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Card processing review

North (Payanywhere)

North's flat-rate processing through Payanywhere: 2.69% in person and 3.49% + 19¢ keyed in or online through its invoices and links, with plans from $0 a month, next-day deposits (same day at no cost for early batches) and a dual pricing program. Once you pass $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network you move automatically to a 3-year agreement, at fees set at that time, whose early termination fee is the fees left in the term, at least $295.

By NorthParent company: North American Bancard Holdings, LLC (private)

RTC SCORE

6.8

#7 of 16 with enough data

Our verdict

Published in-person pricing, next-day deposits and a dual pricing program, but the contract changes once you pass $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network: from a pay-as-you-go agreement with no term to a 3-year term, at fees set at that time, with an early termination fee based on the fees left. Read the agreement and ask for the Edge fees in writing.

What we like

  • Next-day deposits by default and same-day at no cost for batches closed by 10:30 a.m. ET, and technical support around the clock.
  • A published in-person rate of 2.69% with no per-transaction fee, and no PCI fees under PCI Plus.
  • Works with other POS systems, and offers a dual pricing program.

What to watch

  • Above $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network you move automatically to a 3-year agreement, at fees set at that time, whose early termination fee is the fees left in the term (at least $295), which North can estimate from your volume.
  • A payment page on your own website is priced by quote, and the dual pricing program's fees aren't published.
  • Its devices only process through North, and smart terminals add a monthly software fee per device.
  • Chargeback and monthly minimum fees aren't published, and North can set up a reserve without notice.

How the score breaks down

RTC Score6.8out of 10

Methodology v0.1.0

Data completeness100%

We could verify 100% of the scoring data

Strongest points
12-month cost of the reference restaurant, Standard deposit speed, Published pricing
Weakest point
What leaving in month 12 costs

Score by criterion

  • 12-month cost of the reference restaurantWeight 37%Strongest7.7 out of 10

    $4,290 over 12 months

  • Standard deposit speedWeight 11%Strongest8.0 out of 10
  • What leaving in month 12 costsWeight 9%Weakest0.0 out of 10

    $20,335 to leave in month 12

  • Price increases during the contractWeight 8%7.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 7%Strongest9.0 out of 10
  • 24/7 supportWeight 6%10.0 out of 10
  • Contract termWeight 4%2.5 out of 10
  • Support channelsWeight 4%9.0 out of 10
  • No equipment lease you can't cancelWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Works with restaurant POS systemsWeight 3%1.7 out of 10
  • Automatic renewalWeight 2%5.0 out of 10
  • Equipment works with another processorWeight 2%0.0 out of 10
  • Offers dual pricing or a surcharge programWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Works without the vendor's own POSWeight 1%10.0 out of 10

Before you pass the card fee to your customers

This vendor offers a program that passes the card cost to your customers. Card network rules cap credit card surcharges (Visa 3%, Mastercard 4%) and never allow them on debit, and some states ban or limit them.

This is general information, not legal advice. Card network rules and state laws change, and how they apply depends on your business: check with a lawyer and with your processor before adding a surcharge or a cash discount.

