How it works
Five steps to your first payment.
What happens, who does what, and what to have ready.
The process
What happens, step by step
- Step 1
Apply through Inicio
Fill in the short pre-qualification form. No documents yet: we only need your business, website, monthly card volume and what you sell.
- Step 2
Get a merchant account
Already have one? We connect it. If not, we match you with a processor that fits your category and volume, and help you complete their application.
- Step 3
We set up your gateway
We open your Inicio gateway account, connect your processor, and switch on the add-ons you need: saved cards, fraud rules, 3-D Secure, invoicing.
- Step 4
Start taking payments
Accept payments on your website checkout, through the virtual terminal, by invoice or text link, or in person with Tap to Pay or a card reader.
- Step 5
Pay one clear monthly bill
You pay Inicio's published gateway price plus any add-ons. Your processor charges its card processing rate separately, so you see what each part costs.
Who does what
Three parties, one checkout
Sends each payment securely
Checkout, virtual terminal, saved cards, fraud tools, reporting, setup and support.
You pay: monthly gateway fee, per-transaction fee and any add-ons.
Approves and pays you
Approves your merchant account, authorises card payments and deposits funds to your bank account.
You pay: the card processing rate, a percentage plus a fixed amount per sale.
Set the rules
Visa, Mastercard and others set the rules on fraud, disputes and surcharging that every merchant follows.
You pay: included in your processing rate.
Be ready
What processors usually ask for
Exact requirements depend on the processor. We send you the right list once you're matched.
Business details
Registration documents, EIN or tax number, and ID for each owner with 25% or more.
Banking
A bank letter or voided check for the account that receives your deposits.
Processing history
Your last 3–6 months of processing statements, if you've taken card payments before.
A ready website
Clear products and prices, refund, shipping, privacy and terms pages, and contact details. Not sure? Run our free site audit.
Keep going
Related pages
Card processing
We match you with a processor that approves your category, with a backup account ready.
Read more →FreeStore audit
See what processors and shoppers will flag on your site before you apply.
Read more →PricingGateway pricing
$40 a month plus $0.10 per transaction, with published add-ons.
Read more →FAQPayments FAQ
Surcharging rules, chargebacks, Visa VAMP and PCI, in plain English.
Read more →Next step
Ready to start?
Pre-qualify in five minutes. We reply with your processor match and the exact documents needed.