Best High-Risk Merchant Account Providers of June 2025
Small businesses that are considered high-risk often have a difficult time finding payment processors that are willing to work with them, but there are options.
High-risk merchant account providers offer merchant accounts and payment processing services to businesses that operate in high-risk industries. Businesses in industries that are age-restricted, like gambling and tobacco, or have high rates of fraud or chargebacks, such as dropshipping, nonprofits and web design, often struggle to find payment processing companies
The best high-risk merchant account providers have competitive pricing and popular integrations and accept a variety of payment methods; some even sell point-of-sale (POS) solutions or easily integrate with POS systems
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Here are our recommendations for high-risk merchant account providers.
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HighRiskPay.comBest High-Risk Merchant Account Providers
| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 National Processing on National Processing's secure website | Dedicated account manager | In-person: 2.5% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $15 for Basic In-Person Package. | on National Processing's secure website | |
 PaymentCloud on PaymentCloud's secure website | Software integrations | 2.4% + $0.10 to 3.5% + $0.25 on average. | $0 to $50. | on PaymentCloud's secure website | |
 Payline on NerdWallet's secure website | Free trial | In-person: 0.4% + $0.10 Online: 0.75% + $0.20 Plus interchange | $10 in person; $20 online. | on NerdWallet's secure website | |
HighRiskPay.com | High approval rates | 2.95% + $0.25 May vary with credit or transaction type. | $10 | ||
 Inovio | High-risk online payment processing | N/A Quote-based. | N/A Quote-based. | ||
 Soar Payments | Variety of high-risk industries | N/A Quote-based. | N/A Quote-based. |
Best High-Risk Merchant Account Providers
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$15
for Basic In-Person Package.
Learn moreon National Processing's website
Pros
- No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
- Works with high-risk merchants.
- New merchants may qualify for a free terminal.
- 24/7 phone support.
- Compatible with multiple POS system providers, including Clover.
Cons
- Fees may be higher if you process less than $10,000 per month.
- Basic plans for processing in-person and online transactions are separate.
- Deposits take 2-3 business days for basic plans.
National Processing
Best for Dedicated account manager
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$15
for Basic In-Person Package.
on National Processing's website
Pros
- No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
- Works with high-risk merchants.
- New merchants may qualify for a free terminal.
- 24/7 phone support.
- Compatible with multiple POS system providers, including Clover.
Cons
- Fees may be higher if you process less than $10,000 per month.
- Basic plans for processing in-person and online transactions are separate.
- Deposits take 2-3 business days for basic plans.
Payment processing fees
2.4% + $0.10
to 3.5% + $0.25 on average.
Monthly fee
$0
to $50.
on PaymentCloud's website
Pros
- Works with high-risk businesses.
- New merchants may qualify for a free terminal.
- 24/7 support.
Cons
- Website isn’t transparent about processing rates.
- May charge PCI compliance fees.
- Some plans require a contract and charge steep termination fees.
PaymentCloud
Best for Software integrations
Payment processing fees
2.4% + $0.10
to 3.5% + $0.25 on average.
Monthly fee
$0
to $50.
on PaymentCloud's website
Pros
- Works with high-risk businesses.
- New merchants may qualify for a free terminal.
- 24/7 support.
Cons
- Website isn’t transparent about processing rates.
- May charge PCI compliance fees.
- Some plans require a contract and charge steep termination fees.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.10
Online: 0.75% + $0.20
Online: 0.75% + $0.20
Plus interchange
Monthly fee
$10
in person; $20 online.
Pros
- No long-term contracts or cancellation fees.
- First month or two (depending on the business) is free.
- Works with high-risk merchants.
- No PCI compliance fees.
- 24/7 support.
- Compatible with multiple POS terminal providers, including Clover.
Cons
- Separate monthly fees for in-person and online processing.
- Must contact Payline for information on hardware costs.
Payline
Best for Free trial
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.10
Online: 0.75% + $0.20
Online: 0.75% + $0.20
Plus interchange
Monthly fee
$10
in person; $20 online.
Pros
- No long-term contracts or cancellation fees.
- First month or two (depending on the business) is free.
- Works with high-risk merchants.
- No PCI compliance fees.
- 24/7 support.
- Compatible with multiple POS terminal providers, including Clover.
Cons
- Separate monthly fees for in-person and online processing.
- Must contact Payline for information on hardware costs.
Payment processing fees
2.95% + $0.25
May vary with credit or transaction type.
Monthly fee
$10
Pros
- Transparent pricing.
- Accepts in-person, online and recurring payments.
- No contract or setup fee.
Cons
- Monthly fee required.
- Limited integrations.
HighRiskPay.com
Best for High approval rates
Payment processing fees
2.95% + $0.25
May vary with credit or transaction type.
