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Card processing review

Braintree

Braintree, PayPal's payment platform for online and in-app payments (now PayPal Enterprise Payments). Standard pricing is 2.89% + 29¢ per card or digital wallet payment, with custom rates for established businesses. Listed with the same template, not scored.

By Braintree (PayPal)Parent company: PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL)
Listed, not scored

Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 8 of 12 key facts for this processor. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

Our verdict

A fit for online ordering or an app you build yourself; for card payments in your dining room, a processor that works with your restaurant POS usually fits better.

What we like

  • Published standard rate (2.89% + 29¢) with no monthly, setup, PCI or batch fee on its fee schedule.
  • No minimum term or early termination fee: one day's notice to leave, and fee changes come with 30 days' notice.
  • Deposits two business days after settlement.

What to watch

  • Built for websites and apps that integrate it; no published in-person rate and no restaurant POS that documents it.
  • PayPal can hold a reserve on your payouts at its discretion, for as long as it deems necessary.
  • No dual pricing or surcharge program, and support is by request form without published hours.

How the score breaks down

We don't score this type of product. It's listed with the same template so you can check its pricing, contract and data with sources; the methodology explains why. How we score

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Type of processor and pricing
Data pointValue
Type of processorOnline payment gatewaySource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Gateway and merchant account in one (Braintree Direct), or the gateway alone with a merchant account from another provider.
Pricing modelFlat rateSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Standard flat rate; custom flat, interchange-plus or discounted rates for established businesses, by volume and business model.
Published pricing (points out of 100)75Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Counted (same rubric for every vendor): online rate 15, no monthly fee on its fee schedule 20, no early termination fee in its agreement 20, other fees (chargeback, cross-border, Venmo, ACH) 20; in-person rate 0 (none published).
Card rates
Data pointValue
In-person rateUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Braintree's fee table has one rate for cards and digital wallets and doesn't separate in-person payments; in-person acceptance (Verifone terminals) is set up with its team, and we found no published in-person rate.
In-person fee per transactionUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Braintree's fee table has one rate for cards and digital wallets and doesn't separate in-person payments; in-person acceptance (Verifone terminals) is set up with its team, and we found no published in-person rate.
Online rate2.89%Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Standard rate for cards and digital wallets (US). Custom flat rates, interchange-plus and discounted rates are available for established businesses.
Online fee per transaction29¢Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Standard rate for cards and digital wallets (US). Custom flat rates, interchange-plus and discounted rates are available for established businesses.
Keyed-in rate2.89%Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Standard rate for cards and digital wallets (US). Custom flat rates, interchange-plus and discounted rates are available for established businesses.
Keyed-in fee per transaction29¢Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Standard rate for cards and digital wallets (US). Custom flat rates, interchange-plus and discounted rates are available for established businesses.
American Express pricingSame rate as other cardsSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Through Braintree's American Express setup, American Express costs the same as other cards. With your own American Express account, Braintree charges 15¢ per transaction and American Express bills you its own fees.
American Express rateN/ASource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)American Express costs the same as other cards on the standard rate.
Rates by monthly volumeQuote onlySource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No published tiers: discounted rates by volume are by quote.
Monthly and other fees
Data pointValue
Monthly account or plan fee$0/moSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Annual fee per account$0/yrSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Annual fees per device or location$0/yr per deviceSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
PCI compliance fee (yearly)$0/yrSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
PCI non-compliance fee (monthly)$0/moSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Statement fee$0/moSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Monthly minimum$0/moSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Fee per batch$0Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not on Braintree's fee schedule, and its agreement says its fees are the ones on that page.
Chargeback fee$15Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Per chargeback or pre-arbitration, whether you win or lose. Optional chargeback protection starts at 0.4% per transaction.
Other feesCards issued outside the US: +1%. Payments in a currency other than USD: +1%. Venmo: 3.49% + 49¢. ACH: 0.75% (up to $5), same-day ACH 1.5% + 10¢, returned or disputed ACH $5. Chargeback maintenance fee after six months of excessive chargebacks. Optional chargeback protection from 0.4% and fraud tools from 5¢ per inquiry. Fees of refunded transactions aren't returned.Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)
Equipment
Data pointValue
How you get the equipmentUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its in-person docs list Verifone P400 terminals; how you get them isn't published.
Price of a countertop terminalUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not published.
Equipment lease you can't cancelUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)We found no equipment lease terms.
Equipment lease termUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)We found no equipment lease terms.
Equipment at $0 upfront: what it commits you toUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)We found no $0-upfront equipment offer.
Equipment only works with this processorUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not stated.
Getting your money
Data pointValue
Standard deposit speedTwo business daysSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Two business days after settlement (Braintree Direct, US). American Express through Braintree: 2 to 5 business days.
Instant payout feeUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)We found no instant payout on its US fee schedule.
Holds and reservesIf PayPal sees a high level of risk in your business or transactions, it can hold a reserve on part of your payouts (a percentage for a period, a fixed amount or other terms), change it with notice and keep it as long as it deems necessary. It can also ask for a letter of credit and set off what you owe against your payouts.Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Contract termMonth to monthSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No minimum term: the agreement runs until you or PayPal end it, and you need to give one day's notice.
Automatic renewalMonth to monthSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No renewal term.
Notice to avoid renewal0 daysSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No renewal to avoid; ending the agreement takes one day's notice.
Notice to cancel1 daySource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)One day's notice to end the agreement.
Early termination feeNo early termination fee: you can end the agreement with one day's notice. PayPal can end it with 30 days' notice, or right away for risk or breach.Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)
How the early termination fee is calculatedNo early termination feeSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its agreement has no early termination fee: you can end it with one day's notice.
Liquidated damages clauseNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No liquidated damages clause for leaving.
Price increases during the contractWith notice, and you can leave without a feeSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)New fees take effect after 30 days' notice, and you can end the agreement with one day's notice and no fee.
Right to raise pricesPayPal can change its fees with 30 days' notice. It can revise the agreement by posting the new version; changes that reduce your rights come with notice, at least 5 days ahead if you had already accepted the agreement.Source: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signerNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its published agreement has no personal guarantee clause.
Dual pricing and surcharges
Data pointValue
Dual pricing or surcharge programNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Braintree publishes no dual pricing, surcharge or cash discount program; its fee page and agreement don't mention one.
Cards the program coversN/ASource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No program.
Monthly fee for the programN/ASource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No program.
Your POS and your business
Data pointValue
Works with these restaurant POSUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Braintree documents checkout on websites and apps; we found no restaurant POS that documents it.
Requires the vendor's own POSNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)It has no POS of its own: you build it into your website, app or software.
Monthly volume it's built forUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)No minimum volume published.
Accepts high-risk businessesUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Use is subject to approval by PayPal; it doesn't say whether it takes high-risk businesses.
Routes debit to the lowest-cost networkUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its agreement says PayPal decides how to route transactions among the available networks; it doesn't say it picks the lowest-cost one.
Support
Data pointValue
24/7 support for merchantsUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Support is by request form; Braintree doesn't publish support hours.
Support channelsEmail or formSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)A help request form; the phone number on its site is for sales.
Language
Data pointValue
Support in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Braintree doesn't say it offers support in Spanish.
Merchant dashboard in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Not stated.
Contract or terms in SpanishNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its US Payment Services Agreement is published in English only.
US website in SpanishNoSource: PayPal (Braintree) (opens in a new tab)Its US Braintree pages are in English only (the Spanish locale of the fee page shows the English text).

More about Braintree

How we score