Established in 1996, Authorize.net is a leading payment gateway provider enabling businesses to accept online payments for goods and services. It connects customers to their merchant accounts with an easy-to-use and secure payment processing system. Merchant accounts are maintained in a PCI-compliant environment, giving customers control and visibility over their financial information.
The company was acquired by Cybersource in 2007 and was then sold to Visa in 2010. Since then, the company has grown significantly, with millions of customers worldwide. The merchants it serves include large developers, non-profits, small businesses, and more.
Being a payment gateway and merchant account provider, Authorize.net is an integral part of businesses that must accept online or in-person payments. The provider offers a range of payment processing solutions, thus making it easier for companies to process payments and manage risk.
This Authorize.net review will overview the payment gateway provider’s key features and drawbacks.
Authorize.net Review- Features and Services
Authorize.net facilitates businesses to securely accept credit cards and electronic checks over the Internet. The following is a review of the features and services offered by the company.
Payment Gateway
The company offers a gateway solution that enables online merchants and businesses to accept credit card payments securely. However, businesses must also have a merchant account to use the gateway. Merchant accounts are provided by partnering banks and third-party processors, with Authorize.net as the middleman between them and the customer. It allows online businesses to receive payments while the company processes the transactions via its gateways.
Virtual Point of Sale
Authorize.net’s Virtual Point of Sale (V-POS) is a web-based platform that allows merchants to process transactions from any device with an internet connection. V-POS is designed to work on both desktop and mobile devices, allowing merchants to process payments quickly and easily. The platform also offers a secure environment for storing sensitive customer data and an optional PIN-based system for added security.
But, the V-POS system is not the most user-friendly, and customers may find it difficult to navigate. Additionally, the platform often experiences slow loading times, leading to lost sales.
Mobile Payments
It also offers mobile payments, allowing merchants to accept payments on their smartphones or tablets. The system is compatible with Android and iOS devices and offers a secure environment for processing payments. However, the platform lacks features other mobile payment solutions offer, such as loyalty programs or promotions. It could cause customers to switch to a different mobile payment option.
Sync For Quick Books
It offers a Sync for QuickBooks service that allows merchants to integrate their payment data with their financial records in QuickBooks. It is designed to save time and reduce manual data entry, but it may be difficult for some merchants to set up and configure the integration. Additionally, the service offers no advanced features and may not be suitable for more complex businesses.
Phone Payments
Authorize.net offers a phone payments solution that enables merchants to accept credit card payments over the phone. The service is convenient for merchants, allowing them to take payments from customers quickly and easily without waiting for the customer’s card details. However, merchants may encounter difficulties when reconciling payments with their accounts. The platform also lacks advanced reporting features making it difficult to track payments.
Customer Information Manager
The company provides customers with a secure customer information manager to store their contact and credit card information. It allows customers to easily manage and update their profiles quickly and securely. However, this service has some drawbacks as the customer information is stored with Authorize.net and not on the user’s computer or server. It can lead to some potential vulnerabilities regarding security and data privacy.
Payment Processing
The company’s highly secure payment processing system allows customers to securely and conveniently process payments online. The system is designed to be fast and efficient, allowing customers to process payments quickly. However, the system has a learning curve, and users may find it difficult to navigate initially. Additionally, fees for processing are relatively high compared to other payment processing services.
Account Updater
Authorize.net offers its customers an account updater service which helps to keep their customer profiles up to date. It includes automatically updating all customer information, such as billing and shipping addresses, credit card numbers, and expiration dates. It is very convenient for customers. But its accuracy is not perfect, and there may be times when the service does not work correctly.
Digital Invoicing
Authorize.net also provides digital invoicing services which enable customers to create and manage digital invoices. The service is easy to use and provides a convenient way for customers to keep track of their invoices. However, the digital invoicing system is not as robust as some of the more advanced invoicing solutions and may not meet the need of all customers. Hence, the merchants must evaluate their requirements before opting for this service.
Recurring Payments
Authorize.net also allows its customers to set up recurring or installment payments. This feature allows customers to easily and securely set up recurring payments that are automatically billed monthly. It is a great option for merchants who need to process recurring payments and subscriptions. But the downside is that customers may have limited control over the payments and cannot easily modify or cancel them.
Fraud Protection
It comes with built-in fraud protection, which helps to reduce the risk of fraudulent transactions. The rules-based filters are easy to configure and can give customers peace of mind regarding online transactions. However, the fraud protection system is not foolproof, and customers may still be vulnerable to fraudulent transactions. Therefore, merchants should still take extra precautions when processing payments.
Authorize.net Review – Rates
Authorize.net offers two plans for businesses to choose from: All In One and Payment Gateway Only. Following is a brief review of these plans.
