Are you looking to sell CBD products, either online or in your retail store?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is becoming more and more popular, so it’s important to find a high-risk payment processor that can handle your transactions. That’s why I put together this list of the 7 best CBD processors.
When I was working at a large payment processor, many of our customers wanted to know if we accepted CBD payments (we didn’t) and what processor could they use for these payments. It can be hard to find the right processor, so I made it easy for you by comparing their features and services.
Now all you have to do is choose the one that’s right for you.
CBD Payment processors offer CBD businesses a reliable way to process credit and debit card payments. By working with an approved CBD payment processor, businesses can avoid the high fees associated with traditional banking relationships and merchant accounts.
| 1. EasyPay Direct | |
| 2. Square | |
| 3. PaymentCloud | |
| 4. PayKings | |
| 5. eMerchant Broker | |
| 6. Zenti | |
| 7. Merrco |
Continue reading to learn more about each of the 7 processors.
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What are the Best CBD Payment Processors?
Here is my reviewed list of the best CBD payment processors.
1. Easy Pay Direct
Easy Pay Direct
Easy Pay Direct is a leader in the CBD payment processing industry, offering businesses a secure, reliable way to accept payments.
Located in Austin, Texas, Easy Pay Direct has been working with the CBD industry since 2010. They have a strong track record of providing CBD payment processing to CBD businesses.
This payment provider offers secure processing with their own gateway (EPD Gateway). This EPD Gateway offers:
- Fraud scrubbing technology
- Integration with QuickBooks
- Multicurrency support
- Ability to ban customers by card number, IP, or amount
Easy Pay Direct also offers transaction routing. This is useful if you have multiple merchant accounts and you want to load balance your transaction.
Do you have your own system and you want to integrate with an API? Easy Pay Direct has multiple integrations into their processing API.
Processing CBD payments, especially online, can increase your risk of chargebacks. Easy Pay Direct can help you manage these chargebacks, so you don’t lose money.
CBD Merchant Services
Having an Easy Pay Direct merchant account is a big advantage for businesses in the U.S. and Canada. You benefit from next-day funding, so the money you make today is in your bank account tomorrow. No more long waits!
Also, Easy Pay Direct speeds up the approval process, getting you up and running in just 7 days. With quick access to your money and a fast start, Easy Pay Direct helps you concentrate on what matters most — your business.
Top Benefits
- Merchant accounts with Easy Pay Direct have no monthly minimum volume requirements, so even the smallest merchants can use Easy Pay Direct.
- Easy Pay Direct offers both card-present and card-not-present solutions, so you can accept payments in your store or on your website.
- Easy Pay Direct services US and Canadian merchants
- Transaction routing allows load balancing if you have multiple accounts.
- Easy Pay Direct offers mobile payments, including Apple Pay, Google, Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- As your business grows, Easy Pay Direct can easily adapt to increasing transaction volumes and evolving payment needs.
Easy Pay Direct Pros
Easy Pay Direct Cons
Pricing
Base rates for CBD Merchant Accounts (US):
- $99 account setup fee
- $29.99/month
- Transaction rates start at 2.50% + $0.25 per transaction (vary by volume)
- May require a long-0term contract
Base rates for CBD or Marijuana (Cannabis) Merchant Accounts (Canada only)
- $99 account setup fee
- $29.99/month
- Transaction rates start at 2.50% + $0.25 per transaction (vary by volume)
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
Easy Pay Direct is a CBD payment processor that offers a variety of features to its clients. For starters, Easy Pay Direct offers merchant account services, which allow CBD businesses to accept credit and debit card payments.
Easy Pay Direct provides a payment gateway, which allows businesses to process online payments. And, Easy Pay Direct also offers a fraud prevention service, which helps businesses to prevent fraudulent chargebacks.
Overall, Easy Pay Direct is the best CBD payment processor that offers a variety of features to its clients.
Square
Square is a popular payment processor that offers a variety of features for businesses of all sizes. One of the company’s most popular products is its Square Reader, which allows businesses to accept credit and debit card payments.
