UniPay Gateway Review

It’s available with processing companies on the Fiserv and Elavon platforms, which means it can work with large processors that Fiserv and Elavon own (such as TSYS and Global Payments) as well as countless smaller resellers. However, it may not always be clear which companies use Accept.blue, as the gateway may be under their own name / branding. You can ask a processor directly and some may tell you (or even post it on their site) but others may not - after all, the benefit of white labeling is appearing to have your own solution. There’s nothing wrong with that - it allows a processor to utilize a tool developed by gateway specialists rather than being forced to create their own.

What is a Payment Gateway?

For a quick refresher, a payment gateway is a platform that lets you accept credit cards online. Think of it as a credit card machine for your website. It’s also the payment system behind payment portals where you enter card details, such as for phone transactions. It enables functions like recurring billing so that businesses who charge customers at set intervals don’t have to manually initiate dozens (or thousands!) of transactions every month.

There are lots of payment gateways out there, so what makes Accept.blue the right one for you? Let’s take a look at its features.

Features

Accept.blue allows you to accept credit and debit cards, electronic checks, and ACH payments. You’ll do this through its gateway with hosted online forms or its virtual terminal for entering credit card information yourself. Either of those options requires working with a credit card processor that can support Accept.blue - you won’t be able to go directly to Accept.blue to use their gateway.

Recurring Payments

For businesses that take payments at set intervals, such as subscription businesses or memberships, it’s critical to have a reliable and secure recurring payments solution. Accept.blue offers a way for you to keep customer information in a secure customer vault and charge on a regular basis. It also includes an option to set email reminders before a due date arrives, on the due date, or once the due date has passed, helping ensure there are no surprises about billing for your customers.

Invoicing

Accept.blue touts the convenience and popularity of its invoicing tool, mentioning that it’s customizable with your company’s logo and information. You’ll also have the choice of emailing or texting your customer their invoice. The company claims that text messages have a higher open rate than emails, which can lead to faster payment.

Virtual Terminal

Virtual terminals are a great choice for businesses that don’t need or want expensive credit card processing equipment, but do want to provide their customers with non-cash payment options. A virtual terminal provides a secure payment portal where you can enter customers’ card details - ideal for phone transactions or professional services like dentists’ offices. 

Want to capture signatures when your customer pays on-site? You can do that, too, with the convenient electronic signature options.

Read more about virtual terminals.

Interchange Optimization / B2B credit card processing

Businesses that regularly take credit cards from other businesses (known as B2B credit card processing) may qualify for better rates when they provide specific information related to the business transaction. The specific information is sometimes referred to as enhanced data. But knowing what information to provide isn’t always straightforward. Fortunately, there are gateways (including Accept.blue) that can automatically provide enhanced data information, helping you receive the best possible rates on transactions. 

Surcharges

Considering adding a credit card surcharge so that customers defray the cost of credit card processing? It’s legal in most states, though there are still requirements you’ll need to meet. Accept.blue’s virtual terminal offers built-in surcharging, which lets you automatically apply a surcharge to certain transactions. 

Curiously, the company’s website specifies that you can either set the surcharge as a percentage of the transaction total or as a flat dollar amount, but flat dollar amounts are not permitted as an option for surcharging. However, flat dollar amounts are permissible for convenience fees, so it may be that the terminal is simply also enabling that option. Keep in mind that convenience fees have their own rules and restrictions. Be sure to read up on credit card processing surcharges and convenience fees for credit card processing before implementing either. If you’re unsure of the requirements, consult a business attorney or other specialist in your state. Don’t rely on a processor to give you accurate information!

Security

Accept.blue boasts the latest security, including tokenization that enables greater protection of card details by turning transaction information into “tokens” that are less likely to be used fraudulently. The hosted payments page allows an iFrame of all needed payment fields directly on your business website without requiring you to “host” or collect the payment information. That reduces your security and fraud risk and increases transaction security for your customers. 

Additionally, the company is PCI Level 1 compliant. 

It is also compatible with 3D Secure, a security offering from Visa and Mastercard that ensures authorized users are the ones making a purchase. Read more about Verified by Visa or Mastercard SecureCode.

Integrations

Accept.blue prominently displays integrations with multiple business apps and services, including website platforms such as Magento and Wordpress, accounting software like QuickBooks, and CRM systems including Salesforce and Zoho.

That lets you quickly and easily integrate your processing with your website to take payments, your CRM to process invoices, or your accounting software to keep track of your business finances.

Have you used Accept.blue at your business? Let us know what you think!