3411 Amaca Cir, Orlando, FL 32837Fact-checked August 19, 2026
Payment Depot Review
C+Payment Depot, now operating as "Payment Depot by Stax," is a California-based merchant services provider founded in 2013 that pioneered the subscription/interchange-plus pricing model for small businesses, but has experienced significant customer service and transparency issues since its 2021 acquisition by Stax.
- Rate from
- 0.2% – 1.95% above interchange
- Monthly
- None
- Payout
- Next-day funding
- Contract
- None
- Support
- 24_7
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Tell them what you need. This goes to Payment Depot only.
Best for
Established, higher-volume, low-risk US merchants who want interchange-plus economics without a monthly subscription, already run their own eCommerce or Clover setup, and are comfortable self-managing an account with minimal support.
How it scores
Pricing3.0
Features2.0
Ease of use3.0
Support2.0
Contract4.0
Reputation score3.0
The takeC+
Payment Depot's wholesale interchange-plus model still looks attractive on paper — no monthly subscription, no contract, next-day funding — but the company that pioneered it is not the company you sign with today. Since the 2021 Stax acquisition, reviewers consistently report fee increases, hidden charges, hard-to-reach support, and trouble cancelling, which is why this review grades it C+. If you sign, get your exact markup and cancellation terms in writing and audit your statements monthly.
Skip if you
Process low volume, operate in a high-risk industry, want an integrated POS-plus-processing package, need robust native invoicing or recurring billing, or expect responsive customer support when deposits or fees go wrong — the complaint record says you will not get it.
Chapter 1
Should you choose Payment Depot?
The headline take, the audiences it's right (and wrong) for, and the genuine differentiators behind the verdict.
About
Payment Depot, now operating as "Payment Depot by Stax," is a California-based merchant services provider founded in 2013 that pioneered the subscription/interchange-plus pricing model for small businesses, but has experienced significant customer service and transparency issues since its 2021 acquisition by Stax.
Pros, cons, and audience
Best for
- High-volume businesses that want to save on credit card processing
- Businesses that want to avoid annual contracts and cancellation fees
Skip it if you
- Low-volume businesses
- Business owners who want an integrated POS and credit card processing solution
- Not suitable for high-risk industries
- Businesses needing robust invoicing or recurring billing tools natively
- Merchants requiring highly responsive, dedicated customer support
Pros
- Interchange-plus pricing with no monthly subscription, no setup fee, and a low $15 chargeback fee
- Month-to-month terms with no early termination fee on paper
- Next-day funding as the standard payout speed
- Integrates with major eCommerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento) and the Clover POS ecosystem
- 24/7 phone, email, and chat support channels are at least available, via Stax
Cons
- Customer support quality has declined sharply since the 2021 Stax acquisition — Trustpilot sits at 2.3 stars, with hidden charges and fee increases a recurring theme
- BBB complaints report missing deposits, funds held without explanation, and continued billing after cancellation requests
- A $10 monthly PCI fee (rising to $19.99 if non-compliant) undercuts the no-monthly-fee pitch
- The 0.2%-1.95% markup range is wide, and your actual rate is set at quoting time, not published
What makes them different
The genuine differentiator
Payment Depot pioneered the membership-style wholesale interchange-plus model for small businesses, and its current pricing keeps that DNA: a disclosed 0.2%-1.95% markup over interchange with no monthly subscription. The catch is that the differentiator is now purely the pricing structure — the service reputation that once came with it has eroded under Stax ownership.
How we score it
3
Pricing Transparency
2
Feature Set
3
Ease of Use
2
Customer Support
4
Contract Terms
3
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 Payment Depot actually costs
Estimated annual cost at three realistic processing volumes, using Payment Depot’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
$240/year
≈ $20/mo · 0.20% effective rate
Growing merchant
$50K/mo volume · ~$100 avg transaction
$1.2K/year
≈ $100/mo · 0.20% effective rate
High volume
$250K/mo volume · ~$150 avg transaction
$6.0K/year
≈ $500/mo · 0.20% effective rate
Pricing details
How Payment Depot pricing works
Payment Depot built its name on the membership model: pay a flat subscription, process at close to wholesale interchange. Its current advertised structure keeps the wholesale idea but drops the subscription — you pay interchange plus a markup of 0.2% to 1.95%, with no monthly fee. That range is wide, and where your account lands in it is decided when you are quoted, not published on a rate card, so the exact markup belongs in your signed agreement.
Published rates and fees
- Card processing (online, in-person, and keyed): 0.2%-1.95% above interchange
- Monthly subscription: none
- Setup fee: none
- Chargebacks: $15 each
- PCI compliance: $10/month, or a $19.99/month penalty if non-compliant
- Early termination: none; month-to-month terms
What the Stax acquisition changed
Stax acquired Payment Depot in 2021, and the before-and-after in customer reviews is stark. Pre-acquisition reviews praise low rates, transparency, and excellent support; recent ones describe significant fee increases, hidden charges appearing without notice, and support that is nearly impossible to reach — support now routes through Stax channels. Funding itself is competitive at next-day standard, with no same-day option prominently advertised, but BBB reviewers describe deposits going missing and funds held without explanation, so reconcile settlements carefully in your first months. The pricing model earns the interest; the service record is what pulls the grade down to C+.
