by Ben Dwyer EVO serves hundreds of thousands of businesses and processes more than $50 billion in transactions each year. The company provides transaction processing for in-person and e-commerce payments in 130 currencies for businesses of all sizes. In this EVO Payments International review and profile, we will give an overview of its service and what online reviews say about its reputation.
EVO Payments International is a payment processing company founded in NY in 1989. Since then it has grown into an international business with clientele spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For the purposes of this review, we’ll primarily focus on EVO’s services for US clients.
- News
- What processing services does EVO provide?
- Other services offered with EVO
- Does EVO have any equipment options?
- EVO Payments International Rates and Fees
- EVO Payments International Reviews and Online Reputation
News
In 2017, an Atlanta law firm filed a class action lawsuit against EVO, alleging that the company regularly overbills customers. The suit alleges that EVO accomplishes this by misleading businesses about pricing, letting them think that rates and fees prominently disclosed in the contract is all the customer will pay, but that once the business begins processing, EVO increases fees or adds additional charges. The suit further alleges that the overcharging is hidden in customers’ monthly statements.
What processing services does EVO provide?
EVO offers a range of processing services, including credit and debit card processing, check acceptance, online payments, gift and loyalty cards, and international processing.
Credit and Debit Card Processing
With EVO you can accept major credit and debit cards; American Express and Discover may require separate contracts. You also have the ability to accept EBT payments through a variety of government programs such as WIC and TANF.
Check Acceptance
If you need to accept checks in your business, EVO’s check acceptance services allow you to accept checks securely at time of sale. EVO offers paper guarantee, point-of-sale conversions, Check21, and ACH Debit.
Paper Guarantee
A paper guarantee means you can accept paper checks at the time of sale with the security of guaranteed payment. With EVO’s paper guarantee, checks are verified and authorized at the time of sale and then manually deposited to your bank. If the checks are returned, EVO guarantees payment.
Point-of-Sale Conversions
EVO’s point-of-sale conversion allows you to process paper checks as an electronic transaction. Instant authorization protects against returned checks, and EVO guarantees payments. Funds are electronically deposited into your business bank account, eliminating the need for trips to the bank.
Check21
Check21, also known as Remote Deposit Capture, captures an image of a check at the time of sale. Funding is faster than with ACH debits, and is subject to fewer restrictions while still allowing security while accepting checks.
ACH Debit
EVO offers ACH Debit payment acceptance to process one-time or recurring transactions from a customer’s checking account or from another business.
Online Payments
If your storefront is made of pixels instead of brick and mortar, EVO has services for doing business online. With EVO you will have the ability to process payments globally and access to a variety of payment gateways. EVO Snap, one of the payment gateways, has shopping carts for your website and reporting features to help you manage your business.
Gift Cards and Loyalty Cards
EVO offers fully customizable gift and loyalty card options. Gift cards can help expand your business to new customers, while loyalty cards encourage those who already appreciate your business to keep you in mind and return. Both are also methods for tracking trends and patterns in sales.
International Processing
If you are looking to expand the boundaries of your business and offer services or products globally, EVO can help. EVO processes over 130 currencies in 49 international markets.
Other Services Offered with EVO
EVO services go beyond payment processing to assist your business with marketing solutions, business analytics, cash advances, as well as security and fraud prevention.
Marketing Solutions
Using customer data and payment services, EVO offers marketing options to help grow your business. Along with the loyalty cards, you can offer loyalty programs with customizable card linked offers and real-time rewards that can be used at the time of transaction.
Business Analytics
Crunching numbers related to your transactions and marketing campaigns can help you find the best trajectory for your business. EVO’s web portal can be used 24/7 with internet access to help you capture and analyze various data related to returns, voids, sales, customer spending patterns, marketing success and more.
Cash Advance
EVO offers “merchant funding” which is also called a cash advance. However, before you decide to accept an advance for working capital, you may want to consider other options. Cash advances are known for being ultimately very costly.
Security and Fraud Prevention
Along with offering EMV capable terminals, EVO claims to provide tools to help fraud protection and PCI compliance. Exact details regarding what they offer for customer data protection and fraud protection are unspecified.
Does EVO have any equipment options?
Yes, EVO offers EMV capable terminals, tablet based point of sale systems, and web-based mobile solutions. You will need to inquire with the company for details about what equipment is offered.
EVO Payments International Rates and Fees
EVO does not list its pricing on its website, but you are welcome to request an Evo quote through CardFellow and find out how much you would be paying. By using CardFellow’s free service, you will be able to privately compare processors and make a more informed decision for your business.
EVO Payments International Reviews
Some review information is available for EVO. EVO International Payments is currently listed under EVO Merchant Services on the Better Business Bureau’s website. The company is not accredited, though its profile currently has an A+ rating. There have been 77 complaints closed within the last 3 years, mostly split between the “Problems with Product/Service” and “Billing/Collections Issues” categories.
Complaints allege dishonest contract/sales practices, hidden fees, raised rates, and bad customer service. The most common complaint, however, was that cancellation was incredibly difficult and involved very high (and previously unmentioned) cancellation and early termination fees. There is also one negative review of the company that cautions people to be wary of their finances when working with EVO and keep track of the charges you receive.
Still under the company name EVO Merchant Services, you will find 43 complaints on Ripoff Report and 3 reviews on Yelp. Both Ripoff Report and Yelp echo the sentiments voiced on the BBB, albeit in less polite language. Judging from the outpour of anger on the web, it would be wise to be guarded when signing any contracts with EVO and know what you are getting into. Using CardFellow’s website you can compare processors and access resources that can help in making your decision.
