A bad credit merchant account gives companies the opportunity to obtain payment processing even when their credit score is not ideal. If you are a new business or have a low personal credit score, you may have difficulty finding a merchant account. Nonetheless, high risk payment processors have custom solutions for bad credit merchants.

How To Get A Merchant Account With Bad Credit

To get a merchant account with bad credit you’ll want to find a company that has a lower threshold for onboarding accounts. Likely, these will be high risk merchant account providers that can review your situation and help you get the credit card processing you need for your business. Follow these steps if you have a low credit score and want a sustainable solution:

1. Find A High Risk Payment Processor – A quick online search will pull up a bunch of options, but some are better than others. For example, Zen Payments has a history of giving new and bad credit merchants the solutions they need.
2. Call Or Fill Out A Form – Reach out to the customer service or sales team. They will have all the information you need for next steps. This will include collecting information about your credit history, your business, and the overall revenue you expect.
3. Provide Documents – As mentioned above, the more information you share with the underwriting team, the better they’ll be able to provide a solution. These documents include ownership information, history of processing, and your website address.
4. Underwriting and Bank Review – Next the bank will review your package and get back to you with any questions or information they require. They will also review your credit score and let you know if they can approve an account. Moreover, they’ll share the Schedule A which includes the fees you’ll pay for payment processing.
5. Fast Approvals – Once your package has gone through underwriting and you’ve met all of the necessary requirements, your account will be approved. From this point you’ll be able to accept credit cards online or in-person.
6. Integrate A Payment Gateway – A payment gateway is the technology that connects your website to your merchant account. Many payment processors have a specific one they recommend. Integrating it allows you to connect it with your ecommerce shopping cart to accept payments online.

What Is Considered Bad Credit

Every payment processor has their own rules when it comes to the credit score they allow. Often, they look at the same general standards banks use when deciding on how much to make a loan for. These range from poor credit at 300-579 to fair at 580-669 and good at 670-739.

If you’re not sure what your credit score is or if you have bad credit , then be sure to talk to a high risk merchant account team. They will walk you through each step of the process to see if your specific situation can be boarded. Depending on how long your company has been processing, how much revenue you earn, and the industry you’re in, there will be different ways the merchant account team can get it approved.