What does START Merchant Services charge on top of interchange?
Summary
START doesn't publish it. The company says it uses interchange-plus pricing exclusively, with a small fixed markup, but no page on its site gives that markup as a percentage or in cents, and account pricing is by custom quote. What START does put in writing is a short list of fees set at $0.
The published list
| Fee | What START's pages say |
|---|---|
| Termination fee | $0 |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Setup fee | $0 |
| PCI fee | $0 |
| Address verification (AVS) | No charge |
| Markup over interchange | Not published |
| Gateway monthly fee | Not published |
| Statement fee, monthly minimum | Not published |
| Chargeback fee | Not published |
| Contract term, funding time | Not published |
The terms of service page is a placeholder. It says detailed terms covering service agreements, merchant responsibilities, prohibited uses and dispute resolution "will be added here," so there is no contract language to read before applying.
About the 0.20% in the pricing guide
START's January 2025 interchange-plus pricing guide works through an example of 1.80% interchange plus a 0.20% markup plus $0.10, for 2.00% + $0.10 per transaction, and a merchant paying $1,000 a month. The same page notes that its interchange rates are approximate and tells merchants to contact START for the rates that apply to their business type. Nowhere does the site say 0.20% is START's markup.
The Authorize.Net side
Every START merchant account comes with a bundled Authorize.Net gateway, which START says it sets up within 24 hours of approval. A store that already runs Authorize.Net on another company's merchant account pays Authorize.Net directly under the Gateway only plan, which has no contract and no early termination fee:
START's pages don't say whether an existing gateway account carries over or gets replaced, or whether the bundled gateway has its own monthly fee. Authorize.Net's All-in-one plan, which includes a merchant account, is $25 a month plus 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
Approval times
The FAQ gives 1 to 5 business days for most merchants, as little as 1 day for standard ecommerce, and 3 to 5 business days for high-risk industries because of extra underwriting. START's high-risk page says most high-risk merchants are approved within one business day. The industries it lists as high risk include nutraceuticals, supplements, adult products, travel, telemarketing, subscription boxes, credit repair, CBD and hemp, firearms, vape, and membership sites.
Who START is registered with
The footer on every page describes START as an Elavon Payments MSP and a Registered MSP/ISO of Elavon, Inc. Georgia and of the Canadian Branch of U.S. Bank National Association and Elavon. The company is headquartered in Salt Lake City. No U.S. sponsor bank is named anywhere on the site.
Sources
- startmerchantservices.com
- startmerchantservices.com/faqs
- startmerchantservices.com/merchant-form
- startmerchantservices.com/merchant-accounts
- startmerchantservices.com/interchange-plus-pricing
- startmerchantservices.com/high-risk-merchant-accounts
- startmerchantservices.com/about-us
- startmerchantservices.com/terms-of-services
- authorize.net/sign-up/pricing.html
Related on this site
- Do you need a merchant account, a processor, and a gateway, or can one company cover all three?
- Does a flat rate, interchange-plus, tiered, or subscription plan cost a merchant the least?
- Why interchange-plus pricing cannot be totaled
- Every provider we hold, and which publish a rate
- Effective rate calculator
Written by Kaz (pen name). Figures are copied from providers' published pricing pages on the dates shown. We have not used these products. Corrections: contact form.