Comparison · Updated September 20, 2026
PaymentCloud vs Durango Merchant Services for high-risk merchants
Payment Cloud
B+
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.
Durango Merchant Services
B+
Durango is a veteran, boutique high-risk payment processing specialist that serves as a trusted lifeline for businesses rejected by mainstream processors, but lacks enough reviews to make a confident assessment on the quality of the services.
VS
Overview
PaymentCloud and Durango Merchant Services are the two names that come up first when a business has been declined or dropped by Stripe, Square or PayPal, and Payment Review grades both B+. Neither publishes a rate card — every account is custom-quoted and placed with an acquiring bank that sets the final terms — so the comparison is about what each discloses, how each works and who each suits. PaymentCloud, founded in Los Angeles in 2015 and a Kurv company since Electronic Merchant Systems bought it in January 2024, is the larger operation: a 4.3 Trustpilot score from 889 reviews, approval in 24 to 48 hours for most applicants, a US-based support team it says is available around the clock, and a gateway choice of Authorize.Net, NMI or USAePay. Durango is a boutique in Durango, Colorado, registered as an ISO of Fifth Third Bank, that publishes a range for what a high-risk account costs — a 1.95% to 4.95% discount rate, 15¢ to 25¢ per authorisation, $15 to $60 a month and a 0% to 10% rolling reserve — serves international and multi-currency merchants across the US, Canada, the EU and the UK, and holds an A+ BBB rating with no complaints in three years, but wants $5,000 a month of US volume ($50,000 international) and answers the phone on Mountain-time business hours. PaymentCloud is the better fit for a US merchant who needs an account fast and a large support operation behind it; Durango for an established merchant with international or hard-to-place volume who values a small shop with a published range and a clean record.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Durango publishes a range for high-risk accounts — 1.95% to 4.95% discount rate, 15¢ to 25¢ per authorisation, $15 to $60 a month, 0% to 10% rolling reserve — where PaymentCloud publishes no figures and says setup fees and reserves 'vary by business type'.
- ✓PaymentCloud approves most applicants in 24 to 48 hours; Durango's average is three days, with complex or international files taking three to five business days.
- ✓Durango has a minimum of $5,000 a month for US accounts and $50,000 for international ones; PaymentCloud states no minimum volume on its site.
- ✓PaymentCloud's Trustpilot record is deeper and better — 4.3 from 889 reviews with 94% of negative reviews answered — while Durango's 1.7 from 36 reviews reflects one review in the last year weighing on a 92% five-star history; on the BBB the picture flips, with Durango at A+ and zero complaints and PaymentCloud at A- with one unanswered complaint.
- ✓Durango covers the US, Canada, the EU, the UK and several Caribbean and Central American jurisdictions with multi-currency processing; PaymentCloud's site does not advertise international placement.
Payment Cloud
PaymentCloud is for a US business that has just been declined or dropped and needs a high-risk merchant account quickly, wants a named account manager and round-the-clock support, plans to run through Authorize.Net or NMI with a mainstream cart, and is comfortable that its placement now runs largely through parent Kurv's platform.
Durango Merchant Services
Durango is for an established merchant processing $5,000 a month or more — especially one selling internationally or in a vertical few banks will touch — who wants a boutique with a dedicated account manager for the life of the account, a published cost range to negotiate against, an A+ BBB record and the option of a month-to-month term.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
A split verdict, and an honest one: Payment Review grades both B+ and they win different rows. PaymentCloud is the larger, faster operation — approval in 24 to 48 hours, no minimum volume on its site, support around the clock, a choice of mainstream gateways and a deep, well-answered Trustpilot record — and it is the safer first call for a US merchant who needs an account this week. Its open question is the 2024 Kurv acquisition, after which Payment Review found most placements running through the parent's own platform rather than being shopped across banks. Durango is the smaller, more transparent shop: it publishes a cost range where PaymentCloud publishes nothing, offers month-to-month terms, places international and multi-currency accounts PaymentCloud does not advertise, and has an A+ BBB rating with no complaints in three years. Its limits are a $5,000 monthly minimum, business-hours support from a team of about seven, and a Trustpilot score dragged to 1.7 by recency weighting. Choose PaymentCloud for speed, support and smaller volume; choose Durango for international, hard-to-place or volume-heavy accounts and a published range to negotiate against.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Pricing and fees (September 2026)
| Feature | Payment Cloud | Durango Merchant Services |
|---|---|---|
| Published processing rates | None; custom quote | Range only: 1.95%–4.95% discount rate plus 15¢–25¢ per authorisation Winner |
| Durango's high-risk guide lists a 'range of prices for high risk merchant accounts'; the actual rate is quoted per account and set by the acquiring bank. PaymentCloud's site gives no figures. Merchant Maverick (March 2026) says PaymentCloud quotes flat-rate, interchange-plus or tiered pricing and recommends asking for interchange-plus. | ||