The company also offers a point-of-sale system, invoicing tools, and other business services.
In recent years, Square has become increasingly popular with CBD companies. This is because the company offers a simple and convenient way for businesses to accept credit card payments.
In addition, Square has several features that are specifically designed for CBD companies, such as the ability to track inventory and sales and manage customer accounts.
As a result, Square is an ideal payment processor for businesses operating in the CBD industry.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- Accept payments anywhere, online or in-store, making it super flexible for your business.
- Quick application reviews mean you can start selling faster.
- Integrates with many popular platforms (WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Limelight, SuitePOS, C-Trax, and PinWheel) so you can use your existing gateways and other solutions.
- Quick application reviews mean you can start selling faster.
- Track your inventory and sales in real-time.
- Both card-present and card-not-present solutions, giving you many ways to sell.
- Accept ACH payments, giving more options to your customers.
- Track your inventory and sales in real-time.
Square Pros
Square Cons
Pricing
- Online: 3.8% + 30¢
- In Person: 3.5% + 10¢
- Keyed in and Card on File: 4.4% + 15¢
- Custom rates are available if CBD is only a small portion of overall sales or you process over $100k annually
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
Square is a good choice for businesses that sell both CBD and non-CBD products. They have no hidden fees, no long-term contracts, and they offer a month-to-month service with no early termination fee. The downside is that their per-transaction fees are higher than some of the other options.
PaymentCloud
PaymentCloud is a CBD payment processor that offers many features and benefits for businesses.
For starters, PaymentCloud allows CBD businesses to accept credit and debit card payments, as well as ACH transfers.
In addition, PaymentCloud also offers fraud protection and chargeback resolution services.
Perhaps most importantly, PaymentCloud is one of the few payment processors that is specifically tailored to the needs of the CBD industry. As such, PaymentCloud can offer CBD-specific merchant accounts and payment processing solutions that other processors simply cannot match.
If you’re looking for a CBD payment processor that can offer your business the features and benefits it needs to thrive, then Payment Cloud is worth considering.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- No setup fees, so you can start without any upfront costs.
- Get a free credit card terminal with each account.
- High approval rates mean less waiting and more selling.
- Retail card-present processing (magstripe, EMV, and QR code)
- Virtual Terminal so you can integrate with your own website.
- Accepts ACH and eCheck payments, giving your customers more ways to pay.
- Authorize.Net payment gateway available
- Personalized customer support helps you solve problems fast.
- Integrates with multiple eCommerce solutions (Shopify, WooCommerce, Weebly, SquareSpace, WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magento) so you can use your existing tools.
PaymentCloud Pros
PaymentCloud Cons
Pricing
PaymentCloud does not disclose its pricing online.
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
PaymentCloud is a great choice for CBD businesses looking for a merchant account. They have no setup or monthly fees, fast approvals for high-risk businesses, and competitive rates. The downsides are that their pricing is not disclosed on their website and they only allow topical CBD products.
PayKings
PayKings is a well-respected CBD payment processor that specializes in helping businesses accept credit card payments. The company offers a range of features designed to make it easy for a CBD business to get started with credit card payments, including support for major credit cards and a simple pricing structure.
In addition, PayKings offers several security features to protect businesses and their customers from fraud.
Overall, PayKings is a good option for businesses that want to accept credit card payments but may not have the expertise or resources to set up their system.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- Offers both online (eCommerce) and in-store (retail) options.
- Protects your business with fraud and chargeback prevention.
- ACH, eCheck, credit card, mobile payments to give your customers more paying options.
- Fast approvals get your business up and running quickly.
- Dedicated account managers give you personalized service.
- EMV readers
- B2B Level II/III discounts
- 3D Secure checkout
- Multiple eCommerce gateways
- Vault (tokenization)
- Integrates with multiple shopping carts
- Dedicated account managers
- B2B vendors supported
- Recurring billing
PayKings Pros
PayKings Cons
Pricing
Although their prices aren’t indicated on their website, the rates are interchange + 1.0%.
