet the diverse needs of their clients. Merchants can choose from traditional countertop terminals, mobile card readers, and integrated POS systems based on their specific needs.

E-commerce and Online Payment Solutions

For businesses with an online presence, PrimePay offers e-commerce and online payment solutions. Merchants can integrate secure payment gateways into their websites, enabling customers to make purchases using various digital payment methods.

Mobile Payment Options

PrimePay provides mobile payment processing solutions for businesses on the go. Using mobile card readers and compatible applications, merchants can process payments via smartphones or tablets.

Security and Fraud Prevention

PrimePay emphasizes security and fraud prevention, ensuring businesses can process payments securely. The company uses advanced security measures such as encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive customer information.

Reporting and Analytics Tools

PrimePay offers reporting and analytics tools that allow businesses to monitor transactions and gain insights into their payment processing activities. These tools enable merchants to track sales, identify trends, and make informed decisions to optimize their payment strategies.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Overview of PrimePay Reviews

Our research has identified over 10 negative reviews of PrimePay, focusing on the company’s accounting and payroll services rather than its merchant services. Common complaints highlight issues with payroll inaccuracies and challenges in reaching customer support. Additionally, several reviews from the company’s employees suggest concerns about the work environment and the company’s future direction. It’s important to note that these reviews do not label PrimePay as a scam or ripoff, and there’s no indication that the company’s credit card processing services have contributed to the dissatisfaction. We encourage you to share your PrimePay experiences in the comments below.

Assessment of PrimePay’s Customer Support

While some complaints may have been mistakenly attributed to PrimePay due to confusion with PrimePay Global, a previously used name by ElitePay Global, our findings suggest no such mix-up. PrimePay provides a dedicated customer support number for its merchant services, potentially with First Data (Fiserv) handling the customer service aspect for these services. Despite these provisions, PrimePay’s customer support infrastructure does not meet the criteria for a leading payment processor known for excellent customer service.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop	1
BBB Rating	1
Trustpilot	2.6
Google Maps	1.8
Average Rating	1.8

PaymentPop Rating for PrimePay

Negative Feedback

Terrible customer services. They proved incapable of withholding appropriate tax for two of our employees. Multiple phone calls failed to resolve the issue. In frustration I changed payroll providers – ADP was able to withhold all correct taxes on Day 1 – something PrimePay could not do over a period of months. Primepay then charged us a $2K early termination fee. What a terrible company!

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about PrimePay on the PaymentPop website.

PrimePay BBB Rating

PrimePay is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau and is currently showing an “F” rating with 14 complaints filed in the last 36 months. PrimePay has a 1 out of 5 star rating based on 14 user reviews on the Better Business Bureau website.

An “F” Performance Overall

The BBB PrimePay complaints are related to the company’s payroll services rather than credit card processing, so their content will not factor into this review section. Given the company’s complaint total, we agree with the BBB’s rating. Business owners should note, however, that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.

Trustpilot Rating of PrimePay

PrimePay has a 2.6 out of 5 star rating based on 5 user reviews on Trustpilot.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews for PrimePay on Trustpilot.

Negative Feedback

The worst customer service I’ve ever had. I was with PrimePay for way too long because it’s a hassle to change. They’ve made late payments to the IRS on our behalf multiple times resulting in thousands of dollars in fees. They continued to bill us for payroll services after we cancelled and then 4 months later they’re trying to charge us an early termination fee. Do yourself a favor, stay away.

Google Maps Rating for PrimePay

PrimePay has a 1.8 out of 5 star rating based on 79 user reviews on Google Maps.

Positive Feedback

I have been using Primepay Payroll service for years, both with a former employer and my current. employer. They are excellent at what they do and their prices are very affordable. I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of Payroll and Tax services.

Negative Feedback

Cannot overstate how awful the experience has been with this company. Have been stealing money from us for years at this point, charging fees for fabricated issues and ignoring all demands to cancel our account. Customer service is nonexistent. Save yourself, do not sign on for payroll processing with this company.

Processing Rates & Fees

First Data (Fiserv) Reseller

There is currently limited information available about the standard PrimePay contract. The company resells the services of First Data (Fiserv), indicating that its standard contract terms are likely similar to those offered by First Data (Fiserv). Businesses processing up to $50,000 monthly receive a swiped rate of 2.69% plus $0.19 and a keyed-in rate of 3.69% plus $0.19. For businesses exceeding $50,000 in monthly charges, the swiped rate is 2.29% plus $0.19, and the keyed-in rate is 3.29% plus $0.19. The contract typically spans multiple years with an early termination fee of $495, a monthly PCI compliance fee of $19.95, and tiered pricing. Additionally, these contracts often involve non-cancellable, long-term equipment leases through First Data Global Leasing.

PrimePay has the flexibility to adjust these terms based on a business’s size, type, and processing history as a reseller of First Data (Fiserv) products. However, due to a lack of readily available information on PrimePay’s rate and fee structure, business owners considering its services should consult First Data (Fiserv) as a reference point.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to its storefront payment processing services, PrimePay also offers virtual terminal and payment gateway services. However, pricing for these services is not disclosed on the website. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates, typically apply to these e-commerce services.

No Long-Term Contracts

PrimePay states that it does not require long-term contracts. However, it is currently unclear whether PrimePay’s contract terms can compete with the cheapest merchant accounts available. If you have specific knowledge regarding PrimePay’s standard rates and fees, including early termination fees, PCI Compliance fees, and annual fees, please share that information in the comment section of this review.

