Head to head
Compared side by side on published facts and the same six criteria every review is graded on — generated from the live directory, not a sales page.
High Risk Pay
Payment Processor · 3.2/5 mean
High Risk Pay is a merchant account provider specializing in high-risk merchant services and payment processing solutions including credit card and ACH acceptance for businesses that struggle with traditional payment processors.
Read the full review →Payment Cloud
Agent / Reseller · 3.9/5 mean
A well-run high-risk merchant services shop with unusually good service ratings and no junk fees — but since its 2024 acquisition it is a Kurv company, and Kurv now routes almost everything through its own platform, which is not the bank-agnostic brokerage the brand's reputation was built on.
Read the full review →Payment Cloud holds the higher standing — by grade, then mean category score. The row-by-row picture below is what should actually decide it for your business.
Both graded against the same six criteria. How we grade · Last fact-checked August 19, 2026 and August 22, 2026.
| Criterion | High Risk Pay | Payment Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 3.0 | 3.5wins this criterion |
| Feature set | 3.0 | 4.0wins this criterion |
| Ease of use | 3.0 |
Straight from each provider's published documentation. Where a number isn't published, we say so rather than estimate.
| Metric | High Risk Pay | Payment Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Online rate | Starting around 2.19% + $0.25 for good-credit merchant accounts | Estimated: 2.5% – 3.5% + $0.20–$0.30 for low-risk e-commerce; 3.5% – 5.0% + $0.30 for high-risk e-commerce. |
| Monthly fee | Starting at $9.95 | Typically $0 – $25/month |
| Payout | Next business day (advertised) | Not disclosed |
| Contract | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| In-person rate | Around 1.79% + $0.25 | Estimated: 2.2% – 2.7% + $0.10 for low-risk retail; 2.7% – 3.5% + $0.10–$0.20 for high-risk card-present. |
| Keyed rate | Not disclosed | Estimated: 2.9% – 3.5% + $0.20 for keyed-in low risk; 4% – 5% + $0.30 for keyed high-risk. |
From the High Risk Pay review
PaymentCloud carries consistently strong service ratings, dedicated account managers, and no application, setup, or monthly-minimum fees, where High Risk Pay's review footprint is thin and its ancillary fees undisclosed. High Risk Pay still holds up for merchants drawn to its no-setup-fee onboarding and quick underwriting decisions.
Pick Payment Cloud if you want a high-risk provider with a strong service record and no junk fees
Ideal for
Not recommended for
Ideal for
Not recommended for
The full reviews carry the pricing narratives, contract analysis and everything else behind these numbers — or let the matching funnel score the whole directory against your business.
| 4.0wins this criterion |
| Customer support | 4.0 | 4.5wins this criterion |
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| Contract terms | 3.0 | 3.5wins this criterion |
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| Industry reputation | 3.0 | 4.0wins this criterion |
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| PCI fee | Not specifically disclosed | $0 |
|---|
| Statement fee | Not disclosed | $0 |
|---|
| Chargeback fee | Not disclosed | Typically $25 per chargeback |
|---|
| Early termination | Not disclosed | Often $0, but can vary. |
|---|
| Last fact-checked | August 19, 2026 | August 22, 2026 |
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