Monthly fee
$10
Pros
- Transparent pricing.
- Accepts in-person, online and recurring payments.
- No contract or setup fee.
Cons
- Monthly fee required.
- Limited integrations.
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
N/A
Quote-based.
Pros
- All-in-one processing and POS solution.
- Processes international payments.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- No option for processing in-person payments.
- Limited integrations.
Inovio
Best for High-risk online payment processing
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
N/A
Quote-based.
Pros
- All-in-one processing and POS solution.
- Processes international payments.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- No option for processing in-person payments.
- Limited integrations.
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
N/A
Quote-based.
Pros
- Accepts in-person, online and recurring payments.
- Offers several popular integrations.
- No setup fees.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- Restrictions on recurring billing approval.
Soar Payments
Best for Variety of high-risk industries
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
N/A
Quote-based.
Pros
- Accepts in-person, online and recurring payments.
- Offers several popular integrations.
- No setup fees.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- Restrictions on recurring billing approval.
Our picks for best high-risk merchant account providers
Payline: Best for free trial
Why we like it: Payline Data offers competitive pricing of interchange plus a low per-transaction rate. Depending on the types of credit cards you accept, such as Visa or American Express, its rates could save you money compared with competitors’ rates. Read our full Payline Data review
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
PaymentCloud: Best for software integrations
Why we like it: PaymentCloud stands out from the competition with a large set of software integrations, a free terminal for qualifying merchants and tools dedicated to preventing fraud and managing chargebacks (although chargebacks come with a $25 fee). PaymentCloud claims to have a 98% approval rate for high-risk merchants. Read our full PaymentCloud review
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
National Processing: Best for dedicated account manager
Why we like it: National Processing offers in-person and online payment processing plans, as well as an ACH one for businesses that get paid mostly via e-check. And if your business processes at least $10,000 per month, the company promises $500 if it can't beat your current rates. Read our full National Processing review
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
HighRiskPay.com: Best for high approval rates
Why we like it: HighRiskPay.com clearly outlines its rates for all types of businesses, including those with bad credit. It also shows the rate for high-risk businesses as well as those offering adult-themed products. Although that industry has a higher rate, it’s only 25 cents more per transaction and gets the same percentage charged as other high-risk businesses.
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
Inovio: Best for high-risk online payment processing
Why we like it: Inovio stands out with its excellent online payment processing options. It offers secure checkout pages, customizable payment gateway
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
Soar Payments: Best for variety of high-risk industries
Why we like it: Compared with competitors, Soar Payments' website includes the most extensive list of industries served, with over 50 industries listed. For businesses that are nontraditional or are having trouble finding a processor that serves their industries, it's a strong option.
Monthly fee
Hardware
Payment processing fees
Details
What is a high-risk merchant account provider?
A high-risk merchant account provider sets up a dedicated merchant account that holds a high-risk business’s credit card funds until they’re transferred to the business’s bank account. In many cases, they also double as the business’s payment processor to facilitate electronic payments, like credit and debit cards. They may offer additional merchant services
Some high-risk merchant account providers work exclusively with high-risk businesses, while others also work with low- and medium-risk businesses.
Learn more about high-risk merchant accounts
Dig into why your high-risk business needs a merchant account on top of payment processing services, as well as tips on finding the right one for your business.
What businesses are considered high-risk?
The “high-risk” category encompasses a wide variety of business types and industries, and some of them may come as a surprise. Perhaps more obvious high-risk businesses include those that deal in firearms and ammunition, cannabis and CBD, pawn shops and tobacco and vaping products. However, the high-risk label can also apply to subscription-service businesses, nonprofits, advertising agencies, software as a service (SaaS) companies and others.
A primary factor that contributes to being considered “high-risk” is whether the business model lends itself to higher rates of chargebacks credit card fraud
How to choose a high-risk merchant account provider
Here are several factors to consider while searching for the best high-risk merchant account provider for your business.
- Payment processing costs: Per-transaction fees for high-risk businesses are typically more expensive than they are for low-risk ones. That being said, high-risk merchant account providers should still offer fair rates, which ideally fall under 4% for in-person transactions. If you go with an interchange-plus provider as opposed to a flat-rate option, don’t hesitate to try negotiating lower markups based on your specific industry and transaction history.
- Chargeback fees: What does the merchant account provider charge for each disputed transaction that results in a refund to a customer? Typically chargebacks cost $15 to $25 each, but some providers charge more or don’t charge for them at all.
- Accepted transaction types: Consider the types of transactions your business processes and whether the high-risk payment processor will accept those. Some may accept only online transactions (such as Inovio), whereas others will
accept credit card payments - Integrations: Most high-risk payment processors provide at least a few integrations with third-party applications and
business software accounting software e-commerce platforms