If you’re on the hunt for a payment processor, you’ve probably realized that there are a lot of options out there. With the global mobile payment market valued at $1.54 trillion, it’s clearly a lucrative market.
With so many alternatives like Stripe to choose from, it can be difficult knowing which provider is the best fit for your eCommerce business. Not sure where to begin? In this article, we’ll take a close look at Stax and Retriever Merchant Solutions to help you determine which one is right for your organization.
TL;DR
- Both Stax and Retriever offer payment processing and facilitation solutions that can be scaled for businesses of all sizes, although only U.S.-based companies can use Stax’s services.
- While Retriever accepts an extensive range of payment methods, including gift cards and EBT cards, they provide little transparency into their costs, with customers regularly complaining about hidden and dishonest fees and lacking customer support.
- Stax’s all-in-one payment processing platform has been ranked one of the best solutions in 2023 and has strong customer reviews on all third-party platforms, with much praise going to the stellar customer service.
Retriever Merchant Solutions
Retriever Merchant Solutions is a Munster, Indiana-based merchant account provider offering a range of credit card processor and payment solutions like EMV readers, POS systems, mobile/contactless payment options, virtual terminals, and more. They’re an ISO recently acquired by Payroc, and they work with a wide range of businesses, from mobile app developers to restaurants to eCommerce businesses.
The Retriever payment systems offer quick application approvals, allowing smaller businesses to get approved in under two hours. They provide state-of-the-art underwriting and risk monitoring technology, although they don’t offer much insight into their security standards.
Pricing
Retriever provides little upfront information about how their pricing strategy works, which is not the best sign in the payment processing industry. As a Worldpay reseller, the average merchant rate is between 2.9-3.3% with $0.30 on top. They also tack on several fees, some of which are extremely costly (early termination fees were reported to be $375).
Other fees customers will have to pay include PCI compliance fees and equipment leases, which is generally locked for a minimum of two years. As Andrew H. pointed out on the BBB—where Retriever has a 3.08/5 star rating—Retriever offered “no communication and a bunch of hidden fees.”
Stax Merchant Solutions
Stax is one of the leading all-in-one payment platforms that streamlines the entire payment processing experience. The holistic approach towards payment services makes it an excellent fit for online, hybrid, and brick-and-mortar operations based in the U.S. (So if you’re not located in the U.S., Stax won’t be a good fit for your brand).
Stax accepts all major payment types (including card present, mobile, or virtual payments) and provides industry-leading payment terminals. As a Level 1 PCI Service Provider, companies can rest easy knowing their data is handled with the utmost security. Whether you’re an ISV that wants to offer payment facilitator services or an eCommerce business that wants to accept EMV credit card payments or Apple Pay, it’s all a breeze with Stax.
Pricing
Stax’s transparent, subscription-style pricing eliminates hidden fees and helps businesses build on their bottom line, while significantly reducing their expenses. With no contract, 0% markup, and easy-to-read statements, businesses know exactly what they’re getting into when they use Stax’s merchant solutions, helping them save up to 40% on costs.
Stax vs. Retriever
Features and services
Both payment processors provide a range of services and products for businesses to offer payment options to their providers, from credit cards to virtual terminals. Retriever’s countertop terminals accept less-common payment methods, such as gift cards and EBT cards, and their services can easily be adapted to businesses of all sizes.
Stax takes things a step further through its developer-friendly API, which makes it a breeze for customers to integrate third-party platforms or custom apps. Combined with powerful features such as advanced invoice management for virtual terminals, integrated inventory management, and real-time analytics, Stax is one of the leading payment processors in the U.S.
And with lower transaction fees than companies like Stripe and next-day funding, Stax stands out from its competitors such as Stripe, making it one of the most trustworthy choices on the market.
Payment
As mentioned earlier, Retriever offers little clarity into its contracts and fees. Retriever customers will likely be locked in for no less than two years, and some complaints on the BBB allege that representatives use misleading language and claim Retriever charges no fees, only to do so later.
Conversely, Stax is fully upfront about all pricing options. There are no contracts, hidden fees, or markups. Our subscription-based model is a cost-effective approach to the traditional payment processing model of percentage-based fees, meaning companies save money in the long run. Any unclarity? Stax offers excellent customer service—we’re just a phone call away, and you’ll always speak to a real human.
Merchant Reviews
Retriever has a plethora of complaints lodged against them, ranging from costly equipment leases, dishonest fees, and difficulty in canceling services. For example, a customer claims to have attempted to close their merchant account in March 2022, saying it wasn’t until July that the cancellation request was honored.
On CrowdReviews, Retriever is rated 2.9/5 star. Due to their poor customer support, misleading sales people, and lack of online presence, they have been called a scam by (former) customers, suggesting it’s best to choose a more reliable provider.
Meanwhile, at Stax, we’re committed to being a customer-centric company. We’ve been named one of the top 10 credit card processing platforms of 2023 by Forbes, received an A rating from CPO, and have a 4.1/5 star rating on Trustpilot, with 84% coming in at 4 or 5 stars—showcasing overall consistency.
Customers generally praise the excellent, personalized customer support and transparency, noting how support agents go above and beyond to solve any issues at hand. The few negative reviews don’t have an overwhelmingly common thread, but allege slow customer service, issues with terminals, and customer PCI non-compliance.
Wrapping Up: Which is Better?
While both Stax and Retriever empower businesses to start accepting a range of payment options, Retriever’s track record of mediocre customer support, lack of transparency, and aggressive sales reps mean it’s not likely to be the best choice for most organizations.
Meanwhile, Stax offers an all-in-one payment solution that makes it easy for companies based in the U.S. to start accepting, monetizing, and facilitating payments in no time. With industry-leading security standards, top-notch customer service, and upfront pricing, companies can confidently and sustainably grow their business together with Stax.
FAQs About Stax vs Retriever Payment
Q: What is the difference between Stax and Retriever payment processing?
Stax and Retriever are both payment processing solutions that cater to businesses of all sizes. However, while Retriever offers physical hardware and equipment, Stax provides a cloud-based platform for payment processing, invoicing, and reporting. Additionally, Retriever’s pricing model includes transaction fees and hidden charges, while Stax’s transparent, subscription-based pricing model offers an affordable, upfront pricing option.
Q: Which merchant solution is more affordable?
Stax’s subscription-based pricing model may be more affordable for businesses than Retriever’s model, which includes hardware and equipment costs along with transaction fees. Stax’s transparent pricing structure with no hidden fees and easy-to-read statements can help businesses save up to 40% on costs, while Retriever has been known to charge hidden fees, early termination fees, and costly equipment leases.
Q: Can I use both Stax and Retriever?
Yes, businesses can use both Stax and Retriever if the solutions complement their specific needs. For example, a business might use Retriever for point-of-sale terminals and Stax for cloud-based payment processing. However, compatibility and integration issues should be considered before choosing to use both solutions.
Q: Which solution is better for small businesses?
Stax’s all-in-one payment processing platform, developer-friendly API, and transparent pricing model can make it an excellent fit for small businesses, particularly those that need flexibility and affordability in their payment processing solutions. Retriever’s range of hardware and equipment options and acceptance of less-common payment methods may be more suitable for small businesses that require a physical point-of-sale solution or want to offer gift cards and EBT cards.
Q: Do Stax and Retriever offer customer support?
Both Stax and Retriever offer customer support, but the quality of support may differ. Stax has a reputation for providing excellent, personalized customer support and transparency, with customer service agents who go above and beyond to solve any issues. In contrast, Retriever has received complaints about poor customer support, aggressive sales representatives, and hidden fees.