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
PayKings is a CBD payment processor that allows businesses to safely and securely accept payments for CBD products. PayKings is compliant with all major credit card brands, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. PayKings also offers ACH processing, which is a faster and more efficient way to process payments. In addition, PayKings offers fraud protection and chargeback management services to help businesses protect themselves from fraudulent activity. Overall, PayKings is a reliable and reputable CBD payment processor that can help businesses streamline their payment processing operations.
eMerchant Broker
EMerchant Brokers is a payments processing company with a proven track record of reliability and trustworthiness. In addition to providing secure and compliant payment solutions for businesses in the CBD industry, eMerchant Brokers accepts all types of CBD products. This includes products such as CBD oil, pet products, capsules, and creams.
They offer a range of payment options, including ACH and eCheck payments in addition to credit and debit cards. This flexibility ensures that businesses can quickly and easily receive payments from their customers without any unnecessary delays.
In addition, eMerchant brokers also provides a chargeback alert and prevention system to help protect businesses from any unwanted disputes that can arise from customer chargebacks.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- Accepts all types of CBD products, from oils to creams.
- Offers ACH and eCheck payments for customer flexibility.
- Elite chargeback alert system protects your revenue.
- Fast approvals mean you can start selling sooner.
- 99% approval rates mean you can start selling sooner.
eMerchant Broker Pros
eMerchant Broker Cons
Pricing
- Rates as low as 2.99% for qualified merchants, with no application or setup fee (mid- and non-qualified merchants are higher)
- Swiped (Card-present) Rate – 3.00% + $0.15
- Keyed-in Rate – 4.00% + $0.25
- Early Termination Fee – up to $5.95
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
eMerchant Broker is one of the most reliable CBD payment processors in the market. The company has been in business for over 10 years and has a great reputation. They offer a wide range of services, including merchant accounts, gateway services, and credit card processing. However, they do have tiered pricing, early termination fees, and some negative reviews. Overall, eMerchant Broker is a great choice for any business that wants to accept credit cards for their CBD products.
Zenti
Are you a CBD business owner in need of a simple and secure payment processing solution? Zenti might just be the answer. Founded recently, Zenti has quickly become a trusted name for CBD payment processing thanks to its user-friendly platform, low transaction fees, and automated chargeback protection.
Zenti is a payment facilitator that has partnered with many financial firms, including Bankcard. With these partnerships, Zenti can provide CBD merchant accounts and credit card processing for CBD merchants.
As a relatively new player in the industry, Zenti is a good option for small businesses, but it also integrates with multiple shopping carts, making it accessible for larger enterprises as well.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- Multi-bank processing gives you more financial security.
- No reserve required, keeping more money in your pocket.
- Fast settlements ensure you get your money quickly.
- Secure payment gateway keeps customer data safe.
- Automated chargeback protection with alerts and Chargeback disputes saves you time and money.
- ACH/Check 21 processing to give your customers more options.
- Fast approvals so you can begin processing in less than 1 week.
Zenti Pros
Zenti Cons
Pricing
- Card-not-present rates: 3.3% +$0.15. The transaction rate is also the same, regardless of the card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover).
- Custom pricing packages if you process more than $250,00 per year or your average ticket size is over $50
- Setup fee: $0
- Authorization fee: $0
- Statement fee: $0
- Refund fee: $0
- PCI-compliance fee: $0
- Business card fee: $0
- Monthly fee: $0 (if processing over $5,000 per month)
- Early termination fees: $0
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
If you’re looking for a simple and user-friendly payment processing solution for your CBD business, Zenti is a great option to consider. With its multiple financial partners and automated chargeback protection, Zenti is perfect for small businesses.
Additionally, it integrates well with multiple shopping carts, making payment processing seamless and efficient. It also has multiple financial partners and integrations for other businesses gives businesses of all sizes options. While Zenti is still relatively new to the industry, it is quickly becoming a trusted name for CBD payment processing.
