PayAnywhere

Overview

PayAnywhere is a point-of-sale and payment service for U.S. businesses that need to take payments in person and remotely. It suits merchants looking to pair checkout with inventory and back-office reporting; the transaction fees and U.S.-only service area narrow its appeal.

Key features

Payments beyond the counter

PayAnywhere accepts EMV chip, contactless, magstripe, PIN debit, EBT, and digital wallet payments, including Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Tap to Pay and offline payments are supported, and a reader is not required. That range gives merchants options for accepting payments in person, including away from a fixed checkout.

The browser-based Virtual Terminal can process orders taken online or by phone without hardware. Payment Links support fixed, multiple, or open-ended amounts and can be shared by email or text, embedded as a button, or offered as a QR code. Recurring payments are also supported, making the service useful for businesses that collect payments in more than one way.

Inventory and reporting

The cloud-based product catalog includes categories, price variants, modifiers, bulk uploads, discounts, stock alerts, and sales tracking. These controls help businesses manage changing products and monitor stock without relying on a separate catalog. Reports cover sales, customers, employees, inventory, deposits, and chargebacks, with exports and scheduled email delivery. Transactional data can be exported to QuickBooks, and a Chargezoom integration syncs PayAnywhere transactions with QuickBooks Online.

Staff, funding, and security

Employee roles include administrator, manager, cashier, and reporter. A Homebase partnership adds scheduling, time tracking, and payroll. Next-day funding is the default, while same-day funding is available at no charge, subject to the stated processing cutoff times. Virtual Terminal transactions use end-to-end encryption and tokenization; Payment Links use point-to-point encryption and tokenization.

PCI Plus pairs a dedicated support team with the SecureTrust platform. Eligible PCI Level-3 or Level-4 businesses may receive up to $100,000 in breach-related expenditure protection. Support is available by email at [email protected] and by phone at 866.485.8999.

Pricing

The free plan makes it possible to start without a subscription fee, but processing charges still apply. Pay as you go has custom pricing terms: 2.69% for swipe, dip, or tap transactions and 3.49% + $0.19 for keyed transactions. Those rates make transaction type relevant to the cost, particularly for merchants who key in payments. Custom pricing is based on processing volume, average transaction amount, and other business factors, so it is the plan to consider when processing scale or ticket size could affect the offer.

Platforms

PayAnywhere is available on Android, iOS, and the web. The Virtual Terminal provides browser-based payment processing, and no reader is required. Services may only be used in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, ruling it out for merchants operating elsewhere.

Who it's for

PayAnywhere is a reasonable fit for U.S. merchants who want in-person and remote payment options alongside inventory, staff roles, and operational reporting. Its catalog and stock tools suit businesses managing a varied product range, while payment links and recurring payments help businesses collect money outside a face-to-face sale. Merchants who need to operate outside the United States should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Supports in-person, browser-based, link-based, recurring, and offline payments, giving merchants several ways to collect money.
• Pros: Inventory, staff roles, reporting, and QuickBooks data export bring useful back-office functions alongside payment processing.
• Pros: Same-day funding is available at no charge, in addition to default next-day funding.
• Cons: Service is restricted to the 50 states and the District of Columbia, so it does not suit businesses operating in other regions.
• Cons: Keyed transactions carry a higher listed rate than swipe, dip, or tap transactions, which can raise costs for businesses that commonly take orders by phone or online.

Alternatives

Helcim is worth considering for businesses seeking interchange-plus rates that vary by volume and no monthly account fees. PayPal Invoicing is a better match when creating and sending invoices without setup or subscription fees is the priority, with transaction fees applying when customers pay. Zeller offers a free POS with no monthly subscription or software licence fee, but requires a Zeller Terminal and charges transaction fees. Lopay offers a free Essential plan with unlimited team members and Thursday bank payouts. SumUp Invoices is an alternative for businesses looking for a free invoicing plan with unlimited invoices and quotes. SwipeSimple may suit eligible businesses whose customers can cover a 3.5% card fee under its Zero plan. QuickBooks GoPayment is an option for businesses that already qualify for a QuickBooks Payments account. myPOS Glass is another mobile payment alternative.

For more options, browse Mobile Payment Processing Software and Point-of-Sale Software.

Verdict

Choose PayAnywhere if your business operates in the United States and you want one service for varied payment channels, product inventory, and operational reporting. Its breadth and no-charge same-day funding are compelling advantages; the keyed transaction rate and strict geographic limit are the clearest reasons to choose another provider.