SUBSCRIPTION & RECURRING BILLING MERCHANT ACCOUNTS

Recurring billing is a  safe and efficient way for your customers to automatically pay you with debit / credit cards and ACH / echecks on a pre-arranged, recurring schedule.

• “Set it and forget it” recurring payments stabilize cash flow
• Increase the lifetime value of customers to your business
• Unlimited recurring payment plans included with accounts
• Customize payment plans to meet the needs of your customer base
• Secure recurring billing gateway protects you & your customers

Recurring billing is available for merchants in any industry.  Recurring payments are valuable to all companies offering goods & services which are consumed on a regular basis.  And to businesses that offer installment payment plans for higher ticket items.

Subscription and membership sites use recurring billing as an inherent part of the business model.  Monthly recurring payments are most common, although other options are certainly fine.The main point is that recurring billing plans make it easy and convenient for your customers  to pay you.

Who Uses Recurring Billing?

Recurring payments can be established through all sales channels.  Accept payments online, phone / mail orders (MOTO), mobile transactions, and point of sale purchases.  Here’s a short list of merchants that regularly use recurring billing. 

Software as a Service (SAAS)   Effective recurring billing is the key element in maintaining & increasing profits for SAAS providers

Web Hosting / Internet Services   Recurring billing is integral to hosting & internet service providers.

Consumer Services Insurance, telemedicine, shopping clubs, gyms, home entertainment, household maintenance, utilities, property management, communication services etc. are billed on a recurring basis.

Membership Sites / Subscription Billing  Digital downloads, streaming media, newsletters, educational & informational services, online entertainment, ezines, social networks, gaming, online dating, travel services,  clubs, associations, and all goods & services where payments are billed on a recurring basis are a great fit.

Ecommerce  Recurring payments for products shipped on a recurring regular basis such as health & beauty, food, fashion & luxury items, personal care, specialty goods, and “curated” product offerings. 

Professional Services   Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals offer recurring “installment” payment plans, making services more affordable

Schools   Offering recurring billing for school tuition, child care, and educational products & services makes it easier for people to pay you.  

Religious & Charitable Organizations Recurring payments are great for donations.

High Ticket Sales Recurring billing plans are more affordable than paying upfront.

Collection Agencies   Increase cash flow.  Convenient for debtors.  Profitable for you.

Recurring Payment Processing Features

Recurring payments are used for both debit / credit cards and ACH / echeck transactions.  The recurring billing platform keeps track of the billing cycle and automatically processes the payments.   Subscription billing is useful for all merchants that want to schedule automated recurring payments from customers. 

Automated Card Updater   More than 20% of debit & credit cards are reissued each year. The card updater service automates card info, significantly reducing decline rates for recurring payments. Protects cash flow while increasing productivity. 

Tokenization.  Recurring payment information is stored safely within the secure vault inside the recurring billing gateway.  Sensitive data is stored as tokens, using military grade encryption.  This protects your business and your customers from data breaches, ensuring safe & compliant payment processing.

Electronic Invoicing.  Easily send invoices and receipts to your customers.  Save money while increasing productivity. 

QuickBooks Integration.  The secure recurring payment gateway integrates with all versions of QuickBooks.  Streamlines accounting functions and reconciliation of payments. 

Multiple Users. Hierarchical access to recurring billing gateway enhances internal security. Allow employees to access only functions needed to perform their jobs. 

Benefits of Echecks for Recurring Billing

Cards payments are important, of course.  Still, payments from bank accounts protect revenues from recurring revenues better than cards. Consumers rarely change bank accounts.  Payments from bank accounts are extremely stable over time.  Revenue flows in without interruption.  No need to contact customers for updated payment data.  Customers stay with you longer increasing the lifetime value of your customers.

Compare this with card payments. 

• Each year, 20% of cards are reissued meaning updated card data must be obtained.
• Updating card data is expensive & time consuming.
• You may not be able to get the updated card info.
• Customers may decide to cancel rather than updating card data.

Although card updater services help automate card payments, not all cards can be updated.  This is not an issue with payments made via ACH / echecks where payments are debited from bank accounts.

How to Apply for a Recurring Payments Merchant Account

Application for membership, subscription, & recurring billing merchant accounts is always free, with no obligation.  A dedicated representative is assigned to work with through the application process.  Our goal is to provide you with fast approval, low rates, and complete satisfaction. 

An extensive network of banks ensures you obtain the processing capacity you need.  Unlimited recurring billing plans are a standard feature on all accounts. 

To qualify for an account, a minimum of $50,000 per month is requested.  High volume merchants can easily obtain the processing capacity needed.  Startup merchants are welcome if processing volumes are expected to grow to $50K within a few months. 

During the process, you will be asked to submit an application along with supporting documents.  Information requested include details about your company, processing & bank statements, and proof of identity.

A subscription and membership merchant account can be approved as quickly as one day.  Still, some take 3-5 days for approval and setup because recurring billing models are considered high risk merchants. 

Why Choose NationalACH for Your Subscription and Membership Merchant Account?

• Accept recurring payments anyway you want. Online, MOTO, mobile, and batch payment processing. 
• Unlimited customizable payment plans for subscription, membership, recurring billing, and installment payments
• Protect your business from data breaches. Recurring billing data is encrypted & safely secured in the gateway vault. 
• Level PCI-DSS compliant processing platform keeps your transactions safe.
• Dedicated account managers ensure your complete satisfaction. 
• High risk merchant account specialists. Companies in all high-risk processing classifications are welcome.
• Multiple payment methods from a single source, saves you time & money.
• High volume processing. Get the capacity you need.
• Free technical support.
• Extensive banking network allows you to establish more than one account to mitigate processing risks.
• Account verification services help decrease fees while protecting your processing account.
• Card Updater Service increases card approval rates for recurring billing.