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Can SunTrust Merchant Services Be Trusted for Payment Processing?

Name: SunTrust Merchant Services
Item: SunTrust Merchant Services
Rating: 3
Author: Phillip Parker

Author: Phillip Parker

Updated: October 1, 2025

Maintained Since: February 18, 2013

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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.

SunTrust Merchant Services

Rating

3/5

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Pros

Accepts high-risk accounts

No setup fee

Fraud protection tools.

Cons

Hidden fee complains

Potential cancellation fees

Three-year contract term.

Tiered pricing plan

Non-transparent pricing

Overview

Update: SunTrust Merchant Services has been acquired by Truist Bank. In this review, we examine the company’s transition following the BB&T merger and its partnership with First Data (Fiserv), focusing on payment processing solutions, rates, fees, contract terms, and customer experiences. We analyze user and employee feedback, legal issues, and their effect on service quality, while also weighing the pros and cons of SunTrust’s offerings against industry standards. This review provides businesses with a clear and balanced overview to help them determine whether SunTrust Merchant Services, now operating under Truist, is the right choice for their payment processing needs.

About SunTrust Merchant Services

SunTrust Merchant Services is a credit card processing division of SunTrust Bank, which is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. SunTrust is a reseller of First Data (Fiserv)merchant accounts and Clover as a POS solution. This means that merchants who sign up for credit card processing through SunTrust will receive the services and customer support of First Data (Fiserv). In fact, as of 2023 it appears that SunTrust Merchant Services is mostly absorbed into Clover/First Data and Truist (see below).

Transitioning to Truist

In December 2019, SunTrust Bank merged with Branch Banking and Trust Company, a North Carolina banking corporation (BB&T), to create Truist. SunTrust still maintains a profile on the Clover website for merchant services, though particular services are slowly migrating to the Truist brand. Please read our Truist Bank review for more information.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

SunTrust Merchant Services provides payment processing for a range of payment methods, including major debit and credit cards, checks, and gift cards.

POS Systems

The company offers point-of-sale (POS) systems to meet various business requirements. These systems handle transactions, manage inventory, and streamline sales processes.

Card Swipers

SunTrust Merchant Services provides card swipers from First Data and Clover. These devices are intended to facilitate quick and secure card transactions.

Mobile Solutions

For businesses that require mobility, SunTrust offers mobile payment solutions from Clover. These systems enable businesses to process payments from any location.

Data Reporting & Insights

The company offers data reporting and insights to help businesses understand their transaction data.

Rewards

SunTrust Merchant Services includes a rewards program that benefits both businesses and their customers. This program is designed to enhance customer loyalty and promote repeat business through various incentives and rewards.

eCommerce Solutions

For online businesses, SunTrust offers eCommerce solutions that support secure and efficient online transactions. These solutions are tailored to meet the needs of eCommerce operations.

Security Measures

SunTrust Merchant Services prioritizes security by incorporating advanced measures to protect sensitive payment information. These measures aim to reduce the risk of fraud and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Overview of SunTrust Merchant Services Feedback

Our research has identified approximately 250 negative reviews about SunTrust Merchant Services. It’s crucial to note that while some customers have expressed significant dissatisfaction, labeling the company as a ripoff or scam, the majority of these reviews pertain to SunTrust’s broader range of services, including banking, loans, and mortgages. Only a subset specifically addresses SunTrust Merchant Services, with grievances focusing on unexpected fees and charges. We encourage users to share their experiences with SunTrust Merchant Services in the comments section below to enhance our collective understanding.

Customer Support Insights for SunTrust Merchant Services

Feedback indicates that customer satisfaction with SunTrust Merchant Services’ contract terms and support services, managed by First Data (now Fiserv), is mixed. This partnership impacts the overall perception of SunTrust’s customer service quality in the payment processing domain.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Rating	1.09
Our Rating	3
Average Rating	2.04

SunTrust Merchant Services BBB Rating

SunTrust Merchant Services does not have a profile, but its parent company of Truist Bank, accredited by the BBB since 1986, has a customer review rating of 1.09/5 stars based on 2,027 customer reviews. The bank has faced a significant number of customer complaints, with 4,277 complaints closed in the last 3 years and 1,230 in the last 12 months. Common themes in these complaints and reviews include issues with billing and collection, customer service difficulties, and dissatisfaction with banking policies and fees.

