St. Petersburg, FlFact-checked August 19, 2026
PayKings Review
A+PayKings is a specialized payment processor offering tailored solutions for high-risk industries with a strong emphasis on fraud prevention.
- Rate from
- Interchange + 0.80% - 1.10% + $0.10 - $0.25 per transaction
- Monthly
- $13
- Contract
- Typically 3 years with auto-renewal clauses
- Support
- Business hours (PT)
- Founded
- 2011
Connect with PayKings
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Best for
Merchants processing $100K+/mo who want transparent interchange-plus pricing with a dedicated account rep, plus high-volume merchants in restricted verticals (CBD, nutra, firearms, debt relief) who need an Enterprise-tier underwriting team.
How it scores
Pricing3.5
Features4.5
Ease of use4.0
Support3.5
Contract3.5
Reputation score5.0
The takeA+
PayKings publishes interchange-plus pricing across three tiers: Starter (IC + 1.10% + 25¢), Growth (IC + 0.80% + 10¢), and custom Enterprise. That level of transparency is rare in high-risk processing. At $100K+/mo, the Growth tier is genuinely competitive with Stripe.
Skip if you
Process under $25K/mo on a card-not-present mix — Stripe or Square will likely cost less than the Starter tier's IC + 1.10% on similar volume. Or you're a brand-new business in an unrestricted vertical where flat-rate predictability is easier to forecast than IC + markup.
Chapter 1
Should you choose PayKings?
The headline take, the audiences it's right (and wrong) for, and the genuine differentiators behind the verdict.
About
PayKings is a specialized payment processor offering tailored solutions for high-risk industries with a strong emphasis on fraud prevention.
Pros, cons, and audience
Best for
- Mid-volume merchants ($100K+/mo) who want IC + markup with a dedicated rep
- High-volume restricted-vertical merchants (CBD, nutra, firearms, debt relief) processing $300K+/mo
- Merchants graduating from Stripe / Square who need real account management
- Businesses that want published interchange-plus pricing as a negotiation anchor before talking to specialty acquirers
Skip it if you
- Low-volume merchants under $25K/mo — flat-rate competitors (Square, Stripe) will likely cost less than IC + 1.10%
- High card-present-volume retailers — Helcim's ~0.20% CP markup is meaningfully cheaper than PayKings's flat 1.10% Starter markup on the same swipe
- Brand-new businesses in unrestricted verticals — flat-rate predictability is easier to forecast in early months
- Merchants who refuse to share processing statements during underwriting
Pros
- Published interchange-plus pricing across three tiers
- Approves restricted verticals at the Enterprise tier
- Growth tier perks unlock at $100K/mo, not seven figures
- Proactive chargeback monitoring
Cons
- No card-present discount on the Starter tier
- Multi-year agreements and rolling reserves are standard
- Support follow-up can be inconsistent
What makes them different
The genuine differentiator
PayKings is one of the few processors that combines published IC + markup pricing with willingness to underwrite high-risk verticals. Most processors are one or the other: transparent flat-rate brands (Stripe, Square) won't touch CBD or firearms, and high-risk specialists (PaymentCloud, eMerchantBroker, Durango) require a sales call before disclosing any rate. PayKings publishes both the standard tiers AND will quote restricted verticals against the same Enterprise tier framework.
How we score it
3.5
Pricing Transparency
4.5
Feature Set
4
Ease of Use
3.5
Customer Support
3.5
Contract Terms
5
Industry Reputation
Chapter 2
What it costs
Real-world cost at three volumes, plus the rates, fees, payouts, and contract terms that drive them.
What PayKings actually costs
Estimated annual cost at three realistic processing volumes, using PayKings’s published online rate plus monthly fees. Real costs vary with average transaction size, chargeback rate, and any negotiated terms.