The All-In-One
This plan includes a merchant account and a payment gateway and provides all the services like its competitors (Stripe and Square). But it comes with a drawback of monthly fees, which is not viable for small businesses with low transaction volumes. It may confuse some customers because it is not clear what the monthly fees include.
Its pricing structure is as follows.
- Monthly Gateway Fee: $25
- Per Transaction Processing Fee: 2.9% + $0.30
The Payment Gateway Only
The merchants may use this plan if they already have a merchant account or have signed up with a merchant account provider. It charges 10 cents per transaction plus a $25 monthly fee. Moreover, the 10-cent daily batch fee makes it difficult for businesses to accurately predict their costs. Hence, this plan is better suited to businesses that can handle high transaction volumes.
The international transactions have to pay an additional 1.5% cross-border assessment.
Electronic Checks
Regarding ACH payments, the company charges 0.75% for each transaction. Thus, the pricing of Authorize.net does not paint a very rosy picture for businesses. It can cause trouble for businesses in terms of budgeting and planning. This way, the company is not the most cost-effective way to process business payments.
High Flat-Rate Pricing
The company’s pricing structure is highly flat-rate, making it difficult to determine the exact cost of each transaction. It can be a major issue for businesses, as they might lose money in the long run. Moreover, such pricing structures do not allow businesses to benefit from their competitors’ volume discounts.
Costly with Other Gateway Providers
Authorize.net may not be a budget-friendly option for using other payment gateway providers. It is because it charges an extra fee for every transaction made with a third-party provider. It could be costly if the business does many transactions with third-party providers. It may lead to businesses switching over to competitors which offer better terms.
Interchange Plus Pricing
With the enterprise solutions package, Authorize.net offers the interchange plus pricing structure. This structure is more transparent than flat-rate pricing. It allows businesses to save money on transaction costs and offers them the potential to lower their fees. But the problem is that it requires businesses to have a high volume of transactions to be profitable. Otherwise, the costs can quickly add up.
Varying Contract Terms
When reviewed, Authorize.net offers a range of payment processing rates, depending on the type of contract merchants enter into. Most contracts are initial term agreements, which require merchants to commit to processing a certain volume of transactions for a predetermined period. The downside is that the terms can vary, and the resellers are not obligated to disclose the details of their contract.
Additionally, if merchants cannot meet the volume requirements, they may be forced to pay a penalty fee or extend their contract. It makes comparing rates difficult and understanding your commitment when signing up with the company.
Authorize.net Review – Lawsuits
No lawsuits have been reported against Authorize.net as of now. But merchants have negatively reviewed the company’s chargeback fees and disputed payments. Merchants must know the policies regarding chargebacks and disputed payments before signing up with the company. Additionally, merchants should ensure that the company’s customer service is satisfactory in addressing any issues regarding their accounts.
The FTC has not received any complaints against the company. However, merchants should be aware of their rights and obligations if they encounter problems with the company. They should also consider that the organization may be unable to protect them from all fraud or other issues related to online purchases made with their services.
Authorize.net Review – Complaints
When reviewed, Authorize.net typically receives positive responses for its services. However, users have some complaints about the payment processing platform. A few of them are
Non-Refundable Monthly Fees
One of the biggest complaints among customers is that Authorize.net charges a non-refundable monthly fee, regardless of whether or not the customers use the service. It means you still have to pay the fee if your business experiences a slow month or you don’t process any payments.
Ambiguous Data Migration Assistance
Data migration can be difficult and time-consuming when switching from one processor to another. While Authorize.net does provide some assistance for customers who need help migrating their data, the details of this assistance are not clearly outlined in their service agreement. Customers often have to contact customer service to resolve any issues arising during the process.
Problematic Billing
Another frequent complaint among its customers is that their billings and charges are often unclear or incorrect. Customers report experiencing difficulty understanding the breakdown of their charges and billing discrepancies that must be resolved by customer service. It can lead to long waits on the phone and headaches trying to resolve the issue.
Difficult Integration
Integrating Authorize.net with other platforms can be challenging, and customers often struggle to get the system up and running. It can lead to frustration and lost time that could be better spent on more important business tasks. Moreover, the integration process can be quite costly, as some additional fees may need to be paid to third-party providers.
Flat Credit Card Processing Fee
One of the biggest drawbacks of using its services is that the company charges a flat credit card processing fee for each transaction, regardless of the transaction amount. While this may be convenient for businesses with low-cost items, it can quickly add up for businesses that process high-ticket items. As such, some businesses may have to pay more processing fees than they’d like.
Not Directly Offering Merchant Accounts
Authorize.net does not offer merchant accounts directly, meaning customers must obtain a merchant account through a third-party provider before using its services. It can be an extra step that adds complexity to the process, as customers must ensure compliance with the third-party provider’s regulations and procedures.
