Top 10 Payment Processing Solutions for Automobile Dealerships

Finding the right payment processing solution for an automobile dealership can be difficult, as car dealerships have very unique requirements for processing payments. An auto dealership needs a good POS system to take payments on-site, just like any large retail store. You also need a system capable of handling large purchases in the thousands of dollars, possibly with financing plans. This requires a solution with robust back-end functionality. In addition to these special requirements, there are all the other factors that any business needs to consider when choosing a payment processing solution, such as reliability, security, customer service, fees, and any additional services required. 

A good payment processing solution can make life so much easier for a business owner and employees. The hectic and busy atmosphere of an automobile dealership can be hard to manage even at the best of times. Imagine what happens if the point of sale system goes down when the lobby is filled with potential customers. Imagine how a customer will feel if their payment isn’t processed accurately and in a timely manner. A good payment processing provider helps you save time and money, ensuring a smooth and secure experience for both customer and dealership.

Before delving into the top 10 payment processing solutions for auto dealerships, it’s worth mentioning another great way for auto dealerships to save time. A typical auto dealership might take hundreds of phone calls every day. You may also receive messages on your social media platforms like Facebook. Each one of these calls is important, as each one could be a potential customer looking to make an appointment to come in and purchase a vehicle. However, every time an employee answers a call you have one less person on the floor helping customers who are already there to make a purchase. The virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can help you out with this. Our receptionists are available to take customer calls for you 24/7. Not only that, we can also reply to messages sent to you on social media or your website. We can forward important calls through, and even help set appointments for callers looking to schedule a time to come in and make a purchase.

Top 10 best payment processing solutions for auto dealerships

1. PaymentCloud 

PaymentCloud is headquartered in California, and prides themselves on having a service platform that is versatile enough to handle businesses with very specialized requirements, which makes them an excellent choice for automobile dealerships.

PaymentCloud integrates with a number of popular shopping cart platforms including OpenCart, Shopify, and more. All major payment options are accepted, including Visa, Amex, MasterCard, Discover, Star, Apple Pay, and Visa Checkout. PaymentCloud has no fees for application or setup, and has an approval rate of 98%. 

PaymentCloud is known for their excellent customer service. A quick browse of their website service portal showed a wait time of 0 minutes and 17 agents standing by. 

PaymentCloud integrates with a number of popular shopping cart platforms including OpenCart, Shopify, and more. They offer terminals, virtual terminals, and mobile smartphone options. This makes it easy for a business with nearly any POS requirements to find the right fit. With the standard PaymentCloud agreement, you may be asked to lease the equipment. This can cost much more in the long run, so it is recommended to purchase your POS equipment in full to save money.

PaymentCloud does not have an available BBB (Better Business Bureau) rating. However, many positive reviews and very few negatives show that PaymentCloud is a well-liked company by many of its users.

• Swiped Card Rate: 3.00% - 6.50%
• Virtual Terminal Rate: 2.90% + $0.30
• No early termination fee
• Excellent integration
• Strong customer service
  

2. PaymentVision

PaymentVision works with thousands of financial institutions and merchants around the country to provide a seamless payment processing solution for businesses of any size. PaymentVision has a great option for custom branded mobile payment apps that can make payment processing a breeze for auto dealerships

PaymentVision does not post their rates and fees online, but they do have a convenient form available to request a quick quote. PaymentVision accepts all major payment methods and integrates well with many popular third-party software platforms. They also support ACH payments, which can provide faster payment settlements. PaymentVision does not provide information about possible application fees or approval rate.

PaymentVision provides a dedicated client portal on their website for clients to reach them for fast response to any questions or issues. Users report that PaymentVision is always quick to respond and provide support. 

POS options is one area where PaymentVision shines. Kiosk, mobile, and POS terminal are all available, ensuring that PaymentVision is capable of supporting whichever type of POS system you prefer.

PaymentVision does not have a BBB rating, but there are tons of positive reviews online from happy users. PaymentVision was recognized by CFO as the Top Auto Finance Solution Provider of 2020.

