National Processing Review

National Processing offers low rates and free equipment. But what's the catch? See if this low-cost merchant services provider is right for your business.

	Get $500 If National Processing Can't Beat Your Current Rates* Find Out More
	Overall Score	4.3
	Price	5.0
	Customer Service	4.0
	Equipment	4.0
	Contract	4.0
	Ecommerce	4.0
	High Volume Business	5.0
	Low Volume Business	4.0

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

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Pros and Cons

• Low interchange-plus rates
• Free equipment available
• Dedicated account manager

• Conditions to waive termination fee
• Free equipment has cancellation fee

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Bottom Line

Provider worth considering if lowest processing rates is your biggest priority

National Processing has some of the best processing rates on the market.

This merchant services provider may not seem as snazzy as the newer companies. But it's definitely worth a look - especially if getting the lowest rates is your priority.

With low pricing, solid customer service, and an emphasis on transparency, National Processing is a good option for both small and large businesses. But there are some things to be aware of.

Read on to see if it's the right provider for you.

What is National Processing

Established in 2008, National Processing is a merchant account provider based in Orem, Utah. It provides credit card and ACH payments processing for all types of businesses.

The website lacks the bells and whistles of other companies. Instead, National focuses on providing low processing rates, simple solutions, and great service.

Their interchange-plus rates are truly among the lowest out there. Plus, there is no long-term contract. However, there are some conditions to waive the termination fee, which we'll cover in this review.

Who National Processing is Best For

• Established businesses. There will be underwriting to get approved for a merchant account. So it's better for businesses with some history.
  For micro businesses and indie sellers, look for a simple payment processor like Square. It's fast and easy to set up and has no approval process.

• Restaurants. National has a separate plan for restaurants, with some of the lowest processing rates in the industry.

• High volume businesses. Larger businesses can opt for subscription pricing. With that plan, you'll only pay a very small fixed markup for each transaction. That can save a lot in fees.

• If you want to use Clover. National Processing is one of our favorite Clover resellers. They offer the full lineup of Clover equipment. Clover offers all-in-one POS solutions built into sleek minimalist devices.

National Processing Pros & Cons

Interested in what National Processing has to offer? Review these quick pros and cons to know if this merchant service provider will suit your business's needs.

Pros

• Transparent low interchange-plus rates
  
• No long-term contract
  
• Next-day funding
  
• Free payment gateway setup
  
• ACH payment processing
  
• Free equipment for all plans
  
• Free reprogramming of existing equipment
  
• Dedicated account manager

Cons

• Free equipment has cancellation fee
  
• Conditions to waive termination fee

Keep reading for the in-depth review.

Pricing & Fees

National Processing offers interchange-plus pricing for small-medium businesses OR subscription plans for high-volume businesses. The rates are clearly disclosed on the website.

National has 3 interchange-plus plans for different types of businesses. These plans all have a $9.95 monthly fee.

• Restaurants: Interchange + 0.14% + $0.07
  
• Retail: Interchange + 0.18% + $0.10
  
• eCommerce: Interchange + 0.29% + $0.15

For larger businesses, you can opt for one of the subscription plans. There's a higher monthly fee, but the low per-transaction markup can help you save a lot. There are 2 subscription tiers:

• Subscription: $59/month; Interchange + $0.09 per transaction
  
• Subscription Plus: $199/month; Interchange + $0.05 per transaction

National Processing does not charge set up fees or monthly minimums.

Note that there may also be software fees for certain equipment. For example, Clover and SwipeSimple both have their own POS apps, and may have a monthly cost.

Contract

National Processing doesn't require a long-term contract. However, there is a termination fee, unless you meet one of these conditions:

• If you sell or close your business, the termination fee will be waived. You must have the proper documentation.

• If you find a lower rate, and National cannot match or beat the offer, the termination fee will be waived. You must have a lower quote in writing on the competitor's contract.

If you leave National without giving them a chance first to match or beat another offer, you'll pay a standard termination fee. It's not listed on the website how much the termination fee is.