See the rules by state

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 processorProcessor or its sales partners (acquirer, ISO)Source: North (opens in a new tab)North (formerly North American Bancard) is a processor that sells under several brands; Payanywhere is its pay-as-you-go offer, run as a payment facilitator.
Pricing modelFlat rateSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Published pricing (points out of 100)90Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Same rubric for every vendor: in-person rate published 25; keyed rate 15; monthly plans 20; early termination fee published in its user agreement 20; other fees 10 (PCI, funding and inactivity fees published; chargeback and monthly minimum amounts aren't).
Card rates
Data pointValue
In-person rate2.69%Source: North (opens in a new tab)Same rate on the $0, $14.95 and $29.95 monthly plans.
In-person fee per transaction0¢Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)A single percentage per swipe, dip or tap, with no per-transaction fee.
Online rate3.49%Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Payanywhere prices its online payments (invoices and payment links your customer pays by card, and the Virtual Terminal) at the keyed rate, 3.49% + 19¢; an invoice paid with Apple Pay costs 2.69%. A payment page hosted on your own website through North's gateway is priced by quote.
Online fee per transaction19¢Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Payanywhere prices its online payments (invoices and payment links your customer pays by card, and the Virtual Terminal) at the keyed rate, 3.49% + 19¢; an invoice paid with Apple Pay costs 2.69%. A payment page hosted on your own website through North's gateway is priced by quote.
Keyed-in rate3.49%Source: North (opens in a new tab)Virtual Terminal and invoices.
Keyed-in fee per transaction19¢Source: North (opens in a new tab)
American Express pricingSame rate as other cardsSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)One published rate for every card; American Express may require separate approval.
American Express rateN/ASource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: American Express costs the same as other cards.
Rates by monthly volumeQuote onlySource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)No published tiers: custom pricing by volume and average ticket is by quote.
Monthly and other fees
Data pointValue
Monthly account or plan fee$0/moSource: North (opens in a new tab)Pay-as-you-go plan. Premium ($14.95 a month) and Premium Plus ($29.95 a month) add business tools; the card rate is the same.
Annual fee per account$0/yrSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)On pay-as-you-go pricing Payanywhere charges one rate per transaction and publishes no fee of this kind.
Annual fees per device or location$0/yr per deviceSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)No yearly program or compliance fee per device. Smart devices carry a monthly software fee ($24.95 to $54.95 a device), shown with the equipment.
PCI compliance fee (yearly)$0/yrSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Through the PCI Plus program. North's merchant processing agreement still lets it charge a PCI Plus fee based on your equipment.
PCI non-compliance fee (monthly)$0/moSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Statement fee$0/moSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)On pay-as-you-go pricing Payanywhere charges one rate per transaction and publishes no fee of this kind.
Monthly minimumNot publishedSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)The merchant processing agreement (above $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network) deducts a monthly minimum fee if you don't reach a minimum volume; neither amount is published. Pay-as-you-go pricing has none.
Fee per batch$0Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)On pay-as-you-go pricing Payanywhere charges one rate per transaction and publishes no fee of this kind.
Chargeback feeNot publishedSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)The agreement lists chargeback, re-presentment and retrieval fees without amounts.
Other feesInactivity $3.99 a month after 12 months without sales; smart device software $24.95 to $54.95 a month per device; Payments Hub subscription after a 60-day trial unless you opt out (a no-cost option exists); a per-authorization fee set in your application under the merchant processing agreement; a $1,000 administrative closure fee if North ends the agreement for certain causes.Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Equipment
Data pointValue
How you get the equipmentYou buy it, $0 upfront with a contract termSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)You buy the device, or North places one at your business at $0 upfront; a placed device stays North's property.
Price of a countertop terminal$349.95 one-timeSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Payanywhere Smart Terminal (third column of the comparison: 3-in-1 Reader $77.95, Mini $150.95, Terminal $349.95), plus $24.95 a month in software.
Equipment lease you can't cancelNoSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Devices are bought or placed by North; the published agreement has no lease.
Equipment lease termN/ASource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: no lease.
Equipment at $0 upfront: what it commits you toA placed device stays North's property and is licensed to you, with a license fee set in your application, if any. You must return it in working condition within 10 days after the agreement ends or pay its value, plus shipping for replacements.Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Equipment only works with this processorYesSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Placed or bought, Payanywhere devices may only process through North's payment facilitator; a placed device also goes back to North when you leave.
Getting your money
Data pointValue
Standard deposit speedNext business daySource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Next-day deposits are the default (batches closed by 10 p.m. ET). Same-day deposits are an option at no cost, but only for batches closed by 10:30 a.m. ET.
Instant payout feeN/ASource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: Payanywhere offers same-day and next-day funding at no cost, not an instant payout.
