Skip to content

Payment Depot Review 2024: Features, Pricing, Alternatives

Payment Depot uses an interchange-plus pricing model, and markups vary from business to business.
By Whitney Vandiver, Hillary Crawford
Last updated on June 10, 2024
Edited by Christine Aebischer
Fact checked and reviewed

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Our Take

4.5

NerdWallet rating 

The bottom line:

Payment Depot is a payment processor owned by Stax. Customers pay interchange plus an additional percentage fee on each transaction, but there are no monthly subscription costs. The provider’s pricing and 24/7 support make it a good option for small businesses willing to explore cost-saving options outside of flat-rate processors.
Full review

Payment Depot

Payment processing fees
$0 to 1.95%, plus interchange.
Monthly fee
$0.00
Learn more

on Payment Depot's website

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
  • Compatible with several POS hardware providers, including Clover.
  • 24/7 support.

Cons

  • Hardware pricing is quote-based.

Full Review

Payment Depot lets merchants process credit card payments in person and online. Instead of charging a monthly membership fee, it charges 0.2% to 1.95% on top of interchange rates. Plus, customers can cancel whenever they want without paying early termination fees.
Payment Depot stands out for its customized interchange-plus rates, but you won’t be able to start accepting transactions immediately. Businesses need to reach out for a quote and go through an in-depth underwriting process.
Hillary Crawford, small-business writer at NerdWallet
To accommodate in-person transactions, Payment Depot sells point-of-sale (POS) hardware from companies like Clover, SwipeSimple and Dejavoo. For online payments, the company integrates with a variety of shopping carts and e-commerce platforms including WooCommerce, BigCommerce and OpenCart. Alternatively, if you don’t use one of those platforms, you can use Authorize.net’s payment gateway to accept online payments.
Other features include a performance analytics dashboard, as shown below, that displays how many new versus returning customers your business has and lets you compare key data points, like net sales and number of transactions completed, across weeks, months and years. You can also use the dashboard as a virtual terminal to manually enter customers’ credit card information if you’re completing a sale over the phone, for example.
Payment Depot's performance analytics dashboard

Source: YouTube

Payment Depot is best for businesses that:

  • Prefer an interchange-plus solution: As opposed to flat-rate pricing that charges the same rate per transaction, regardless of how interchange rates fluctuate, Payment Depot’s interchange-plus model passes along the interchange rate and a consistent percentage on top of it. That means you save when customers use cards that carry low interchange fees. If you expect your business to grow and complete more sales as the years go on, interchange-plus pricing will likely result in lower processing costs than flat-rate pricing. 
  • Want rates tailored to their business: Payment Depot isn’t the only interchange-plus processor, but it’s one of the few that tailor markups to your business. This may leave some room for negotiation when it comes to how much you pay on top of interchange. Other interchange-plus processors, like Helcim, charge the same margin across business types, unless you qualify for a volume discount.  

Deciding factors

Payment processing model
Interchange-plus.
Payment processing fees
0.2%-1.95% plus interchange.
Monthly fee
$0.
Hardware cost
Sells card readers as well as countertop and mobile POS hardware from Clover, Dejavoo and SwipeSimple, but prices are undisclosed. You have to request a quote.
Contract length
No long-term contracts or termination fees.
Customer support
24/7 phone and email support.

Where Payment Depot stands out

Interchange-plus pricing

Many competitors, like Square or Stripe, charge a flat fee for each transaction. While this pricing model is easy to understand, it doesn’t pass interchange savings to the business. With interchange-plus pricing, markups are consistent, but interchange varies from transaction to transaction. That means businesses save when customers use cards that have lower interchange fees.

Compatible with different hardware

Payment Depot sells a variety of credit card terminals, which allow you to accept payments in person, from brands that include Clover, Dejavoo and SwipeSimple. You can choose from mobile-only card readers, standard terminals and full POS terminals that resemble traditional cash registers. Depending on the model and POS system, features could also include inventory management, discounts, reporting and employee management. If you already have a terminal, Payment Depot may be able to reprogram it.

Around-the-clock customer support

If your business can’t quickly solve payment processing issues, it risks losing out on sales. Payment Depot has 24/7 phone and email support to help prevent this scenario. Reading customer reviews can help you gather more information on individual customer support experiences.