| Monthly account fee | Not disclosed | $15–$60 a month (published range) |
| Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud's monthly fees as typically $0–$25 and Durango's minimum monthly fee as $10; Fit Small Business reports a Durango gateway quote of $10–$15 a month plus 10¢ per transaction. All are third-party figures from quotes, not published prices. | ||
| Application and setup fees | No upfront fee to apply; 'setup fees and reserve requirements vary by business type' | Application $0; 'free application processing' Winner |
| PaymentCloud's e-commerce page says 'there's no setup fee', while its high-risk FAQ says setup fees vary by business type and are discussed before you commit. Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud charging no application, setup, gateway-setup, annual, PCI or monthly-minimum fee; Payment Review's own review records the same, so a quoted setup fee should be questioned. | ||
| Rolling reserve | 'Vary by business type', discussed before you commit | 0%–10% (published range); its guide says many merchants can expect 5–10% |
| Reserves on both are set by the acquiring bank that underwrites the account. Durango's guide suggests asking to lower a reserve from 10% to 5% after 90 days of clean processing. | ||
| Contract term and early termination fee | Not disclosed | Not disclosed; 'variable contract lengths including availability of month to month' |
| Both say the final terms come from the acquiring bank. Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud low-risk accounts on month-to-month terms with the ETF waived and high-risk accounts on two-year terms with automatic one-year renewals, and Durango on month to month with no ETF for most merchants but three-year terms with up to a $500 ETF for some high-risk ones. Get the term and any ETF in writing for your placement. | ||
| Minimum monthly volume | Not stated on its site Winner | $5,000 a month for US accounts; $50,000 for international accounts |
| Durango's minimum is the reason its Trustpilot one-star reviews include applicants declined for insufficient volume. | ||
Published processing rates
Payment Cloud
None; custom quote
Durango Merchant Services
Range only: 1.95%–4.95% discount rate plus 15¢–25¢ per authorisation
Winner
Durango's high-risk guide lists a 'range of prices for high risk merchant accounts'; the actual rate is quoted per account and set by the acquiring bank. PaymentCloud's site gives no figures. Merchant Maverick (March 2026) says PaymentCloud quotes flat-rate, interchange-plus or tiered pricing and recommends asking for interchange-plus.
Monthly account fee
Payment Cloud
Not disclosed
Durango Merchant Services
$15–$60 a month (published range)
Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud's monthly fees as typically $0–$25 and Durango's minimum monthly fee as $10; Fit Small Business reports a Durango gateway quote of $10–$15 a month plus 10¢ per transaction. All are third-party figures from quotes, not published prices.
Application and setup fees
Payment Cloud
No upfront fee to apply; 'setup fees and reserve requirements vary by business type'
Durango Merchant Services
Application $0; 'free application processing'
Winner
PaymentCloud's e-commerce page says 'there's no setup fee', while its high-risk FAQ says setup fees vary by business type and are discussed before you commit. Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud charging no application, setup, gateway-setup, annual, PCI or monthly-minimum fee; Payment Review's own review records the same, so a quoted setup fee should be questioned.
Rolling reserve
Payment Cloud
'Vary by business type', discussed before you commit
Durango Merchant Services
0%–10% (published range); its guide says many merchants can expect 5–10%
Reserves on both are set by the acquiring bank that underwrites the account. Durango's guide suggests asking to lower a reserve from 10% to 5% after 90 days of clean processing.
Contract term and early termination fee
Payment Cloud
Not disclosed
Durango Merchant Services
Not disclosed; 'variable contract lengths including availability of month to month'
Both say the final terms come from the acquiring bank. Merchant Maverick reports PaymentCloud low-risk accounts on month-to-month terms with the ETF waived and high-risk accounts on two-year terms with automatic one-year renewals, and Durango on month to month with no ETF for most merchants but three-year terms with up to a $500 ETF for some high-risk ones. Get the term and any ETF in writing for your placement.
Minimum monthly volume
Payment Cloud
Not stated on its site
Winner
Durango Merchant Services
$5,000 a month for US accounts; $50,000 for international accounts
Durango's minimum is the reason its Trustpilot one-star reviews include applicants declined for insufficient volume.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
US e-commerce merchant just declined or dropped by Stripe, Square or PayPal
Recommended
Payment Cloud
PaymentCloud approves most files in 24 to 48 hours, states no minimum volume, and connects through Authorize.Net or NMI to the cart you already run.
Merchant selling into the EU, UK or Canada, or needing multi-currency processing
Recommended
Durango Merchant Services
Durango advertises accounts across the US, Canada, all EU countries, the UK and several Caribbean and Central American jurisdictions with multi-currency processing; PaymentCloud's site does not advertise international placement. Durango's international minimum is $50,000 a month.
Business processing under $5,000 a month
Recommended
Payment Cloud
Durango's published minimum is $5,000 a month for US accounts and its Trustpilot one-star reviews include applicants declined for volume; PaymentCloud states no minimum on its site.