Small business
$10K/mo volume · ~$75 avg transaction
$1.3K/year
≈ $106/mo · 1.06% effective rate
Growing merchant
$50K/mo volume · ~$100 avg transaction
$5.6K/year
≈ $463/mo · 0.93% effective rate
High volume
$250K/mo volume · ~$150 avg transaction
$26K/year
≈ $2.2K/mo · 0.87% effective rate
Pricing details
How PayKings pricing works
PayKings is one of the only high-risk specialists that publishes its pricing instead of hiding it behind a sales call. The model is interchange-plus across three tiers: Starter for most new accounts, Growth once you process $100K or more per month, and a custom Enterprise tier where restricted verticals — CBD, firearms, nutraceuticals, debt relief — are quoted during underwriting. You pay the card networks' interchange cost plus a fixed, disclosed markup, which makes the bill auditable in a way tiered high-risk pricing never is.
Published rates and fees
- Starter: interchange + 1.10% + $0.25 per transaction
- Growth ($100K+/mo): interchange + 0.80% + $0.10 per transaction
- Enterprise: custom, quoted during underwriting
- Monthly fee: $13
- PCI fee: $4.50/month
- Chargebacks: $25 per incident
- Early termination: $100-$500 depending on contract terms
Card-present costs the same as online
The published markups apply across online, keyed, and in-person transactions alike — there is no card-present discount on the Starter tier. For a retailer whose volume is mostly swiped or tapped, that flat 1.10% markup is expensive: low-risk card-present specialists price their in-person markup at a fraction of that. PayKings' pricing makes the most sense for card-not-present merchants, where high-risk rates are being compared against Stripe's flat rate rather than a retail interchange-plus quote.
What to pin down before you sign
Contracts typically run three years with auto-renewal, early termination costs $100 to $500, and rolling reserves are standard for high-risk files. Statement fees vary and are not publicly disclosed, and payout timing is not published at all. Before signing, get four things in writing: the exact termination fee, the auto-renewal notice window, any reserve percentage and its release schedule, and your funding timeline.
Processing Rates
Online
Interchange + 0.80% - 1.10% + $0.10 - $0.25 per transaction
Card-not-present, e-commerce, and online payments
In-person
Interchange + 0.80% - 1.10% + $0.10 - $0.25 per transaction
Card-present retail and point-of-sale transactions
Keyed
Interchange + 0.80% - 1.10% + $0.10 - $0.25 per transaction
Manually entered card-not-present transactions
Fees
Monthly Fee
$13
Recurring monthly account fee
PCI Compliance Fee
$4.50/month
Annual PCI DSS compliance and security fee
Statement Fee
Varies; not publicly disclosed
Monthly account statement and reporting fee
Chargeback Fee
$25 per incident
Per-incident chargeback dispute fee
Early Termination Fee
$100–$500 depending on contract terms
Fee for canceling before contract end
Contract Terms
Contract Length
Typically 3 years with auto-renewal clauses
Required commitment period
Cancellation Process
Requires written notice; early termination fees may apply
How to terminate your account
PayKings Pricing Calculator
Estimate your monthly costs
Pick a published plan, enter your volume and transaction profile, and we’ll compute the math the same way an underwriter would. Real costs vary with card mix, chargeback rate, and any negotiated terms.
$
$
Estimated Monthly Cost
$113.00
Effective Rate
1.13%
Discount rate (0.8% × $10,000)$80.00
Per-transaction fees ($0.10 × 200)$20.00
Monthly fee$13.00
Number of transactions200
Flat all-in rate (interchange built in)
Chapter 3
What you actually get
Products, integrations, payment-type coverage, security posture, and how their support holds up in practice.
Products & Services
payment processing
High-Risk Merchant Accounts
Customized based on business type and risk level
Customized payment processing solutions for high-risk industries.
Key Features
- Support for industries like CBD, adult, firearms, and more
- Advanced fraud detection
- Chargeback prevention tools
- Recurring billing options
gateway
High-Risk Payment Gateway
Customized based on integration and volume
Secure gateway tailored for high-risk transactions.
Key Features
- Real-time transaction monitoring
- PCI DSS Level 1 compliance
- Multi-layer authentication
- Customizable payment flows
virtual terminal
Virtual Terminal
Included with merchant account services
Web-based terminal for manual payment processing.