Holds and reservesUnder the user agreement, the payment facilitator may suspend, delay or reserve your funds for any reason, including chargebacks. Under the merchant processing agreement, North can set up a reserve account at any time, with or without notice, funded from your sales, and usually keeps it at least 270 days after the last transaction or the end of the agreement.Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Contract term36 monthsSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)This is the merchant processing agreement you move to automatically, with no further notice, once you pass $100,000 in a rolling 12 months on any one card network (Visa, Mastercard, Discover or PayPal, each counted on its own), at the published fees or at fees set at that time, so the 2.69% isn't guaranteed after the move. A restaurant with $30k a month in card sales passes it within 12 months as soon as one network carries more than about 28% of its card sales. Below the threshold, the Payanywhere user agreement has no term. The agreement doesn't make clear whether the 3 years count from your approval or from the move; our cost counts them from month 0.
Automatic renewal1 monthSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)After the 3 years, it renews month to month unless you give 30 days' notice before the term ends.
Notice to avoid renewal30 daysSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Notice to cancel0 daysSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Written notice, effective on the date you set; North then has 30 days to close the account. Within the 3-year term the termination fee applies.
Early termination feeLeaving within the 3-year term: all monthly fees for the rest of the term (minimum monthly fees included), which North may calculate from your volume and average ticket; never less than $295 and never more than state law allows. Under the Payanywhere user agreement (below $100,000 in 12 months on every card network) there's no termination fee.Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
How the early termination fee is calculatedLiquidated damages: the fees or processing left in the termSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)The fees for the rest of the term (North may estimate them from your volume and average ticket), never less than $295. This is the merchant processing agreement you move to automatically, with no further notice, once you pass $100,000 in a rolling 12 months on any one card network (Visa, Mastercard, Discover or PayPal, each counted on its own), at the published fees or at fees set at that time, so the 2.69% isn't guaranteed after the move. A restaurant with $30k a month in card sales passes it within 12 months as soon as one network carries more than about 28% of its card sales. Below the threshold, the Payanywhere user agreement has no term. The agreement doesn't make clear whether the 3 years count from your approval or from the move; our cost counts them from month 0.
Liquidated damages clauseYesSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)North can charge the fees it expects for the months left, estimated from your volume and transactions.
Price increases during the contractWith notice, and you can leave without a feeSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)North can change fees with notice (even a statement message); for an increase that isn't a card network pass-through, you have 30 days from the first statement showing it to leave without the termination fee.
Right to raise pricesNorth can change any fee with notice, including a statement message; you can leave without the termination fee within 30 days of the first statement that shows an increase not passed through from the card networks.Source: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signerUnconfirmedSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)The merchant processing agreement binds the guarantors named in your merchant application; whether the signer must guarantee isn't stated.
Dual pricing and surcharges
Data pointValue
Dual pricing or surcharge programYesSource: North (opens in a new tab)North's Edge program (dual pricing) and Payanywhere's Cash Discounting: your customers see a cash price and a card price. Average ticket and business type restrictions apply, it only works with certain terminals on North's own processing, and North doesn't publish its fees or the percentage your customers pay. Card network rules and state laws apply.
Cards the program coversCredit cards only (surcharge)Source: North (opens in a new tab)Cards run as credit pay the card price; PIN debit pays the cash price, so your restaurant pays the card rate on it. Since the share of PIN debit isn't known, our estimate counts all debit at the card rate.
Monthly fee for the programQuote onlySource: North (opens in a new tab)North says additional fees apply and asks you to contact it for details.
Your POS and your business
Data pointValue
Works with these restaurant POSOthersSource: North (opens in a new tab)North names MICROS and SALIDO for restaurants, plus its own Payanywhere and North Hospitality POS; none of the POS systems on our list.
Requires the vendor's own POSNoSource: North (opens in a new tab)
Monthly volume it's built for$0/moSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Pay as you go, with no minimum on the published pricing; above $100,000 in 12 months on any one card network you move to an agreement that may carry a monthly minimum.
Accepts high-risk businessesYesSource: North (opens in a new tab)North has a specialty line for high-risk businesses (CBD, online pharmacy, gaming, dating).
Routes debit to the lowest-cost networkUnconfirmedSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)North doesn't say whether it routes debit to the lowest-cost network.
Support
Data pointValue
24/7 support for merchantsYesSource: North (opens in a new tab)Technical support around the clock; customer care 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
Support channelsPhone, Email or form, ChatSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Phone and email per North's contact page; Payanywhere also mentions live chat.
Language
Data pointValue
Support in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: North (opens in a new tab)North and Payanywhere don't say whether their support lines answer in Spanish.
Merchant dashboard in SpanishYesSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)Payments Hub (the merchant portal) and the Payanywhere app can be set to Spanish, per a Payanywhere post from November 2022.
Contract or terms in SpanishNoSource: Payanywhere (North) (opens in a new tab)We found the Payanywhere user agreement and merchant processing agreement only in English. Same rule for every vendor: we mark it "No" when we searched and found the terms only in other languages.
US website in SpanishNoSource: North (opens in a new tab)North's and Payanywhere's sites have no Spanish version (we checked both sitemaps).

More about North (Payanywhere)

How we score