Established merchant who wants a published range and a month-to-month option
Recommended
Durango Merchant Services
Durango publishes a 1.95%–4.95% rate range, $15–$60 monthly fees and a 0%–10% reserve range, and lists month-to-month among its contract lengths; PaymentCloud publishes no figures and says setup fees and reserves vary by business type.
Adult content or entertainment business
Recommended
Payment Cloud
PaymentCloud names adult among the verticals it places; Durango's list does not include it and Payment Review's Durango review records adult platforms as not a fit.
Merchant who specifically needs a file shopped across many unaffiliated banks
Recommended
Durango Merchant Services
Payment Review's PaymentCloud review found that Kurv now routes almost all PaymentCloud business through its own platform; Durango, a registered ISO of Fifth Third Bank, describes a dedicated agent shopping the file to suitable banks. Confirm the actual placement with either before signing.
Low-risk, rate-sensitive business that qualifies for published flat-rate pricing
Neither. Both are high-risk brokers whose rates are custom-quoted and whose reserves are set by the bank; a business that Stripe, Square or Helcim will accept will pay less and see its price up front.
Payment Cloud: Best for 3 use cases
Durango Merchant Services: Best for 3 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
Payment Review grades both B+ and they suit different merchants. PaymentCloud is faster and bigger: approval in 24 to 48 hours for most applicants, no stated minimum volume, a US-based support team it says is available around the clock, a choice of Authorize.Net, NMI or USAePay as the gateway, and a 4.3 Trustpilot score from 889 reviews. Durango is a Colorado boutique with a dedicated account manager for the life of the account, a published cost range, month-to-month terms available, international and multi-currency accounts, and an A+ BBB rating with no complaints in three years — but it wants $5,000 a month of US volume and answers the phone on Mountain-time business hours. A US merchant who needs an account this week should call PaymentCloud; an established merchant with international or hard-to-place volume should call Durango.
Not a rate card. Every account at both is custom-quoted and the final rates, reserve and term come from the acquiring bank the file is placed with. Durango goes further than PaymentCloud by publishing a range on its high-risk page: discount rates between 1.95% and 4.95%, authorisation fees of 15¢ to 25¢, monthly fees of $15 to $60, rolling reserves of 0% to 10%, and a $5,000 monthly minimum for US accounts. PaymentCloud publishes no figures; its high-risk page says setup fees and reserve requirements vary by business type and are discussed before you commit, and third-party reviewers report it charges no application, setup, annual, PCI or monthly-minimum fees. Bring your current processing statements and compare any quote against them.
Kurv, the Cleveland payments company formerly called Electronic Merchant Systems. EMS announced its acquisition of PaymentCloud on 30 January 2024, took a majority investment from BharCap Partners that August, and rebranded as Kurv on 12 November 2025. PaymentCloud's co-founders moved into the parent — Shawn Silver as chief revenue officer and Neal Hoffman as chief marketing officer — and PaymentCloud continues to trade under its own name from Los Angeles. Payment Review's review of PaymentCloud found that Kurv now routes almost all of its business through Kurv's own platform, so ask which processor and sponsor bank your account sits with. Durango remains independent.
Yes. Its high-risk page states minimum processing of $5,000 a month for US accounts and $50,000 a month for international accounts, and its Trustpilot one-star reviews include applicants declined for insufficient volume. Durango also favours businesses with processing history over start-ups. PaymentCloud's site states no minimum volume.
Because Trustpilot weights recent reviews more heavily. As of September 2026 Durango's profile shows 36 reviews, 92% of them five-star, but only one review in the last 12 months and no recent history of inviting reviews, so its TrustScore sits at 1.7. Durango has not replied to its negative reviews, which are mainly from declined applicants and merchants whose funds were held by the acquiring bank. On the BBB, where the reporting period is three years, Durango holds an A+ with accreditation since 2006 and zero complaints. PaymentCloud's Trustpilot score is 4.3 from 889 reviews with 94% of negative reviews answered, while its BBB rating is A-, not accredited, with two complaints in three years and one left unanswered.
Neither publishes its contract terms, and both say the final agreement comes from the acquiring bank. Durango lists month-to-month among its available contract lengths. Third-party reviewers report PaymentCloud's low-risk accounts on month-to-month terms with the early termination fee waived and its high-risk accounts on two-year terms with automatic one-year renewals, and Durango on month to month with no fee for most merchants but multi-year terms with an ETF of up to $500 for some high-risk placements. Get the term, any termination fee and the reserve schedule in writing for your specific placement before you process.
Durango. Its site lists accounts for the US, Canada, all EU countries, the UK, Puerto Rico, Panama and the US and British Virgin Islands, with multi-currency processing, subject to a $50,000 monthly minimum for international accounts. PaymentCloud's site does not advertise international placement; it lists US high-risk verticals and mainstream US gateways.