Key Features
- Manual entry for card-not-present transactions
- Secure data handling
- Integration with fraud prevention tools
ach
ACH Processing
Customized based on transaction volume
Electronic check processing for high-risk merchants.
Key Features
- Support for recurring ACH payments
- Reduced transaction fees compared to credit cards
- Integrated with fraud prevention systems
mobile payments
Mobile Payment Solutions
Customized based on business needs
Accept payments via mobile devices.
Key Features
- Mobile-optimized checkout
- Integration with mobile wallets
- Secure transaction processing
Special Features
Subscription Management
SupportedManage recurring subscriptions and billing cycles
Invoicing
SupportedCreate and send professional invoices
Marketplace Tools
SupportedMulti-vendor marketplace functionality
Virtual Terminal
SupportedAccept payments manually via web interface
Recurring Billing
SupportedAutomated recurring payment processing
Multi-Currency Support
Not AvailableAccept and process multiple currencies
Support & Contact
When something goes wrong
Support tiering matches the pricing tiers cleanly: Starter is email-only, Growth gets a dedicated account rep during business hours, Enterprise unlocks 24/7 dedicated support. For low-volume merchants the email-only floor is a meaningful gap — issues that need same-day resolution will block. Confirm response-time SLAs in writing before relying on Starter for any business above sub-hobbyist scale.
Chapter 4
What others say
Synthesis of third-party platform reviews and industry ratings — agreements, disagreements, and which signals to weight.
Platform Ratings
Aggregated Trust Score
Based on 234 reviews across 2 rating platforms
4.8
out of 5
Overall Rating
Google Reviews
Reviewer Notes
These reviews highlight PayKings’ efficiency in onboarding high-risk merchants and their commitment to customer support. However, as with any service, experiences may vary, and it’s advisable to conduct thorough research and due diligence before proceeding.
Trustpilot
Reviewer Notes
Customers praise PayKings for its swift approval process and tailored solutions for high-risk industries.
Industry Ratings
Card Payment Options
Merchant Maverick
Chapter 6
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Yes. PayKings has operated since 2011 out of St. Petersburg, Florida, and holds strong ratings for a high-risk specialist: 4.7 on Google across 94 reviews and 4.9 on Trustpilot across 140. Industry reputation is its strongest category in our review, and merchants consistently cite fast onboarding for hard-to-place industries.
Pricing
Contracts & Terms
Setup & Onboarding
Support
Chapter 7
Better choices if…
Direct comparisons to alternatives, framed around when each option makes more sense than this one.
Alternatives compared
If you You have been declined by multiple processors and want a concierge to place you across multiple banks, or you value month-to-month terms with no cancellation fee over published rates.
Payment Cloud
PaymentCloud is a high-risk agent/reseller that shops your application across a network of banks, with no setup fees and often month-to-month contracts — but pricing is quote-only, while PayKings publishes its interchange-plus tiers upfront.
If you You are an international or repeatedly-declined merchant that other high-risk processors will not place, and you prefer a boutique veteran shop over published pricing.
Durango Merchant Services
Durango is a veteran boutique high-risk specialist that can place almost any business type, US-based or international, but does not disclose rates — most accounts land on tiered pricing — and its small team hands off-hours support to upstream processors.
How we evaluated PayKings
We evaluate every payment processor independently — Payment Review does not accept paid placement. Our analysis combines hands-on product testing where possible, public pricing and policy documents, third-party reviews from BBB, Trustpilot, Google, and G2, and employee feedback from sites like Glassdoor and Indeed. We update reviews on a rolling cadence and flag the next review date so readers know how fresh the analysis is.
Last fact-checked August 19, 2026
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Merchant Reviews
5 out of 5 · 2 reviews
Ethan at PayKings was so good. He got me taken care of and answered all of my questions quickly. I highly recommend PayKings to anybody looking for a solution!
Isiah Steele
Our company processes a lot of recurring online payments, so reliability is extremely important but Paykings got us approved and processing within a few days.
Layla Reimann