National Processing vs Zettle

National Processing requires a monthly subscription fee starting at $14.95, plus transaction costs. Their lowest advertised rate is 2.41% + 10¢, but this requires an expensive premium plan. National Processing has faced widespread complaints about hidden fees and deceptive billing practices. Zettle operates purely on a pay-as-you-go model with no monthly software contracts or fees. The in-person transaction rate is a simple, fixed 1.75% across all major card types. Zettle offers custom rates for merchants processing over £10,000 monthly, maintaining transparency. The lack of hidden fees is a major advantage for Zettle users. National Processing attempts to court high-volume users with promises of lower interchange rates. Zettle wins on simplicity and honesty; there are no surprises or minimum usage requirements. Zettle is safer for new or volatile businesses.

National Processing promises ‘Unrivaled’ 24/7 U.S.-based support dubbed ‘Customer Elevation.’ However, user reviews are catastrophic, citing non-existent support, hours-long hold times, and unhelpful staff. This massive gap between promise and delivery is a severe operational risk using National Processing. Zettle provides knowledgeable support agents available Monday through Friday during business hours. While not 24/7, user reviews consistently praise Zettle’s support as responsive and easy to reach by phone. Zettle ensures you speak to a real person who resolves the issue fast. When your payment system crashes, the quality of support matters more than availability; Zettle clearly outperforms National Processing here. For mission-critical operations, Zettle users report less service downtime. National Processing's support failures can mean lost sales during peak times.

National Processing offers premium, top-tier Point of Sale systems designed for integrated, high-volume retail locations. They also offer the unique advantage of free reprogramming of existing POS equipment. This is great for businesses standardizing on specific hardware. Zettle allows instant payment acceptance using the free Tap to Pay feature on your existing smartphone via the free POS app. They also offer the modern PayPal Reader, which is small and ideal for mobile or pop-up sales. Zettle is therefore far superior for businesses operating remotely or on the move. If you need a permanent, feature-rich terminal, National Processing may suit you better. However, Zettle provides immediate, zero-cost physical payment acceptance via Tap to Pay, maximizing flexibility. Zettle is about portability; National Processing is about enterprise capability.

National Processing offers their lowest advertised rate of 2.41% + 10¢ only on the Premium plan, which costs $19+ per month. New customers might start paying 2.5% + 10¢ or 2.9% + 30¢, depending on the plan. Manual transactions can cost up to 3.5% + 15¢ with National Processing. Zettle maintains a very competitive flat rate of 1.75% for all in-person card transactions. This predictable single rate simplifies forecasting and is excellent for smaller transaction sizes. Zettle remote payments, like invoicing, are slightly higher at 2.5%. Zettle's simple 1.75% rate for card-present transactions offers better value than National Processing’s 2.41% + 10¢ plus the monthly fee. Zettle's pricing structure guarantees low transaction costs without hidden fees being sprung later. Small businesses save money immediately with Zettle’s lower flat rate structure.

National Processing's standard funding process takes 2–3 business days before money reaches your bank account. Faster funding is available only as an optional feature for their Premium plan members. This requires direct contact with their sales team for specific details and availability. Zettle, operating under PayPal, deposits funds into your connected PayPal Business account within minutes of the transaction. Funds are then immediately available for use or for transfer to your traditional bank account. This speed is crucial for businesses needing quick cash flow. Small, frequent sellers benefit massively from Zettle's rapid access, reducing the reliance on short-term debt. National Processing's standard delay can create cash flow bottlenecks for growing merchants. Zettle makes managing daily expenses simpler with instant access to sales revenue.

National Processing actively courts merchants processing over $10,000 monthly, offering a $500 rate guarantee challenge. Their Premium plan is optimized for rapidly expanding businesses needing robust POS systems. National Processing offers custom packages specifically for merchants processing over $30,000 monthly. Zettle's model is geared towards simplicity, flexibility, and minimizing costs for small businesses and solo operators. The free POS app and pay-as-you-go model reduce commitment and setup barriers. Zettle's simplicity makes it ideal for businesses focused solely on efficient payment acceptance. If you are running a restaurant chain or high-volume retail store, National Processing provides the scalable framework. If you are running a market stall or mobile service, Zettle is clearly faster to implement and far simpler. National Processing offers enterprise growth tools, while Zettle offers immediate ease of use.