Streamline Review

By Phillip Parker

I was tired of watching unethical merchant services companies take advantage of unsuspecting business owners, so I built this website and wrote hundreds of reviews to expose their shady business practices.

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Streamline Overview

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 4.3/5

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 4.3/5

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Updated 1/28/2019: Streamline has been fully integrated into the Worldpay organization and is no longer an independent brand. See our Worldpay review for up-to-date information about this company.

Streamline (streamline.com), a DBA of WorldPay, is a very large merchant account provider founded and headquartered in the UK. After its creation under the Streamline brand in 1989, the company changed its name to WorldPay, expanded overseas, was acquired and then sold by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), and achieved a dominant share of the UK credit card processing market under its original name of Streamline. Today, Streamline has been completely stripped of its independent branding and functions as a division of WorldPay. The company’s headquarters can be found at 55 Mansell St, London E1 8AN. Dave Hobday is listed as the managing director of WorldPay UK, which is likely to include the entirety of Streamline’s operations.

Key Points

Sales & Marketing: Streamline does not appear to hire independent sales representatives and has not received any complaints about its sales practices.
Costs & Contract: Streamline offers a 12-month contract that may often come with a long-term equipment lease.
Complaints & Service: Streamline has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
BBB Rating: Streamline does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau.
Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Streamline

Streamline Rates, Fees, and Costs

Cost Summary

Swiped Rate	Variable
Keyed-in Rate	Variable
Early Termination Fee	Variable
PCI Compliance Fee	Variable
Equipment Lease Terms	Variable

The standard Streamline terms and conditions (available below) outline an initial 12-month term that appears to be cancellable with 30 days’ advance written notice from the merchant. It is unclear what obligations the merchant will have upon cancellation, as the contract only states that “Upon termination of this Agreement, you shall immediately pay to us all amounts owed by you to us under this Agreement.” This could be enforced in a number of different ways, from simply payment of overdue transaction fees to a Liquidated Damages-style early termination fee. Merchant reviews will be instructive with regard to how this policy is most commonly enforced. If you are a merchant that has cancelled service with Streamline, please describe your experience in the comment section below this review.

The standard Streamline contract contains clearer terms for its equipment leases. With the exception of mobile (Bluetooth) terminals, the standard terminal hire term is 36 months. Mobile terminals may be leased for 12 months. Per the terms and conditions, the termination penalty for cancelling a terminal lease through Streamline is calculated as follows:

“If the rental period (and thereby the hiring) terminates (for whatever reason) before the expiration of the Minimum Hire Period (or, in the case of Mobile Terminals with a fixed hire period of twelve (12) months or less, before the expiry of the applicable fixed hire period) […] you will pay to us upon termination of the rental period:

(A) all arrears of rental;

(B) in the case of Terminals (subject to clause 15(C)), a sum equal to the aggregate of all rental payments which would have become due and payable under the Agreement from the date of termination to the end of the initial thirty-six (36) months’ rental period but for termination of the Agreement, less a discount for accelerated payment calculated at the rate of five (5) % on each rental from the date of termination to the dates on which the rental would have become payable but for termination;

(C) in the case of Mobile Terminals with a fixed hire period of twelve (12) months or less, a sum equal to the aggregate of all rental payments which would have become due and payable before the expiry of the applicable fixed hire period but for termination;

(D) damages for any breach of the terms contained in this schedule and all costs, expenses and fees incurred by us in recovering possession of the Terminals and/or enforcing our rights under this schedule; and

(E) if the Terminals are not recovered by us within thirty (30) days after termination of the hiring, an amount equal to our reasonable estimate of the market value of the Terminals at the date of termination of the hiring.”

This termination fee essentially functions as a Liquidated Damages fee for cancelling a terminal lease, and it is our opinion that this type of fee can increase the cost of cancellation to an unreasonable amount. We therefore award Streamline a “C” rating in this section. See the Streamline Terms & Conditions.

Streamline Complaints & Customer Reviews

Complaint Summary

Total Online Complaints	<10
Live Customer Support	Yes
Most Common Complaint	N/A

There are currently very few negative Streamline reviews online, which suggests that the company is not a ripoff or a scam. Many reviews on UK Business Forum express satisfaction with the rates through the FSB, quality customer support, and reasonable contract terms. A few merchants were dissatisfied with the company’s mobile processing service (WorldPay Zinc), and some others encountered long-term rolling reserves as a result of their high risk business types. Overall, though, Streamline is discussed in the forum as if it is a “default” option for many merchants, with reasonable rates and fees, accessible standard customer service, and very few glaring flaws. This is a remarkable departure from its partner company, WorldPay, which receives almost uniformly low marks from merchants.

It should be noted that we have seen a significant uptick in the number of complaints in the comment section of our WorldPay review over the past year. Since WorldPay is the parent organization of Streamline, it is possible that some of the pricing and service issues experienced by WorldPay merchants may also apply to Streamline merchants. However, in the absence of any strong evidence that this is occurring, we will give Streamline the benefit of the doubt at this time. Streamline provides 24-hour support by phone, which appears to do an effective job of resolving merchant complaints in-house.

Streamline BBB Rating Summary

The BBB does not maintain a profile for Streamline at this time. We therefore will not factor a BBB score into this review.

Truth In Marketing & Advertising

Key Points

Employs Independent Resellers	Yes
Advertises Deceptive Rates	No
Discloses All Important Terms	No

Streamline primarily markets its services through a partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), traditional advertising, and through its partnerships with WorldPay, CardSave, and RBS. There is no evidence at this time that the company utilizes independent sales agents or telemarketing, and it is not showing any complaints to this effect. Streamline also does not appear to engage in deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials.

Streamline’s partnership with FSB has been in place for over a decade and has played a major role in directing merchants to Streamline. The FSB is the UK’s largest small business coalition, and much like other trade groups, it is able to offer discounted rates and benefits to members through its partners. Merchants who are members of the FSB will receive lower rates, a waived £250 setup fee, and up to £5 per month in savings on terminal rental fees through Streamline. These terms may be a discount compared to the company’s standard rates, but they should not be taken to represent a significant savings in comparison to the company’s competitors.

Given the lack of complaints that specifically make reference to the company’s sales tactics or conduct, we are awarding Streamline an “A” at this time.

Sales & Marketing Example

Our Opinion Of Streamline

Streamline rates as a standard merchant services provider according to our standards. Considering its size, the company is showing very few online complaints from dissatisfied merchants, and its agreement with the FSB allows it to offer preferential rates to a large number of businesses in the UK. One potential issue with Streamline is its cancellation policy for credit card terminals, but it’s unclear at this time exactly how the company enforces this clause. It’s possible that Streamline’s grade may change as this review receives merchant comments. It is also worth noting that Streamline may potentially be confused with a poorly reviewed web hosting company that also goes by the name of Streamline (streamline.net), or with a U.S.-based merchant services company called Streamline Payments (streamlinepayments.com). These entities are unrelated.

About Phillip Parker

Why I'm Qualified to Write About Credit Card Processing

I’m a small business owner who previously worked in the credit card processing industry. I started this blog in 2009 to help other business owners by exposing credit card processors that engage in unethical marketing, rate and fee trickery, and fine-print-contract schemes. Over the last decade, I’ve reviewed hundreds of merchant services providers which has helped to educate over 5 million businesses on the nuances of credit and debit card acceptance. I’ve appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Inc. Magazine and a host of other publications to offer insight on the subject of card acceptance.

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