This policy is not as flexible as other providers (like Dharma or Payment Depot), which let you cancel at any time with no strings attached. But you're still not locked in. National just wants a chance to give you the best rate.

Unfortunately, if you simply want to leave because you don't like National's service, then you probably need to cough up the termination fee.

Products and Services

National Processing offers processing solutions for all industries. Services include:

Mobile payment processing
There are several mobile devices to choose from, including Clover Go and SwipeSimple reader. You can take credit card payments straight from your smartphone anywhere your business takes you.

In-store payments
Process all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex), plus digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Choose from several terminal brands and machines.

National Processing offers Retail and Restaurant plans with different processing rates.

Payment gateway
For eCommerce businesses, you get a payment gateway to accept card payment online. The payment gateway is free for all plans.

National Processing integrates with popular eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Opencart.

Virtual terminal
All accounts get a virtual terminal. This lets you manually enter in credit card details and process cards for over-the-phone orders or if you don't have equipment.

Invoicing and billing
National Processing can provide invoice billing and recurring billing software for businesses that send invoices or keep cards on file.

ACH Processing
National Processing offers an ACH progressing starting from $0.48 per transaction. The ACH platform is $15/month. This is great if your business accepts ACH payments or you pay employees by direct deposit.

You can set up one-time or recurring transactions. ACH payments are eligible for same-day processing.

Cash discount program
National has a cash discount program for $39.95 per month. This allows you to offer two prices - a lower price for cash customers, and a higher price for using credit card (which will include the processing fees). This way, you can eliminate almost all processing fees.

This program offers a cash discount rate of 3.99%. It's available to all merchants. But there's a $3,000 monthly minimum, and a $30 fee if you don't meet the minimum.

Equipment

National Processing offers equipment from several brands, including Clover, SwipeSimple, Dejavoo, and Verifone.

All plans can qualify for some sort of free equipment. What you get depends on your plan. We'll cover that in more detail in the next section.

Here are the different equipment options offered:

Mobile card readers:

• Clover Go
  
• SwipeSimple B250

Portable handheld terminals:

• Clover Flex
  
• SwipeSimple A920

Countertop terminals:

• Dejavoo Z8
  
• Dejavoo Z9
  
• Dejavoo Z11
  
• Verifone VX520
  
• Clover Mini
  
• SwipeSimple A80

Full POS systems:

• Clover Station

The equipment prices are not advertised on National's website. You'll have to speak to a representative to find out the details.

Free Equipment Offer

All plans qualify for free equipment. Here's what you can get:

• All users can receive a free SwipeSimple mobile reader.

• Subscription members ($59/mo) can also get a free mobile reader, free terminal, and free pin pad.

• Subscription Plus members ($199/mo) can also get free SwipeSimple Terminal and free terminal upgrade every 2 years, in addition to the above.

But National Processing does have a fine print that says that if you receive free equipment, there will be a cancellation fee for the cost of the equipment. Essentially, it's buying out the equipment, which is fair.

If you don't want the free equipment offer, you can purchase from National's many equipment offerings. If you already have your own equipment. They offer to reprogram for free.

Customer Service

National Processing gets excellent reviews from users. The company has a strong emphasis on providing good customer service. All users get a dedicated account agent.

You can get in touch with National Processing by:

• Phone: 800-720-3323
  
• Email: help@nationalprocessing.com
  
• Web contact form

National Processing has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau and 4.6/5 stars on Consumer Affairs.

How It Compares

Not sure if National is right for you? Here's how it compares against other popular processing providers.

National Processing vs. Square
Square lets you process credit cards without going through underwriting for a merchant account. It's quick and easy to get started. You don't need to be an established business. It's ideal for new and micro-businesses, indie sellers, and freelance service providers.

Square charges a flat-rate of 2.6% + $0.10 for each in-person transaction, and 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions. There's no monthly fee.

This pricing structure comes out to be higher than National's interchange-plus. But because there's no approval, it's still the better option for new businesses.

