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:
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.
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:
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.
Head Quarters
Temecula, CA
Year Founded
2004
CEO
HeatherAltepeter
Employees
70
Merchant Provider Risk Tolerance
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.
Discloses All Important Terms
No
Public Pricing Available
No
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 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
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+
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.
BBB
A+(4 complaints)
3.8 Stars / 45 Reviews
No Reviews yet
Yelp
1.5 Stars / 11 Reviews
Total Online Reviews
80+
Total Online Complaints
10+
Lawsuits
None
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