EpicPay, a merchant account provider founded in 2001 as Spectrum Merchant Services, was rebranded as FortisPay after its acquisition by Fortis Payment Systems in 2021. Headquartered in Frisco, Texas, EpicPay is an authorized MSP/ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, California. Over the years, the company has partnered with various developers and technology enthusiast organizations to provide advanced payment solutions to its merchants. And as a famous company, our team of experts decided to do a thorough EpicPay review.
The company caters to more than 13000 businesses providing a secure and seamless payment integration with its full-service point-of-sale systems and cloud-based solutions. Its focal point is meeting the business needs of non-profit organizations and hospitality businesses along with most SAAS, MOTO, property, online, and B2B companies.
The provider serves multiple industries, including retail, education, electronics, healthcare, moving companies, and the multi-level marketing industry. EpicPay enables its merchants to remain one step ahead and expand their business nationwide by offering diverse, technology-driven solutions. It ensures quality growth and customer satisfaction by helping merchants every step of the way with its compatible equipment and user-friendly features.
Merchants are provided flexible pricing and PCI-validated services along with e-commerce solutions. They can integrate their existing payment plan with advanced software to create a reliable and enduring relationship with their customers. Go through the EpicPay review below to see if it suits your business.
EpicPay Review Based On Features and Services
EpicPay is one of the first companies to establish a payment facilitator platform in Canada and the U.S. It accepts all major credit and debit card payments. Merchants can benefit from its ACH and e-check transactions, contactless NFC, shopping cart integration, EBT acceptance, and EMV processing. The company’s fraud and chargeback prevention tools, cash advances, virtual terminals, payment gateways, mobile payment apps, and loyalty programs are some perks of signing up with EpicPay.
The provider offers customizable online invoices and recurring billing options to guarantee a comfortable payment experience for merchants and their customers. Here is a review of products and services laid out by EpicPay.
Embedded Payments
EpicPay enables merchants to provide a seamless checkout experience with an embedded payment feature that allows customers to pay with a single click and save time. The company offers award-winning API and unique customization. Merchants can monitor the payments and receive additional revenue for payments through their software system.
ACH and Check Processing
The provider accommodates ACH and e-check processing and facilitates check conversion for paper checks. It provides a check authorization and verification guarantee and allows merchants to receive paper checks and convert them into e-checks with a check reader on their terminal. This way, they do not need to deposit checks in the bank.
With ACH processing, merchants can reduce the risk of human error for their business and save time. ACH payment processing is a convenient solution for bulk payments and payrolls and can facilitate low-cost transfers even for high-volume transactions.
Credit or Debit Card Processing
EpicPay accepts all major debit and credit card payments. Its countertop, hand-held terminals, efficient POS systems, and online payment gateways provide a seamless transaction experience for merchants and their customers. EpicPay hardware is compatible with ApplePay and Chase Pay.
The provider is partnered with multiple brands, including Ingenico, First Data, Hypercom, Dejavoo, and Verifone, and offers efficient countertop terminals. It provides NCR Silver, a fully functioning, user-friendly POS system with advanced features. The company’s POS systems can be customized to add accessories such as barcode scanners and cash drawers. The provider uses Authorize.net and EpicPay gateway for online transactions.
Cash Advances
Merchants with lower credit scores can receive cash advances without submitting any personal collateral. It does not require a long waiting time for approval. Therefore, merchants can get immediate cash or money deposited into their accounts.
Gift and Loyalty Cards
EpicPay provides customized or predesigned gift cards that can be distributed to multiple franchises with the brand’s identity. Customers can choose the amount of these gift cards and request a refund anytime. Moreover, merchants can encourage repeat business by awarding customers with loyalty cards. There are three basic categories of these loyalty programs;
- Customers receive a frequency reward when they hit a specific number of purchases.
- A discount or rebate program that rewards customers with sale discounts
- A dollar program that gives points to customers based on their spending. These points are converted into dollars and can be used for future purchases.
