To accept credit and debit cards, your business needs to be set up with a payment processing platform that provides you with all the software and card processing hardware you need to accept and process payments.
Given the importance of your provider to the success of your business, you must choose the right company with proven products and reasonable fees.
There are lots of card processing companies on the market, but this article will focus on Payeezy(Clover) and Stax.
We will compare both card processors using the following criteria:
- Features
- Integrations
- Pricing
- Customer support
- Pros and Cons
Payeezy vs Stax: Features
To start off, here’s an overview of each company’s features and capabilities.
Payeezy Features
Payeezy is a payment gateway platform that helps users process payments through its world-class line of POS systems. The solution goes beyond payment processing and features for customer engagement and employee management are also supported by the platform.
Payeezy is now called Clover Gateway and we will use both identifications interchangeably in this article.
The Clover Gateway is owned by Fiserv, the global payments and fintech company. The company is responsible for the actual payment processing at the backend of the platform, although you can opt for your own merchant service provider.
The primary features of the Payeezy gateway include:
Clover POS
The Clover all-in-one POS system lets you accept payments and there is the right-sized platform for your needs whether you need a countertop device, handheld device, or no hardware at all.
Clover Virtual Terminal
This virtual terminal solution lets you accept payments when you are away from your Clover POS device or you don’t have one. There are no additional charges for using the terminal and all transactions are charged at a keyed-in rate.
Clover Go App
Clover Go along with the handheld Clover Flex POS lets you accept payments from customers by swipe, dip, or tap. You can also accept NFC-based payment methods. The app is free and the handheld Clover Flex is available for $35 a month.
Robust POS Reporting
The POS platform gives you access to powerful analytics that let you track sales trends, revenue, your busiest times, best-selling items, and much more.
Stax Features
Stax offers comprehensive card processing solutions and hardware tools using a subscription-plus-fixed-rate transaction model. Essentially, the company charges you a fixed monthly fee for all its services.
Its offering is based around the Stax Pay web-based service—the company’s integrated payment platform. The platform provides the full scope of features you need to run your small business including payment processing, invoicing and billing, inventory management, and advanced reporting.
Below are some of the tools and services offered by Stax:
Merchant Accounts
Your membership gets you a full-service merchant account that lets you accept American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa credit and debit cards. You can also accept digital wallets and electronic checks (ACH).
Countertop Terminals
The company offers a range of terminals that it sells outright instead of leasing them, but Stax Pay will integrate seamlessly with your existing equipment for no extra fee if you already have a card terminal.
Stax Mobile App
The mobile app allows you to connect any Stax mobile swiper to a phone or tablet using Bluetooth and scan credit cards for payment. The app also lets you access invoicing and inventory management features of the Stax platform at no additional cost.
Shopping Cart
If you want to keep your customers on your site during the whole shopping process, Stax has got you covered. The company offers customizable shopping carts and checkout pages to help you integrate the card processor into your eCommerce business.
Stax API
The Stax API caters to businesses with custom software needs and the company provides extensive documentation to make the whole process a breeze for your developers.
Payeezy vs Stax: Integrations
What other solutions do Payeezy and Stax integrate with? This section breaks down each company’s integration capabilities.
Payeezy Integrations
One of the biggest strengths of this payment processor is its wide variety of integrations. You can optimize the Clover system by integrating third-party software tools like Gusto, Yelp, Quickbooks, Woo, and others.
The company also offers multiple apps on the Clover app market, and many of these apps are completely free. These web-based tools let you add features like coupon processing, gift card management, virtual PIN pads, and more to your POS system.
Stax Integrations
Stax supports over 90% of third-party eCommerce platforms and all the popular software tools you may want to connect to your platform. Some of the integrations it supports include:
- WordPress
- Mailchimp
- TouchBistro
- Shopify
- Zapier
- Salesforce
- Quickbooks
Payeezy vs Stax: Pricing
Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s look at the pricing and fees you can expect from Payeezy and Stax.