Merrco
If you’re a CBD or cannabis business owner looking for a secure and streamlined payment processing solution, Merrco is the perfect fit for you. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Merrco has become a leading payment processor for high-risk industries, including cannabis and CBD businesses.
They offer specialized cannabis accounts for Canadian merchants and have recently expanded to offer payment solutions to CBD merchants in the US. Their underwriting and support teams have in-depth knowledge about both the cannabis and CBD industries, making them a reliable and knowledgeable partner for any business.
Whether you’re a start-up or an established brand, Merrco ensures that your payments are processed securely, seamlessly, and at competitive rates.
CBD Merchant Services
Top Benefits
- Omnichannel payments platform lets you accept payments in-store, online, or on mobile.
- Integrates with existing business systems
- Integrates with major shopping cart solutions so you can use your existing tools.
- In-depth reporting helps you make smarter business decisions.
- Dedicated partner relationship team provides personalized support.
- Cloud-based PCI-DSS compliant solution so you can have peace of mind.
- Age-verification feature keeps you compliant.
- White-label solutions so your brand can stay consistent.
Merrco Pros
Merrco Cons
Pricing
Merrco’s transaction fees vary depending on the specifics of the business and the payment processing services required. You can contact Merrco directly for more detailed pricing information tailored to your specific business needs.
Bottom Line: Ellen’s Take
I recommend Merrco for CBD merchant processing because of their proven track record in providing top-notch payment processing solutions to high-risk businesses. Due to the complex legal and regulatory landscape surrounding the CBD industry, many payment providers shy away from offering their services to CBD merchants.
However, Merrco has deep expertise in both the CBD and cannabis industries, making them feel like a natural fit for CBD merchants looking to process payments securely and efficiently. Merrco’s unparalleled support team is always available to help their clients navigate the ins and outs of payment processing, ensuring that CBD businesses of all sizes can get the comprehensive services they need to stay ahead of the game.
What is CBD?
CBD is a compound found in cannabis that has been shown to have many therapeutic benefits. Unlike THC, CBD does not have psychoactive effects and is therefore legal in many countries, including almost all of the 50 states of the United States.
CBD is used to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, pain, and inflammation. It is also being studied for its potential to treat other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
Is CBD Legal?
Yes, CBD is legal in the United States as long as it is derived from hemp. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant that contains very low levels of THC, the compound that causes psychoactive effects.
CBD derived from hemp was made legal in all 50 states with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill removed hemp from the list of controlled substances and classified it as an agricultural crop.
However, each state has different requirements for the sale or distribution of hemp-derived CBD products that contain less than 0.3% TCH.
Because of these legal issues, many banks and credit card processors have been slow to accept CBD merchants. But some processors offer CBD merchant processing.
What is a CBD Payment Processor?
Why do credit card companies rate the CBD industry as high-risk? There are two major factors: regulation and quality.
- Even though the Farm Bill of 2018 removed CBD derived from hemp from the list of controlled substances, it is still heavily regulated.
- The quality of CBD has not been standardized yet, leading to vast differences in product quality between different manufacturers. This leads to more returns and chargebacks.
CBD payment processors are merchant service providers that allow businesses to accept credit and debit card payments for CBD products. These processors have special agreements with banks and credit card companies that allow them to process these types of transactions.
These payment providers also provide POS systems that you can setup for your business.
High-risk merchant accounts offer specific financial services that can significantly benefit these businesses, including helpful tools for tracking data and managing customer payments. Merchant account providers also provide additional features such as dispute resolution and fraud protection, making them an invaluable asset for companies dealing with CBD products. For instance, Inclusive Pay CBD merchant accounts help businesses in the CBD industry mitigate the risks associated with their operations.
FAQ
Conclusion
CBD is legal in many countries, including almost all of the 50 states of the United States. With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD was removed from the Controlled Substances Act, making it federally legal.
CBD is derived from hemp, which is a type of cannabis plant. Unlike THC, CBD does not have psychoactive effects and is therefore legal.
As a CBD business, you will need a merchant account provider that accepts CBD credit card processing and offers high-risk merchant accounts.
