National Merchants Association Review

Rates and Fees
75/100
Truth in Advertising
70/100
Consumer Reviews
75/100
Customer Support
80/100
3

Best for

Merchants who want a single solution for storefront and online payment processing

Specializes in

Credit card processing, in-store payment processing, virtual terminals, payment gateways, POS systems, high-risk merchant accounts

Pricing Summary

Setup Fee: $0

Monthly Fee: $19.95 / $34.95 / $69.95 (Membership Fee)

Swipe Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%

Keyed-in Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%

Early Termination Fee : $395+

Contract Terms:

1 Year 3 Years
Visit National Merchants Association

The National Merchants Association (NMA) is a registered ISO/MSP of the Commercial Bank of California and Citizens Bank. The company provides both online and in-store payment processing services for merchants with both standard and high-risk profiles. The company provides credit card processing, virtual terminals, payment gateways, and several other services to merchants across various industries.

National Merchants Association Overview

 

The National Merchants Association markets itself as a payment processing company that can meet the needs of many different types of businesses. More specifically, the company advertises its services for merchants operating in industries like:


  • CBD & hemp

  • Cigar & tobacco

  • Electronics

  • Clothing & apparel

  • Gaming

  • Healthcare

  • Medical

  • Restaurant

  • And more


NMA offers contract terms and prices that vary from merchant to merchant. But the company tends to favor a multi-year contract with a termination fee that can be $395 or more. They claim to offer one-year contracts with a flat 2.65% per transaction fee. But reviews from merchants who have used the company seem to suggest that rates actually vary from company to company and contractual terms are longer than NMA suggests in its advertising. 

Additionally, merchants are charged a monthly membership fee for using NMA. This can range from $19.95 to $69.95 depending on the services selected.

NMA has received a number of complaints about its unclear contractual terms. Merchants also complain about hidden fees and unresponsive customer service representatives. But the company does still have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Quick Facts

Head Quarters

Temecula, CA

Year Founded

2004

CEO

HeatherAltepeter

Employees

70

Merchant Provider Risk Tolerance

What We Like

What We Don't Like

Industries Served

  • CBD & Hemp
  • Cigars & Tobacco
  • Clothing & Apparel
  • Convenience Store
  • Electronics
  • Gaming
  • Gas Station
  • Healthcare
  • Hosting
  • Medical
  • Moving Companies
  • Personal Service
  • Restaurant / Bar
  • SAAS
  • SEO & SEM Services
  • Smoking Accessories
  • Thrift Store
  • Web Design Services

Business Types Served

  • Ecommerce
  • High Risk
  • High Volume
  • Information
  • Low Risk
  • MOTO
  • Online
  • Retail / Card Present
  • Small Business
  • Wholesale

National Merchants Association Products & Services

 

In-Store Payment Processing


The National Merchants Association offers merchants a variety of services related to in-store payment processing. For example, the company can set you up with a POS system that allows you to accept multiple payment options. With this, you can also get fully-integrated software and the capability of processing payment via mobile and wireless devices.

Online Payments

You can also sign up to have your online payments processed through NMA. The company offers virtual terminals, payment gateways, and pretty much everything else you’d want from your online payment processor. The National Merchants Association also offers some helpful supplemental features, such as recurring billing capabilities, gateway integrations, and QuickBooks integration.

High-Risk Merchant Accounts

High-risk businesses can also utilize NMA’s payment processing services. The company offers its normal online payment solutions to high-risk merchants. But if your company is considered high-risk then you should expect to pay a bit more for these services than you would otherwise have to.

National Merchants Association Payment Processing

  • Credit Card Processing
  • Debit Card Processing
  • EBT Acceptance
  • Gift & Loyalty Program
  • Online Payments
  • Payment Gateway
  • POS Equipment
  • Recurring Billing
  • Virtual Terminal

National Merchants Association Billing & Invoicing

  • Online Invoicing
  • Online Payments
  • Payment Processing
  • Recurring/Subscription Billing

National Merchants Association Advertising & Sales

 
The National Merchants Association is fairly deceptive with its advertising and sales processes. The company’s name and marketing materials sometimes make it sound as though it’s a non-profit business. But that’s not the case. NMA is a for-profit company that’s purpose is to make money.

The company also uses deceptive sales tactics. They use independent sales agents, who seem to make promises that never actually materialize. For example, there have been several online complaints about NMA promising one-year contracts while actually signing merchants up for three-year contracts with a hefty cancellation fee.

Truth in Marketing

Discloses All Important Terms

No

Public Pricing Available

No

National Merchants Association Pricing, Rates & Fees

 

To utilize NMA’s services, you first have to pay a monthly membership fee. This can range between $19.95 and $69.95 based on the services you select. After that, you’ll also be charged a per-transaction fee. This is advertised as a flat rate of 2.65%. But according to merchant reviews, the real rate can actually vary from company to company.

The company isn’t very forthcoming with its prices. For example, it offers no information about how much it charges for virtual terminal and payment gateway services. It’s also unclear whether there are any additional fees that are associated with these services.

Pricing at a Glance

Pricing Model

Swiped Rate

1.00% - 4.99%

Keyed-in Rate

1.00% - 4.99%

Mobile Payment Rate

Virtual Terminal Rate

1.00% - 4.99%

Monthly Fee

$19.95 / $34.95 / $69.95 (Membership Fee)

Payment Gateway Fee

Undisclosed

Batch Fee

Undisclosed

Early Termination Fee

$395+

PCI Compliance Fee

Undisclosed

Equipment Lease Terms

Undisclosed

Address Verification Service (AVS)

Application Fee

$250

Account Setup Fee

$0

Gateway Setup Fee

Undisclosed

Annual Fee

$99

Monthly Minimum

$25

Statement Fee

National Merchants Association Contract & Terms

The National merchants Association advertises one-year contracts with a $99 early termination fee. But in practice, they tend to utilize three-year contracts with an early termination fee of $395 or even more. Additionally, all of the company’s contracts include a monthly membership fee.

Contract Length

1 Year3 Years

Early Termination Fee

$395+

National Merchants Association Setup & Support

 

Setup Highlights

  • Documentation / Knowledge Base

Support Highlights

  • Domestic Phone Support (Business Hours)

National Merchants Association Complaints, Ratings & Reviews

The National Merchants Association currently has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. But it has also received a number of complaints from merchants who have used the company’s services. 

Many of these complaints reference the deceptive sales tactics that NMA uses to lure merchants into contracts with terms they didn’t realize they were accepting. Some merchants have also complained about NMA’s poor customer service, hidden fees, and the difficulty of canceling service with the company.

Ratings

BBB

A+(4 complaints)

Google

3.8 Stars / 45 Reviews

Facebook

No Reviews yet

Yelp

1.5 Stars / 11 Reviews

Reviews

Total Online Reviews

80+

Total Online Complaints

10+

Lawsuits

None

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