Where Payment Depot falls short

Hardware pricing isn’t transparent

Payment Depot sells POS hardware, like card readers and terminals, from various providers, but it requires businesses to reach out for a quote. This makes it difficult to factor in the cost of hardware and compare it to other payment processors. Additionally, its website doesn’t have much information on additional features that typically come with payment processing services, like invoicing or reporting.

Alternatives to Payment Depot

Square

Why we like it: Unlike Payment Depot, which passes variable interchange rates along to the merchant, Square charges a set fee for each transaction. Card terminals are proprietary and include low-cost options. You can get your first magstripe reader for free. Square also offers Tap to Pay on iPhone, which lets merchants accept card payments using only a regular iPhone with the Square POS app. The company’s contract-free rates and intuitive POS system make it popular with small-business owners. Read our full Square review.

Payline

Why we like it: Payline offers a variety of shopping cart integrations for e-commerce businesses, but its real standout feature is the fact that it supports businesses in high-risk industries. These industries include CBD, credit mending, vitamins and supplements, and travel. Merchants are paired up with a dedicated support manager, and the first one to two months may be free. Read our full Payline review.

Learn more

on Payment Depot's website

Methodology

NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria.
Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

NerdWallet Home Page
Finance Smarter
Learn more about the app

Download the app

QR code for downloading the app
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product’s site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution’s Terms and Conditions. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion® directly.

NerdUp by NerdWallet credit card: NerdWallet is not a bank. Bank services provided by Evolve Bank & Trust, member FDIC. The NerdUp by NerdWallet Credit Card is issued by Evolve Bank & Trust pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Inc.

Impact on your credit may vary, as credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations.

NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539

NMLS Consumer Access| Licenses and Disclosures

California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812

Insurance Services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no.OK92033)   Insurance Licenses

NerdWallet has an engagement with Atomic Invest, LLC (“Atomic Invest”), an SEC-registered investment adviser, to bring you the opportunity to open an investment advisory account (“Atomic Treasury account”). Investment advisory services are provided by Atomic Invest. Companies which are engaged by Atomic Invest receive compensation of 0% to 0.85% annualized, payable monthly, based upon assets under management for each referred client who establishes an account with Atomic Invest (i.e., exact payment will differ). Atomic Invest also shares a percentage of compensation received from margin interest and free cash interest earned by customers with NerdWallet. NerdWallet is not a client of Atomic Invest, but our engagement with Atomic invest gives us an incentive to refer you to Atomic Invest instead of another investment adviser. This conflict of interest affects our ability to provide you with unbiased, objective information about the services of Atomic Invest. This could mean that the services of another investment adviser with whom we are not engaged could be more appropriate for you than Atomic Invest. Advisory services through Atomic Invest are designed to assist clients in achieving a favorable outcome in their investment portfolio. They are not intended to provide tax advice or financial planning with respect to every aspect of a client’s financial situation and do not include investments that clients may hold outside of Atomic Invest. For more details about Atomic Invest, please see the Form CRS, Form ADV Part 2A, the Privacy Policy, and other disclosures.

Brokerage services for Atomic Invest are provided by Atomic Brokerage LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC and an affiliate of Atomic Invest. Due to the relationship between Atomic Brokerage and Atomic Invest, there is a conflict of interest due to Atomic Invest directing orders to Atomic Brokerage. For additional information regarding conflicts, please see Items 5, 12 and 14 of Atomic Invest's Form ADV Part 2A. For more details about Atomic Brokerage, please see the Form CRS, the Atomic Brokerage General Disclosures, and the Privacy Policy. Check the background of Atomic Brokerage on FINRA's BrokerCheck. Fees such as regulatory fees, transaction fees, fund expenses, brokerage commissions and services fees may apply to your brokerage account.

Neither Atomic Invest nor Atomic Brokerage, nor any of their affiliates is a bank. Investments in securities are Not FDIC insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and the fees and expenses charged. Custodial and clearing services used by Atomic Brokerage can be found on its BrokerCheck report. Technology services may be provided by AtomicVest, Inc.

NerdWallet™ | 55 Hawthorne St. - 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105

© 2024 NerdWallet, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
  • X
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Apple Podcasts
  • TikTok
Close
Smart money moves for your small business

Create a free account to grow your business with tailored insights and explore small business products.

Close
Smart money moves for your small business

Create a free account to grow your business with tailored insights and explore small business products.