High-Risk Merchant Accounts

When Shopify Payments won't support your products, you can connect your own high-risk merchant account through a third-party gateway. Here's how setup works, what it costs on each Shopify plan, and how to prepare for

A plain-English breakdown of high-risk merchant account fees: which costs are set by the card networks, which are negotiable, and how to compare quotes.

Compare a high-risk vs low-risk merchant account: how underwriters set your risk level, how pricing and reserves differ, and a checklist to estimate where your business lands.

A rolling reserve holds back part of your card sales for a set period before releasing it. Learn how it works, who gets one, and how to plan for it.

Learn what makes a business high-risk for card processing, how underwriters decide, and practical steps new merchants can take to earn better terms.