EpicPay Review Based On Cost and Contract Terms
The company binds merchants to a three-year contract with an early termination fee ranging from $250-$350, depending upon the time of cancelation. EpicPay’s rates are similar to First Data’s and offer a tiered pricing plan with flat rates. It charges a swiped card rate of 2.69% plus $0.10 and a keyed-in rate of 3.69% plus $0.10 per transaction. The company’s virtual terminal rate is 1.00% to 4.99%. There is no account setup fee.
Moreover, merchants pay technical support, gateway, batch, and PCI compliance fees. These charges are not mentioned on the website. The company has not disclosed its equipment lease terms and additional transaction rates on its official website. Merchants are advised to ask for any necessary information and inquire about the provider’s fees from the sales agent.
EpicPay Review Based On Sales and Customer Support Options
EpicPay provides a live one-on-one support session and knowledge-based documentation with a user manual and equipment guide. It has dedicated an account manager for merchants to address any EpicPay account-related issues. The company has reserved a phone number for domestic phone support available during business hours and mentioned an email address and an FAQ page on the official website to answer commonly asked questions. This enables merchants to find instant solutions to minor issues without the help of a customer support agent.
EpicPay hires independent sales representatives and resellers to market its services. The provider displays honest quotes on its website and does not use deceptive tactics to promote its brand. It provides a detailed program guide for the public and trains its in-house sales agents to provide thorough guidance and in-depth information to the clients. However, merchants are advised to hire a third-party statement auditor (one they can completely trust) to detect any hidden charges.
EpicPay Reviews and Complaints
Currently, there are not many reviews posted online for the company. Either the merchants are satisfied with the provider or do not prefer to write their concerns online. Merchants may have personally addressed their complaints to the sales agent or the respective authority. Moreover, there are no mentionable lawsuits against EpicPay. It seems like the company has a clean online record.
A few negative reviews cited on the online platforms are regarding the high early termination fee. The provider has mentioned a $250-$350 termination fee. However, there are a few cases where merchants have been charged as much as $450. It should be noted that the company is still being referred to by its former business name. Merchants may still be posting their complaints against Spectrum Payments which explains the lack of reviews for EpicPay.
Better Business Bureau Report
EpicPay was accredited by Better Business Bureau in 2014 and received an A+ rating on its BBB profile. There are 0 formal complaints about the provider and 0 informal reviews posted against it on the platform. However, merchants are advised not to trust these ratings as most of these reviews and ratings are not authorized by Better Business Bureau and can be baseless.
EpicPay Review Based On Drawbacks
EpicPay has several reviews posted on its official website. However, many of those reviews are repeated. It can be a programming error, yet the company may have done that to fake its review count and mislead the public. EpicPay is a reasonable service provider with various useful features and products but lacking in a few areas. Here are a few drawbacks of choosing EpicPay as your service provider.
Undisclosed Terms
Merchants prefer a service provider that puts forward all the necessary information and lets them decide if they want to avail of its services. EpicPay has mentioned very scarce information about its contract terms and has not disclosed full pricing on its website. Undisclosed information is a red flag. Merchants can never know if they can trust the provider and afford its rates or if they will be charged expensive hidden fees.
High Termination Fee
EpicPay charges a varying termination fee which can be too expensive for more merchants. A merchant should be able to cancel a contract anytime if they no longer need its services. A fixed termination fee lets merchants know beforehand if and when they can afford to sign out of the contract. An unfixed rate allows the provider to charge as much as it sees fit, provide no explanation, and force merchants to either stick with the company or pay a hefty amount to be free.
Unsuitable Contract Length
The company’s contract length is not suitable for most providers. A three-year contract with strict termination policies can be a headache for businesses. Merchants unsure about the company may find it challenging to complete the long-term contract and cannot find a way out because of the high early termination fee.
Final Verdict
Based on the EpicPay review above, a provider is a reasonable option for most businesses as it provides appealing services, compatible equipment, and efficient software. However, the company does not maintain enough reasons for merchants to trust it completely. Its undisclosed terms and pricing, high fees, and forced contract length can frustrate most businesses.
EpicPay is a decent option for merchants if they can negotiate the pricing, squeeze out all the required information, and be sure they have cleared all the bases before signing up a contract with the provider. However, merchants should compare the available service providers and choose a payment processor that discloses all the information and ticks all the boxes.