Not a Fully-Featured Invoicing System
Authorize.net does not provide a full-featured invoicing system, meaning customers must rely on an external tool or service to manage their invoices and billing. It can be inconvenient, as customers must now maintain multiple accounts and processes. It also makes it more difficult to track payments, as the transaction data must be manually entered into the external system.
Unexpected Charges
Customers have reported experiencing unexpected fees or charges from Authorize.net, often due to incorrect billing information or misunderstanding the terms of service. The company does not always provide clear information about its fees, making it difficult for customers to budget accordingly. As such, some customers may face unexpected charges that could have been avoided.
Fund Holds
Authorize.net can place on customers’ funds for various reasons, such as suspected fraud or a customer dispute. These holds can last for weeks, leaving businesses unable to access their funds. Furthermore, the company does not always provide clear information about why a hold has been placed, making it difficult for customers to resolve the issue quickly.
Glitches in the Software
Many users have reported that they experience glitches in the software when using Authorize.net’s services. It can range from slow loading times to random disconnects and even the inability to process transactions reliably. Some users have also reported that their accounts were randomly deactivated without warning or explanation.
Poor Customer Service
Some users also report that the customer service is unhelpful and slow to respond to inquiries or complaints. They often lack knowledge of how the system works or what solutions are available, leaving customers with unresolved problems.
Inefficient Security & Fraud Prevention
Though the company has a security system to protect against fraud, many customers have reported that it is neither very effective nor has sufficient safeguards. There have also been reports of unauthorized charges and suspicious transactions on accounts set up with Authorize.net’s services.
Non-Intuitive User Interface
Many customers report that its interface is not intuitive and can take some time to get used to. The dashboard is well-organized, but almost everyone agrees it lacks the accessibility and ease of use that other payment solutions offer. It can be a major deterrent to merchants looking for a quick and easy setup process. The user interface also lacks customization options, making modifying the platform according to your preferences difficult and thus has got negative reviews.
Absence of a Dedicated Support Representative
Authorize.net does not offer a designated support representative to customers, so it may be difficult for customers to get the assistance they need promptly. Customers can contact the support team through phone, email, or live chat; however, there is no guarantee that their issue will be addressed in a manner. Also, the support team cannot provide specialized knowledge for certain transactions and inquiries.
Employee Complaints
Employee complaints about the company are relatively rare, but a few cases have been cited of insufficient support or customer service. Some current employees have also complained about the slow growth in the company, claiming that opportunities for advancement are limited.
Another issue is the lack of flexibility with remote working, as most positions require some form of on-site presence. Additionally, some employees have expressed dissatisfaction with the pay scale, claiming it is not commensurate with the demands of their roles. While some employees have raised these potential issues, they can damage the company’s reputation and should be addressed immediately.
BBB Rating
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has given Authorize.net an A+ rating. It is based on their accreditation, customer complaints and reviews, advertising practices, and other factors. The BBB has accredited the company since December 2009. But the following issues have been raised by customers about the company that can affect its rating.
Product and Service Complaints
Customers have complained about the products and services offered by Authorize.net. Common issues include difficulty setting up accounts, slow customer service response, and the need for additional fees when using their services.
Billing and Collection Issues
Customers have also raised issues with billing and collections practices. They have complained that charges were applied to the wrong account, unexpected fees were added to their bills, and that there were difficulty canceling services. The company has also been accused of not responding to customer inquiries about these issues.
Privacy and Security Complaints
Customers have raised concerns about the security and privacy of their information. They claim that the company has not always taken steps to protect its data from potential hackers or fraudulent activity. Additionally, some customers have experienced unauthorized access to their accounts, which has resulted in getting bad reviews.
Delivery Problems
Customers have complained about the delivery of products and services from Authorize.net. They claim that the company has failed to deliver on promised timelines or has shipped the wrong product. Additionally, customers have reported difficulty canceling orders or returning products. This issue may be due to their outdated system.
Partnering with Resellers
One concern some users express is their lack of control when authorizing transactions with resellers. Although this arrangement can provide convenience and cost savings, it also means that users cannot set rules and authorizations for their payments. It can cause issues when customers need to dispute charges, as the process is more complex when involving a third party.
Conclusion
When it comes to Authorize.net, the pros and cons are clear. On the one hand, it offers different pricing plans to accommodate different business needs and provides a comprehensive payment gateway. On the other hand, many users have reported issues with customer service and the system’s reliability. Additionally, the company lacks some security features compared to its competitors. What is concerning is customer reports saying that they are not getting their payments on time.
Considering this, carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages before choosing Authorize.net for your payment processing needs is important. While it offers various features and services, its drawbacks cannot be ignored. Better options are available if you are looking for a reliable payment gateway. Therefore, conducting further research and considering other alternatives before committing to its services is best.
This Authorize.net review suggests that it is important to ensure that the payment gateway you choose meets your business needs and offers reliable service so that you can have peace of mind when processing payments.