• Rates not posted online
• Supports ACH payments
• Excellent integration
• Strong customer service
• Dedicated client portal
• POS systems
  

3. Electronic Merchant Systems 

One of the larger companies on this list, Electronic Merchant Systems has been around for years and worked with clients both small and large.

Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) accepts all major forms of payment, making it easy to adapt to the purchasing habits of all your customers. They are also able to handle check processing, and even have options for gift and loyalty cards. No information is posted about application fees or approval rate for EMS.

EMS offers excellent 24/7 customer service. Their website is very clear, and they have a dedicated customer portal to ensure you receive fast support any time of day.

EMS offers stable POS options that are very suitable for automobile dealerships. Their back-end system is strong, able to handle large transactions and manage more complex purchases with down payments or financing.

There is an overwhelmingly positive amount of reviews for Electronic Merchant Systems. They also have an A+ rating with the BBB, making them a trustworthy choice for auto dealership payment processing.

• Swiped Card Rate: 1.00% - 4.99 %
• Keyed Card Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%
• Early Termination Fee: $595
• 24/7 customer service
• Strong back-end
• Support for gift/loyalty cards
  

4. DealerPay 

DealerPay is a payment processing provider that is focused solely on auto dealerships, which means they know exactly what your requirements are and how to meet them. They have a lot of experience working with dealerships, and their entire system is designed with auto dealerships in mind.

DealerPay does not list their rates online. They have a pay share system that can actually help you recoup some of the transaction fees, which can help dealerships save money, especially on large transactions. DealerPay also lets you provide custom rewards or loyalty plans to your customers. No information is provided about DealerPay’s application process or approval rate.However, they do offer a 30 minute demo of their product using screen sharing, as well as a free no-obligation cost and service analysis.

Dealerpay accepts all major credit cards, as well as checks and ACH payments. They also accept Fleet cards such as Voyager and Wright Express, making their payment options very versatile.

Dealerpay offers a dedicated online support portal for customers. Their extensive experience with auto dealerships allows them to provide excellent support for issues common to dealers.

DealerPay has multiple POS options designed for the specialized needs of an automobile dealership.

DealerPay has an A+ rating with the BBB, and they have many positive reviews online. It is actually quite hard to find any complaints about DealerPay, likely a result of their service being so specifically tailored to the auto dealerships they support.

• Rates not posted online
• Supports for Fleet cards
• Pay share system
• Many POS options
• Dedicated client portal
  

5. BLUEDOG 

BLUEDOG is one of the biggest and most popular payment processing companies out there. They have worked extensively with many auto dealerships, and their service options are unparalleled. 

BLUEDOG accept all major payment options, making it easy to take payments. There is no information available about setup fees or approval rate for BLUEDOG. However, their application process is very simple, and they even have live online chat available if you have any questions prior to submitting an application.

BLUEDOG is known for excellent customer service. They have the best website out of all the reviewed payment processing providers, with transparent rates, a helpful FAQ section, and a dedicated customer support platform.

BLUEDOG has a wide variety of POS options available. Even better, they are one of the few companies that show the available POS systems on their website, with an overview of each. They are very experienced working with auto dealerships, and their support staff can work with you to choose the best POS system for your needs.

BLUEDOG has an A rating with the BBB. Reviews of BLUEDOG are mostly positive. There are more negative reviews out there than with some of the other providers on this list, but that is to be expected, considering BLUEDOG is one of the biggest companies on this list.

• Swiped Card Rate: 1.49% + $0.15
• Keyed Card Rate: 2.98% + $0.15
• Virtual Terminal Rate: 1.89% + $0.23 - 2.90% + $0.30
• No early termination fee
• Excellent customer service
• Multiple POS options
  

6. ProPay 

ProPay is another company that has a lot of experience working with auto dealerships. They have a variety of pricing plans, which can be helpful in finding the right plan for your auto dealership. 

ProPay accepts all major payment methods as well as ACH processing. No information is available about application fees or approval rate for ProPay.

ProPay offers online live chat, email, phone service, and a customer portal to help resolve any issues.

ProPay offers POS options, but there is not much information available regarding specifics.