Payeezy Pricing
You will pay a credit card processing fee, which is a percentage of your transaction, along with a flat fee per charge. The fee for in-person transactions is generally lower than the fee for keyed-in transactions.
The company offers monthly Starter, Standard, and Advanced software/hardware plans. Fees depend on your type of business and the provider supports the following types of businesses:
- Quick-service restaurants
- Full-service restaurants
- Retailers
- Personal services (hair salons, fitness studios, etc.)
- Professional services (architects, lawyers, designers)
- Home and field businesses (electricians, landscapers, etc.)
The major problem with Payeezy’s pricing model is the ambiguity in its pricing plans. There is no pricing information on the company’s website and you must first engage with its business consultants before you can settle on a monthly fee.
Constantly changing monthly fees and transaction charges make it difficult for businesses to plan their expenses and is in sharp contrast to the Stax model.
Stax Pricing
Unlike Clover which charges a percentage of each transaction, Stax charges a fixed monthly fee. This model offers zero markup on interchange rates but you will pay a very low processing fee at 8 cents for in-person transactions and 15 cents for keyed-in transactions.
Information on Stax’s monthly payments are easily accessible and it breaks down into three plans which are:
- Growth: $99 per month
- Pro: $159 per month
- Ultimate: $199 per month
The Growth Plan is the best option if all you need is a single card processing method, the Pro Plan is for businesses that want to accept multiple forms of payments and access to the range of invoicing and inventory management features on the platform, while the Ultimate Plan is for businesses that need eCommerce features.
The provider also has special plans for medium to large businesses that process at least $1million in transactions each year.
The fixed monthly charge in the Stax pricing model is higher than that of most payment processing companies at first glance, but this pricing becomes competitive and even cost-saving when the lack of hidden fees and exceptionally low processing fees offset the high subscription cost.
Payeezy vs Stax: Customer Support
As for their customer service departments, both Payezee and Stax offer online resources, though Stax goes a bit further with its 24/7 support.
Payeezy Customer Support
Fiserv offers the following customer support tools and services for users of the Clover platform:
- Clover Help (Comprehensive online integration guides)
- A merchant support team
- Clover blog
Stax Customer Support
Stax offers a far more comprehensive and personalized customer support ecosystem which includes:
- Stax Knowledge Base (online documentation)
- 24/7 technical support (electronic ticketing system, phone, chat, and email)
- Dedicated account managers for each Pro plan subscriber
Payeezy vs Stax: Pros and Cons
Payeezy Pros and Cons
Below are the advantages and disadvantages of using the Clover line of POS systems:
Pros
- Top-notch hardware
- Large app store
- Fraud protection up to $100,000
Cons
- Complicated pricing model
- High upfront costs
- Unreliable customer support
Stax Pros and Cons
For Stax, its advantages and disadvantages include:
Pros
- Transparent pricing
- The sector-leading Stax Pay platform
- No markup on interchange rates
- Next-day funding option
- No early termination fee
Cons
- A relatively high monthly subscription fee that is inadequate for businesses with low volumes of transactions
- US-based merchants only
Which Should You Choose?
The Clover POS solution is feature-rich and easy to use. The monthly fee and processing rates are also competitive compared to other card processors.
The primary concerns are the company’s complicated pricing model and the fact that the POS systems are largely sold by third-party entities.
The ambiguous pricing makes planning difficult, and the fact that the platform is sold by other parties means the company does not provide support for its own product. This probably explains the many customer complaints we discovered about the company’s poor customer service and sketchy pricing agreements that leave some customers feeling scammed.
If you can negotiate effectively and your business does not process large volumes of transactions, Clover’s relatively affordable charges make it a good option for your business.
In contrast, the Stax flat subscription model is best suited for businesses that process large volumes of transactions each month (at least $5000). You can only offset the relatively high monthly fee if you process an amount above the $5000 threshold each month.
Businesses that meet this threshold will get access to cost savings that are unmatched by any other payment processor on the market and a suite of features that will meet and exceed all the needs of your business.