What to pin down before you sign
Get three things in writing: your exact interchange-plus markup within the 0.2%-1.95% range, a full fee schedule including the $10 monthly PCI fee, and the cancellation procedure. The last one matters most here — despite month-to-month terms with no early termination fee, reviewers consistently report difficulty cancelling and continued billing after cancellation requests. Cancel in writing, demand written confirmation of closure, and monitor your bank account afterward.
Processing Rates
Online Transactions
Card-not-present, e-commerce, and online payments
0.2% – 1.95% above interchange
Per transaction
In-Person Transactions
Card-present retail and point-of-sale transactions
0.2% – 1.95% above interchange
Per transaction
Keyed Transactions
Manually entered card-not-present transactions
0.2% – 1.95% above interchange
Per transaction
International Transactions
Cross-border and foreign currency transactions
Not publicly disclosed
Per transaction
Fees
Monthly Fee
None
Recurring monthly account fee
PCI Compliance Fee
$10/month PCI compliance fee. $19.99/month PCI non-compliance penalty
Annual PCI DSS compliance and security fee
Statement Fee
Not publicly disclosed
Monthly account statement and reporting fee
Chargeback Fee
$15 per chargeback
Per-incident chargeback dispute fee
Early Termination Fee
None
Fee for canceling before contract end
Payouts
Standard Payout Time
Next-day funding
Regular deposit schedule to your bank account
Expedited Payout Time
Not prominently advertised
Faster deposit option (may have additional fees)
Minimum Payout Amount
Not publicly specified
Minimum balance required before payout
Contract Terms
Contract Length
Required commitment period
None
Payment Depot 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
$20.00
Effective Rate
0.20%
Discount rate (0.2% × $10,000)$20.00
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
Interchange-Plus Card Processing
0.2%-1.95% above interchange; no monthly subscription; $15 per chargeback
Merchant account with wholesale interchange-plus pricing for US low-risk businesses, accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Key Features
- Next-day funding
- Month-to-month, no early termination fee
ECOMMERCE
eCommerce Integrations
Connects to major online platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, 3DCart, and OpenCart.
Key Features
- ACH/eCheck acceptance
- Digital wallet support (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
POS
Clover POS Compatibility
Works with the Clover point-of-sale ecosystem for in-person acceptance rather than offering a proprietary countertop POS of its own.
VIRTUAL TERMINAL
Virtual Terminal
Browser-based terminal for keyed, phone, and mail-order transactions, priced at the same interchange-plus markup as other channels.
Special Features
Subscription Management
Manage recurring subscriptions and billing cycles
Supported
Invoicing
Create and send professional invoices
Supported
Marketplace Tools
Multi-vendor marketplace functionality
Not Available
Virtual Terminal
Accept payments manually via web interface
Supported
Recurring Billing
Automated recurring payment processing
Supported
Multi-Currency Support
Accept and process multiple currencies
Not Available
Accepted Payment Types
Credit & Debit Cards
Visa
Mastercard
American Express
Discover
Digital Wallets
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Bank Transfers
ACH/eCheck
Integrations
E-commerce Platforms
Compatible shopping cart and online store platforms
ShopifyWooCommerceBigCommerceMagento3DCartOpenCart
6 integrations available
Accounting Software
Sync transactions with your accounting tools
QuickBooks integration available but may cost extra via third party
1 integration available
Support & Contact
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 1,265 reviews across 3 rating platforms
2.6
out of 5
Overall Rating
Better Business Bureau
Reviewer Notes
BBB complaints describe missing deposits, funds being held without explanation, and accounts continuing to be billed after cancellation requests. One BBB reviewer feels the company has gone downhill since the Stax purchase, citing customer service declining from great to almost nonexistent.
Trustpilot
Reviewer Notes
Long-time customers report that after the Stax acquisition, fees increased significantly, customer support became hard to reach, and hidden charges appeared without notice. Positive reviews from earlier years praise low rates, excellent customer service, and transparent pricing.
G2
Reviewer Notes
Very limited data; reviews are outdated and don't reflect the post-acquisition service changes.
Chapter 6
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Payment Depot is a real merchant services provider founded in 2013 that helped pioneer wholesale interchange-plus pricing for small businesses. Since 2021 it has been owned by Stax and operates as "Payment Depot by Stax," with support running through Stax's team. It is legitimate, but its post-acquisition track record is rocky: Trustpilot sits at 2.3 stars across roughly 1,261 reviews, with long-time customers reporting fee increases and support that is hard to reach.
Pricing
Contracts & Terms
Features
Support
Setup & Onboarding
Chapter 7
Better choices if…
Direct comparisons to alternatives, framed around when each option makes more sense than this one.
How we evaluated Payment Depot
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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