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United Merchant Services: What Business Owners Should Know

Name: United Merchant Services
Item: United Merchant Services
Rating: 3.8
Author: Phillip Parker

Author: Phillip Parker

Updated: October 1, 2025

Maintained Since: May 11, 2012

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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.

United Merchant Services

Rating

3.8/5

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Pros

24/7 customer service (Stripe).

Accepts multiple payment types.

Supports mobile processing.

International payment support (specific to Stripe).

Simple, streamlined hardware (mobile processing).

Various POS terminal options (Square).

Cons

Technology reliability issues (mobile processing).

Fees for transactions.

Long payout times (Stripe).

Possible account freezes.

Extra bookkeeping work.

Increased fraud risk.

UPDATE:
United Merchant Services has changed its name to "bluu" and its new website can be found at ebluu.com. This review will continue to be updated until we complete a new bluu review.

Overview

In this review of United Merchant Services, we take a detailed look at the company’s credit card processing services, including point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile payment solutions, and e-commerce capabilities designed to support a variety of business types. We’ll highlight which industries may benefit most from their offerings while also examining customer reviews to identify common trends and potential concerns. The review will cover pricing, contract terms, and key service features to give a balanced perspective on what UMS provides. By the end, readers will have a clear understanding of whether United Merchant Services is a suitable choice for their payment processing needs.

About United Merchant Services

United Merchant Services, founded in 1994, is a privately held merchant account provider that serves businesses based in the United States. There are 2 reviews from 2008 and 2009 suggesting that United Merchant Services may have a connection to Electronic Payment Systems; however, no other online sources indicate that this connection exists. Furthermore, United Merchant Services has informed us that there is no relationship between United Merchant Services and Electronic Payment Systems. UMS was purchased by Celero in 2018.

In June 2022 United Merchant Services and United POS Solutions announced that they would merge and rebrand as Bluu. As of the writing of this review, this process has not yet occurred, though we expect it will shortly.

Screen Capture of Bluu Homepage — Bluu Homepage

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

UMS’ processing utilizes their U PAY series of payment solutions, which includes a mobile swiper, a virtual terminal, a recurring billing solution, an online payment option for retailers, a proprietary middleware called U Charge that supports EMV, and a POS system.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Some Cause For Concern

More than 15 negative United Merchant Services reviews have been found on various consumer protection websites. The majority of these complaints highlight issues like misrepresented contract terms, unfavorable equipment lease agreements, unauthorized billing practices, allegations of scam policies, and difficulty reaching company representatives. These concerns suggest potential areas where United Merchant Services could improve transparency and customer relations.

United Merchant Services Lawsuits and Fines

No current class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints have been identified against United Merchant Services. Merchants seeking non-legal resolutions for disputes are encouraged to report their experiences to appropriate supervisory bodies.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Rating	N/A

United Merchant Services BBB Rating

United Merchant Services is not an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau. At the time of this review, United Merchant Services maintains an “A+” rating, with 0 complaints filed in the last 36 months.

What Merchants Say

The company has received 1 informal review in the last 36 months. The sole review is negative in tone. The review details unexpected fees and poor customer service:

This company has the WORST customer service and A LOT of bogus fees that they will not explain to their customers! CONSUMERS BEWARE !!!

Issues may arise during the contract term of a merchant agreement. This makes excellent customer service an invaluable aspect of any merchant account provider.

Worthy of an “A” Rating

Given the company’s complaint volume and resolution ratio, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. However, merchants should be aware that there are valid reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s reviews.

Processing Rates & Fees

United Merchant Services Contract Terms

The United Merchant Services program guide outlines a 3-year agreement with an early termination fee of $395 or Liquidated Damages, whichever is greater. A monthly minimum fee of $25 is mentioned, though it is specified that this fee applies only to certain programs. The variability in contract terms is also influenced by the company’s use of independent resellers, leading to potentially different terms from one agent to another.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

United Merchant Services also promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services without disclosing specific pricing. Additional rates and fees, such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and extra transaction rates, generally apply to these e-commerce solutions.

Beware Equipment Leases

Some merchants have reported being signed up for equipment leases through MBF Leasing, associated with the “F”-rated provider Northern Leasing. Complaints focus on the lease terms rather than the processing services, mentioning 48-month contracts, high payments, difficult-to-reach customer service, and significant early cancellation fees. According to a company representative, United Merchant Services rarely endorses Northern Leasing contracts, with less than 1% of merchants in such agreements. Merchants should inquire about lease terms and consider purchasing equipment outright.

We encourage merchants to review our list of the best merchant services for better options.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Some Negative Reports

United Merchant Services appears to allow sub-ISOs and independent agents to market its services, which is a standard industry practice that generally results in higher complaint rates against a company. At this time, we are able to locate multiple negative United Merchant Services reviews that cite nondisclosure of contract terms and misrepresentation of fees by United Merchant Services agents. Some of these complaints were possibly filed against agents or branches that may no longer be affiliated with the company, but the overall themes of the complaints are consistent.

This does not compare favorably to our list ofbest credit card processors.

Slamming Allegation

One particularly alarming complaint from October 2016 describes an in-person sales encounter that strongly resembles “slamming.” To its credit, the company does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials. However, the common emphasis on poor sales practices across the company’s complaints has lowered its score to a “C.” If you suspect that UMS is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.

United Merchant Services Competitors

Compare United Merchant Services to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

United Merchant Services, now operating under the name bluu, continues to navigate the competitive landscape of merchant services with a mixed reputation. Despite its efforts to rebrand, the company shows a moderate number of complaints for its size and time in business, suggesting room for improvement in its service delivery. One of the primary concerns associated with bluu is its tendency to sign merchants up for less-than-competitive contract terms, which can put businesses at a disadvantage compared to other providers offering more favorable conditions.

Adding to these concerns are allegations of slamming and numerous merchant complaints accusing bluu of being a ripoff. These issues highlight potential gaps in the company’s sales practices and customer relations, which prospective clients should consider carefully. On a positive note, bluu’s overall rating has improved since our last update, reflecting a decrease in its complaint rate. However, despite this progress, the company still does not measure up to the most reliable top-rated credit card processors in the industry. Merchants are advised to thoroughly vet bluu’s contract terms and compare them to those of more highly rated providers to ensure they are securing the best possible deal for their payment processing needs.

Read Actual User Reviews

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All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact United Merchant Services

Contact & Customer Support
Founder and President	Jay Yoon
Headquarters	255 S. State Rt. 17 Ste. 201, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601
Toll-Free Customer Support	(800) 260-3388
Headquarters Office	(201) 568-7600
Additional Support Channels	Online Contact Form
Website	ebluu.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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