ProPay has an A rating with the BBB. They have very few customer complaints online, even when accounting for the fact that they are one of the larger providers on this list.

• Swiped Card Rate: 2.60%
• Keyed Card Rate: 3.55%
• No early termination fee
• Variety of pricing plans
• Support for ACH payments
  

7. Crescent 

Crescent offers a wide variety of services including merchant accounts, credit card processing, and POS systems, making them a suitable choice for auto dealerships.

Crescent works with all major payment methods, and also handles ACH and eCheck processing. No information is available about setup fees or approval rate for Crescent.

Crescent’s website is not as full-featured as some of the other companies on the list. They also do not have a dedicated customer support portal, though they do offer telephone and email support.

Crescent has a good variety of POS choices available, including countertop terminals and wireless terminals. This makes it easy to find a convenient POS system that works well for the special requirements of an auto dealership.

Crescent has a BBB rating of A. User feedback is more positive than negative, but there are a number of negative reviews, especially from those who claim that the early termination fee was not clearly discussed.

• Swiped Card Rate: Variable
• Keyed Card Rate: Variable
• Early Termination Fee: $495
• Support for ACH payments
• Many POS system choices
  

8. TransNational Payments 

TransNational Payments works with many auto dealerships as a payment processing provider. One of the best things about TransNational Payments is their ability to easily scale their services as your business grows.

TransNational Payments accepts all major methods of payment, and also manages ACH payments. No information is available about setup fees or approval rate for TransNational Payments.

TransNational Payments has a lot of experience with dealerships, and their support reflects that. They have a great website with a dedicated customer login.

TransNational Payments has a number of POS solutions, including those especially suited for use in the automobile dealership industry.

TransNational Payments has a BBB rating of A. Most reviews of TransNational Payments are positive, with some negative reviews mentioning equipment leasing options, something that they no longer provide.

• Swiped Card Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%
• Keyed Card Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%
• Virtual Terminal Rate: 1.00% - 4.99%
• Early Termination Fee: Up to $500
• Easily scalable
• Supports ACH payments
• POS systems suited to auto industry
  

9. Fattmerchant 

Fattmerchant is a subscription-type payment processing provider. This means that they charge a flat monthly rate and a fixed amount per transaction, rather than a percentage rate. 

Fattmerchant’s platform (called STAX) accepts all major forms of payment including swiped cards, keyed cards, online, wireless, and contactless. No information is available about setup fees or application rate for Fattmerchant.

Fattmerchant has one of the slickest and most modern websites out of all the reviewed companies. Everything needed is clearly laid out, and the the dedicated customer portal allows quick communication to resolve any issues.

There are many options available, including Smart Terminals for quick payment processing.

User feedback for Fattmerchant is very positive, with few negative reviews. They were recognized as Money’s Best Subscription-Based Credit Card Processing company in 2020.

• Swiped Card Rate: Interchange rate + $0.06 - $0.08 per transaction
• Virtual Terminal Rate: Interchange rate + $0.15 per transaction
• Standard Plan: $99 per month
• Enterprise Plan (Businesses that process over $1 million annually): $199
• Excellent wesite
• Numerous payment processing systems
  

10. Host Merchant Services

Host Merchant Services is another great provider that works off the interchange rate, making fees transparent and manageable. 

Host Merchant Services accepts all major payment forms. No information is available about setup fees or approval rate for Host Merchant Services.

Host Merchant Services has excellent customer support, including telephone, email, and a dedicated customer portal on their site.

Bonsai POS systems are available, which work great for both high and low volume businesses.

Transparent fees with no set term length have helped give Host Merchant Services receive many positive reviews with very few negative reviews.

• Swiped Card Rate: Interchange + 0.25% + $0.10
• No early termination fee
• Dedicated customer support portal
• Bonsai POS systems
• No set term length
  

All of these companies are a great fit for an auto dealership looking for a new payment processing provider. These companies can help to streamline your customer experience, as well as save you time and money. Don’t forget that the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai are another great way to help maximize the potential of your business. Handling leads, setting up appointments, and providing a 24/7 platform for call reception can help ensure your employees have more time to help potential customers, rather than spending all day on the phone.