Pricing built around your risk profile
Each approved business is placed in the tier its underwriting supports. Supplement and nutraceutical brands are usually reviewed under Enhanced-Risk or Specialized Online. Rates, any reserve and processing limits are confirmed only after the processor’s review.
Enhanced-Risk
Supplements, nutraceuticals and other businesses that need enhanced underwriting
Markup, per-transaction fee and any reserve
set by underwriting
- Payment gatewayBased on processor
- Virtual terminalWhere approved
- Recurring billing / auto-shipWhere approved
- ACH / eCheckSubject to approval
- Payment links / invoicingWhere supported
- API / integrationsBased on solution
- Dedicated support✓
- UnderwritingEnhanced
Specialized Online
Subscription, auto-ship and other specialized online businesses
Interchange-plus markup based
on your business profile
- Payment gatewayAvailable
- Virtual terminal✓
- Recurring billing✓
- ACH / eCheckAvailable
- Payment links / invoicing✓
- API / integrations✓
- Dedicated support✓
- UnderwritingEnhanced may apply
Some established online businesses with a lower risk profile may qualify for our Standard Online or Growth Online tiers; a specialist can tell you if yours does. All pricing is subject to underwriting approval. Card-network interchange is passed through at cost. Gateway inclusion depends on the processor and plan.
What decides your rate
High-risk pricing is not a list price. Underwriting looks at the full picture of your business before a processor sets the terms.
- Product category: what you sell and the claims you make about it. Supplement and nutraceutical products get a closer review than most online categories.
- Processing history: recent processing statements, if you have them, show your refund and chargeback record.
- Volume and average ticket: expected monthly sales, average order size and your largest single sale.
- Business model: subscriptions, auto-ship, trial offers and fulfillment times all affect risk.
- Risk evaluation: the processor’s overall review, which can also set a rolling reserve or processing limits.
Merchant account fees explained
Every merchant account has three core costs: interchange paid to the card-issuing bank, assessments paid to the card network, and the processor’s markup. High-risk accounts can carry a few extra terms, so ask about each one before you sign.
How to compare high-risk quotes
The headline rate rarely tells the whole story. Use the same checklist for every offer you get.
- Work out the effective rate: divide total monthly fees by total monthly sales. For example, $1,300 in fees on $50,000 in sales is an effective rate of 2.6%. (Illustrative arithmetic only, not a quote.)
- Check the reserve terms: the percentage held, how long it is held and when it is released.
- Ask about chargeback fees: what each dispute costs and what happens if your ratio rises.
- Read the contract length: look for early termination fees and automatic renewals.
- Confirm gateway and recurring billing costs: especially if you sell subscriptions or auto-ship.
Why do high-risk merchants pay more?
Processors price for the chargebacks, refunds and compliance reviews a category tends to bring. You can bring your costs down over time.
- Category risk: supplements and subscription products have historically seen more disputes, so processors review them more closely. See supplement merchant accounts and high-risk merchant accounts.
- Keep chargebacks low: clear descriptors, tracking and fast refunds help. Our chargeback prevention guide covers the details.
- Make subscription terms clear: show renewal terms and make cancelling easy. Use our subscription billing risk checklist.
- Build a clean history: a few months of steady processing can support a review of your terms.
Pricing questions
Want a quote for your business? Get my quote or talk to a specialist. Before you apply, see our merchant account approval checklist.
What is interchange-plus pricing?
Card networks and issuing banks charge an interchange fee on every card transaction. With interchange-plus pricing you pay that cost at the actual rate, plus a clearly stated markup made up of a percentage and a per-transaction fee. It is more transparent than a single flat or tiered rate.
Why don’t you list a fixed rate for supplement merchants?
Because the processor sets it after underwriting. Two supplement brands can receive different terms depending on their products, claims, processing history, volume and chargeback record, so a published rate would not be accurate for most applicants.
What affects supplement and nutraceutical merchant pricing?
Your product category and marketing claims, processing history, monthly volume and average order size, subscription or auto-ship model, and the processor’s overall risk evaluation.
Will my account have a reserve?
It depends on underwriting. Some processors require a rolling reserve for new or higher-risk accounts. If one applies, the processor sets it and it is disclosed before you sign.
Which gateways do you support?
We work with NMI and Authorize.net payment gateways and virtual terminals. Gateway inclusion depends on the processor and plan.
Are the contract terms complicated?
No. Our contracts are simple and clearly written, and we walk you through the terms before you sign.
Is approval guaranteed?
No. Approval, final pricing, reserves and processing limits are decided by the processor’s underwriting.
Selling supplements or nutraceuticals?
We prepare your application, match you with processing partners that accept your category and walk you through the terms before you sign.
- See how it works: supplement and nutraceutical merchant accounts.
- Ready to apply? Start your application or call (571) 274-7950, 9 AM–6 PM ET.
Last updated October 2026. More about us: company facts.