Lawsuits & Legal History

In 2015, PrimePay took legal action against a former employee for disclosing confidential information related to its payroll processing services. To date, there have been no class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints identified regarding PrimePay’s merchant services. Clients looking for non-litigious resolutions are advised to report their issues to relevant supervisory bodies.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

No Sales Complaints

PrimePay appears to market its merchant services alongside its payroll services rather than through a specific merchant services division. The company’s website advertises a guarantee for lower rates and contract fee service as well as full disclosure of its pricing. We are unable to locate any PrimePay reviews that describe unethical or aggressive conduct by the company’s sales staff, indicating that PrimePay provides adequate training and support for its agents. The PrimePay website advertises a rate lock guarantee for the duration of a client’s contract, and this claim does not appear to be challenged by any complaints at this time.

Misleading Rate Savings Calculator

However, the PrimePay website also includes a savings calculator that provides a savings “estimate” based solely on the business’ annual credit card processing volume. Common sense dictates that PrimePay cannot possibly estimate a client’s savings unless it knows the rates that a business is currently paying. Therefore, business owners should absolutely disregard the number provided by this “calculator.” Ordinarily, such a tactic would lower a provider’s grade in this section, but we consider this particular example to be so rudimentary that it is unlikely to deceive any potential customers. If you suspect that PrimePay is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.

PrimePay Competitors

Compare PrimePay to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

PrimePay has earned a solid reputation as a credit card processing provider, with our evaluation highlighting its reliability in this field. The company strategically positions its credit card processing services as an adjunct to its primary offerings in payroll solutions, suggesting a holistic approach to business financial management. Currently, PrimePay boasts a low volume of complaints, indicating robust customer satisfaction with its credit card processing capabilities. It’s worth noting, however, that while there are minimal grievances about its payment processing, the existing complaints primarily target its payroll and accounting services, which have not been the focus of our assessment.

The standing of PrimePay could evolve as more feedback accumulates, particularly on its Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile, which is still relatively new in terms of gathering customer reviews and complaints. As the company’s market presence grows and its service suite expands, the real test will be maintaining high standards across all areas, including those outside of credit card processing. Business owners currently considering PrimePay are advised to thoroughly review and compare its pricing and contract terms against those offered by the leading merchant account providers to ensure they are securing the best possible service for their needs.

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Contact PrimePay

Contact & Customer Support
Founder / former CEO	Bill Pellicano
CEO	Scott Johnson
Headquarters	1487 Dunwoody Drive, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380
Toll-Free General Customer Service	1 (877) 479-2993
Website	primepay.com

About Us

CardPaymentOptions.com

Established 2009

My name is Phillip Parker, and I started this website back in 2009 as a simple blog to call out shady credit card processors that were taking advantage of small business owners. At the time, I had no idea this side project would grow into a leading voice pushing for transparency and integrity in the payment processing industry. I also didn't anticipate just how far some of these companies' owners would go to try to silence me.

I was recruited out of college for a sales role with a credit card processor. At the time, I didn't realize the “training” was really about tricking me... into selling business owners expensive processing with hidden fees and long-term service agreements. In my first few sales, I unknowingly cost friends and family thousands of dollars after they trusted me to switch their services. When it finally clicked that something was seriously wrong, I was furious. I quit immediately and made a promise to expose that company and any others operating the same way. That promise is what led to the creation of this website.

As I wrote about these processors, their tactics, and the people behind them, the articles started to spread among business owners. News organizations picked up the stories, readers shared them online, and traffic to the blog took off. Unsurprisingly, that also caught the attention of the companies and individuals I was exposing.

Over the last 17 years, I've received several anonymous death threats and defeated four lawsuits meant to intimidate me into taking my blog down. Their efforts to muzzle me only made my determination to expose them even stronger, leading me to work with state authorities to help shutdown some of the worst offenders.

I'm proud to say that of the millions of people who have read my work, thousands have taken the time to write and thank me for helping them narrowly avoid a very costly mistake. This blog has played a small role in pushing the industry toward more ethical practices - but there are still bad actors out there, which means the work isn't done.

If I can offer one piece of advice, it's this: get every promise in writing, and take the time to review contracts carefully. Tools like ChatGPT can help surface red flags and uncover expensive surprises buried in the fine print.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I truly appreciate you being here, and I wish you every success with your business.

Our Research Methodology

Pricing & Fees

We analyze all costs including rate structures (interchange-plus, tiered, flat-rate, etc), monthly fees, equipment costs, early termination fees, and hidden charges. This data is gathered from service agreements, statements and client feedback.

Features & Technology

Evaluation of POS systems, e-commerce integrations, mobile capabilities, reporting tools, recurring billing..., and developer resources. When possible, we directly test services and hardware. Otherwise, we rely on client feedback and public information.

Customer Support

We evaluate availability across phone, email, chat, and social channels. Measuring hold times, night and weekend availability, and client feedback regarding effectiveness, professionalism, and resolution rates.

Contract Terms & Conditions

We review service agreements and equipment contracts for reasonability, transparency, and fairness. We focus on uncovering any predatory clauses, such as unjustified early termination fees, hidden costs, and unclear cancellation policies.

User Experience

We comb the internet and interview current and former clients to evaluate the overall user experience and identify any common pain points that may impact the user experience.

Sales & Marketing Practices

We evaluate sales tactics, marketing materials, and client feedback to determine the level of transparency and ethical nature of the provider's approach. Does the provider publicly disclose pricing? Do they use teaser rates? We score based on these and other factors.

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