	Visit Site	Visit Site
	National Processing	Square
	SPECIAL OFFER Get $500 If National Processing Can't Beat Your Current Rates* - Learn More	SPECIAL OFFER Square Reader: Free Mobile Credit Card Reader - Learn More
	Benefits and Features
Customer Service	Phone, email, live chat	Phone, Email, Live Chat Support, Seller Community
Good For	Small-medium businesses processing $5,000+ per month; Restaurants	Mobile & small businesses with average transaction over $100
Equipment	Card readers, terminals, and POS systems from Clover, SwipeSimple, Dejavoo, and Verifone; Mobile processing; Online gateway; ACH payments	Free magstripe card reader; $59 for contactless + chip reader; Stand, Terminal, and Register available for purchase.
Pricing Model	Interchange-Plus; Subscription available for high-volume businesses	Flat rate
Swipe Rate	Retail: Interchange + 0.18% + 10¢ Restaurants: Interchange + 0.14% + 7¢	2.6% + 10¢
Online Rate	Interchange + 0.29% + 15¢	2.9% + 30¢
Monthly Fee	$9.95/mo for Interchange-Plus plans Subscription plans are $59/mo or $199/mo	No monthly fees
Deposit Time	Next day funding	Payments before 5PM PT / 8 PM ET is available the next business day
Chargeback Fee	$15	None
	Visit Site	Visit Site
	Get $500 If National Processing Can't Beat Your Current Rates* Start Processing Payments Today Free Mobile Swiper	Square Reader: Free Mobile Credit Card Reader Square Contactless and Chip Card Reader Square POS: Point of Sale System

National Processing vs. Payment Depot
Payment Depot offers subscription pricing for larger volume businesses, similar to National's subscription plans.

Payment Depot has membership pricing plans depending on the monthly volume. For businesses processing up to $75,000 per month, you can get a slightly better rate with National.

For over that amount, Payment Depot offers an in-between tier that could be better. You'll have to see which makes more sense for your business.

Payment Depot only works with larger businesses averaging $15,000 in gross monthly revenue and who've been in business for at least 6 months.

	Visit Site	Visit Site
	National Processing	Payment Depot
	SPECIAL OFFER Get $500 If National Processing Can't Beat Your Current Rates* - Learn More	SPECIAL OFFER Save 40% or More - Learn More
	Benefits and Features
Customer Service	Phone, email, live chat	Phone, Email, Ticket Center, Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
Good For	Small-medium businesses processing $5,000+ per month; Restaurants	Businesses processing $20,000 or more per month
Equipment	Card readers, terminals, and POS systems from Clover, SwipeSimple, Dejavoo, and Verifone; Mobile processing; Online gateway; ACH payments	POS (EMV, Magstripe, NFC, Contactless, Smart Terminals), Mobile Payment Processing, Online Payment Processing
Pricing Model	Interchange-Plus; Subscription available for high-volume businesses	Subscription
Swipe Rate	Retail: Interchange + 0.18% + 10¢ Restaurants: Interchange + 0.14% + 7¢	Interchange + 8¢
Online Rate	Interchange + 0.29% + 15¢	Interchange + 18¢
Monthly Fee	$9.95/mo for Interchange-Plus plans Subscription plans are $59/mo or $199/mo	Start at $79/month (Process up to $250,000/yr) Custom quote (Process more than $250,000/yr)
Deposit Time	Next day funding	Next day deposits
	Visit Site	Visit Site
	Get $500 If National Processing Can't Beat Your Current Rates* Start Processing Payments Today Free Mobile Swiper	Save 40% or More Save Over $400 Per Month on Average First Month Free

Bottom Line

National Processing is definitely worth considering if getting the lowest processing rates is your biggest priority. Compared with other popular merchant account providers, National's rates do come in lower in almost all cases.

Just be aware that there is a termination fee, unless you have a lower competitor quote in writing (or sell or close your business). Though this means leaving is not as flexible, it is a fair policy that allows National to keep offering such low rates.