Negative Feedback

worst bank I have ever banked at. they accepted a bogus check that didn’t look anything like my checks. my name was misspelled. the signature was someone else’s name. they informed me, after waiting for 4 months, that they were not going to reimburse me because I was on vacation and informed them of the fraud a day later than they allow. this bank is run by criminals.

Horrible bank. Hold your funds and cant even tell you why. Charge you to take your money from your savings account to cover bills because they wont release your funds. The federal government needs to investigate their shady business practices. I never had any issues with suntrust until they merged with BB&T and created truist.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Truist Bank on the BBB website.

Processing Rates & Fees

SunTrust Merchant Services Pricing

The standard SunTrust Merchant Services rates agreement seems to align closely with the standard First Data (Fiserv) contract. Standard First Data (Fiserv) contracts encompass various contract terms and pricing plans, typically involving multi-year commitments with an early termination fee of $495, a monthly PCI compliance fee of $19.95, and tiered pricing structure. Clients processing up to $50,000 monthly usually encounter 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 typically 2.29% plus $0.19, with a keyed-in rate of 3.29% plus $0.19. Another component of these contracts includes non-cancellable, long-term equipment leases through First Data Global Leasing.

Costly Contract Terms

These SunTrust Merchant Services contract terms appear to exceed industry averages and represent the upper end of what First Data (Fiserv) typically offers in its contracts. As such, SunTrust Merchant Services’ terms are not competitive with the most affordable merchant accounts. When interacting with a SunTrust Merchant Services representative, business owners are advised to request comprehensive documentation from both SunTrust and First Data (Fiserv) to gain a clear understanding of the expected fees. We also recommend exploring our list of the top merchant accounts available.

SunTrust Merchant Services point of sale — SunTrust offers point-of-sale through Fiserv, primarily featuring Clover products

Lawsuits & Legal History

In 2017, SunTrust was subjected to a $1.5 million civil penalty by the Federal Reserve due to alleged violations of the National Flood Insurance Act. This action highlights the importance of regulatory compliance within the banking and financial services sector. Clients seeking alternatives to legal disputes are advised to report their concerns to appropriate regulatory bodies for potential resolution.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Sales Complaints

SunTrust Merchant Services appears to rely primarily on its client base established through normal banking operations to market its services. The company does not appear to outsource its marketing operations to independent sales agents at this time. That said, we are currently able to locate a handful of negative SunTrust Merchant Services reviews that accuse the company’s sales agents of misrepresentation or nondisclosure, especially regarding the company’s relationship to First Data (Fiserv) and the high early termination fee imposed by First Data (Fiserv). This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

Seek an Independent Audit

If you suspect that SunTrust Merchant Services is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges. To its credit, SunTrust does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials.

SunTrust Merchant Services Competitors

Compare SunTrust Merchant Services to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

SunTrust Merchant Services receives a middling rating as a credit card processing provider. As a reseller of First Data (now Fiserv) services, SunTrust has adopted contract terms that include a steep early termination fee of $500. This fee has been the primary grievance in the majority of the complaints levied against SunTrust Merchant Services. Considering the large scale of SunTrust’s operations across various financial services, the company has naturally accrued a significant volume of customer feedback. However, only a portion of these complaints pertain specifically to its merchant services segment. In our assessment, we’ve attempted to isolate those complaints relevant to payment processing to ensure a fair evaluation.

Despite these efforts, the evidence suggests that SunTrust Merchant Services does not measure up to the industry leaders. The high termination fees and the volume of related complaints indicate that SunTrust falls short in offering competitive and flexible merchant services. Businesses considering SunTrust for their processing needs should be wary of these limitations and may find better terms and more satisfactory customer experiences with top-rated credit card processors.

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Contact SunTrust Merchant Services

Contact & Customer Support
COO and President	William H. Rogers Jr.
Headquarters	303 Peachtree Street North East, Atlanta, Georgia
Toll-Free Customer Support	(800) 432-7628
Website	truist.com/small-business/merchant-services

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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