Some business owners were never meant for blending in. They take chances on industries that need a little more creativity. Maybe you believed in a nutraceuticals concept. Or are passionate about online gaming. That bold approach can build a strong brand that pulls in tons of customers. But getting paid? That can be a bit of an issue.
Traditional payment processors may see these industries as a bigger risk. They can ask for more paperwork. Or maybe impose tougher account terms. Some may not accept the business at all. High-risk merchant account providers specialize in these situations. They connect qualifying businesses with payment solutions built for higher-risk models. Here are five strong providers worth knowing if your business needs one.
Adaptiv Payments (Best Overall)
Adaptiv Payments earns the top spot for its broad high-risk support. It works with 20+ banking and processing partners. That gives businesses more account placement options.
Its industry coverage is also impressive. Adaptiv supports travel, SaaS, supplements, gaming, subscriptions, and many other high-risk models. Merchants also get fraud tools, chargeback support, recurring billing, and e-commerce integrations. It offers secure payment processing for high-risk merchants with approval times of 24 to 48 hours for many accounts.
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Host Merchant Services (Best for E-commerce Integrations)
When building an online store, a smooth checkout is a digital solution every startup needs. Host Merchant Services makes it easier to connect payments to the tools behind your site.
This provider has an API-powered gateway that connects payments to your invoicing and CRM tools. Order management systems can connect, too. For a simpler storefront, hosted checkout pages and payment links are available. It also supports recurring payments, ACH, tokenized transactions, and 3D Secure. E-commerce processing starts at 0.35% + $0.10 per transaction, plus interchange. There’s also a $14.99 monthly fee and a $14.99 monthly gateway fee.
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PayKings (Best for Avoiding Chargeback Issues)
Chargebacks can eat into revenue. That puts a high-risk account under more pressure. PayKings automatically builds chargeback management into its merchant accounts. Real-time alerts can flag disputes early. Fraud tools screen transactions before they settle. If a dispute does become a chargeback, PayKings offers dispute support and representment guidance.
Its system also tracks chargeback ratios. So, merchants can spot trouble before reaching card-network thresholds. Pricing uses interchange-plus, with rates starting at 0.80% + 10¢ per transaction for qualifying merchants.
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PaymentCloud (Best for Multiple Payment Options)
PaymentCloud offers high-risk businesses many ways to get paid. Customers can use major credit cards through online or in-person checkout. Retail businesses can add POS systems or mobile payments, too. Online sellers can use secure gateways or MOTO transactions. They even support ACH transfers and eChecks for direct bank payments. Plus, high-risk accounts come with fraud and chargeback tools.
This gives businesses more flexibility as they add sales channels. Many shoppers prefer the safest payment methods, such as credit cards and secure digital payments. Giving customers familiar options can make checkout easier.
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SoarPay (Best for Personalized Support)
High-risk payment issues can get frustrating. Especially when you keep getting passed from one support team to another. SoarPay takes a more hands-on approach. Its Dallas-based in-house support team handles questions by phone or email. The team specializes in high-risk payment processing. So, you don’t have to explain your business from scratch to a generic call center.
SoarPay also supports 50+ industries. Its accounts include AVS and CVV fraud filters. You can connect with Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, and many POS systems. Many applications receive approval within 48 to 72 hours.
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Conclusion
Choosing a high-risk merchant account deserves as much thought as your business model. Compare each provider’s features and support before signing up. The right fit can help keep payments moving as sales grow. Your business may be unusual. But your checkout should still behave itself.