How to compare merchant service providers

You run a distribution business and need in-store acceptance that works with your POS and your queue.

Short answer

For a distributor, the deciding factors are narrower than for B2B payments generally: the acceptance method must clear a customer in seconds at the counter, reconcile with your POS without manual work, and survive a weekend hardware failure. Compare providers on documented in-store methods, named POS integrations, per-transaction and per-item cost against your average ticket, and the published support channel — then confirm reserve and termination terms in the agreement.

This page does not rank providers and makes no claim about any company that its own public pages do not state. Every cell below links to the source page and the date we read it. No "best", cheapest, approval-rate or network-acceptance claim appears here about anyone, including us. Last reviewed August 18, 2026.

What to compare

Seconds at the counter

Time the full flow, including PIN entry or bank-account enrolment, on a real customer. A method that adds thirty seconds per transaction changes staffing at peak.

POS reconciliation

Whether the payment appears in the POS ticket automatically, how refunds and voids are handled, and which system is authoritative when the two disagree at close.

Effect on average ticket and cash handling

Non-cash acceptance usually shifts basket size and reduces cash on site. Model the change in armoured pickup and reconciliation labour alongside processing cost.

Multi-location and delivery coverage

Whether the same method covers second locations, online pre-orders and delivery drivers, or whether each channel needs a separate provider and separate reconciliation.

Hardware ownership and failure cover

Who owns the terminals, what replacement takes, and what the store does on the day a device fails.

Compliance fit in your state

State rules and your licence conditions can restrict specific acceptance methods. Confirm the method against your state's rules before signing.

What each provider publishes

Sourced from each company's own public pages. Blank cells mean the fact is not published, not that it is unfavourable.

How to compare merchant service providers: attributes each provider publishes on its own website
AttributePOSaBITPayboticAeropay
Payment methods publicly documentedNames POS payments with split payments and multiple processor support, debit payments, and "POSaBIT Pay", a pay-by-bank option it describes as powered by Plaid.Source, read August 18, 2026Its solutions index names PIN debit card processing, eCheck/ACH, eCommerce payment processing, gift card programs, merchant cash advance, B2B banking (checking accounts) and a smart safe.Source, read August 18, 2026Names Pay (bank-linked payments), Payout, AeroSync (bank account connection) and Guard.Source, read August 18, 2026
Stated market focusB2B retail across in-store, online ordering and delivery, described as omni-channel; no non-B2B verticals were named on the pages read.Source, read August 18, 2026Names retail B2B distributors, medical wholesale distributors and delivery, MRO/distribution retail and MRO/distribution eCommerce.Source, read August 18, 2026Published use cases are gaming, specialized retail, e-commerce, marketplaces and subscriptions.Source, read August 18, 2026
Publicly documented POS or software integrationsIts integrations page names Dutchie, Jane, Dispense, Weedmaps, Leafly, Wikileaf, Metrc, BioTrack, Headset, Alpine IQ, Onfleet, Green Check, Divvy, Enlighten, Eyerate, Sticky Cards, Springbit and GBG, and refers to open APIs.Source, read August 18, 2026No named third-party POS or software integration partners and no developer documentation were found on the pages read; the debit page instead states "no integration with the POS system necessary".Source, read August 18, 2026Publishes developer documentation at dev.aero.inc and a merchant knowledge base at help.aeropay.com.Source, read August 18, 2026
How onboarding starts on the public sitePublic entry points are "Request a Demo" and a support/contact form; no self-serve application was exposed.Source, read August 18, 2026Public entry points are a "Get Started" contact form and a phone number; no online application is exposed.Source, read August 18, 2026Public entry point is a demo request; no self-serve application was exposed on the pages read.Source, read August 18, 2026
Pricing information published publiclyNo rate card is published on its payments page; the published path is "Book a Demo".Source, read August 18, 2026No rate card is published. The debit page refers to a one-time onboarding cost and "low monthly fees" without amounts, and a promotion page advertises waived monthly maintenance fees and up to five free terminals per location.Source, read August 18, 2026No rate card was found on the pages read, and no dedicated public pricing page was located on 18 August 2026.Source, read August 18, 2026
Support model described publiclyPublishes a support phone number (1 855 767 2248), a support request form and a demo request form.Source, read August 18, 2026Publishes a support phone number (844.420.4729), a support email address and a "24/7 Dedicated Support" statement.Source, read August 18, 2026Lists a support centre for personal users and a separate merchant knowledge base; no support phone number or published hours were found on the pages read.Source, read August 18, 2026
Limitations stated on the provider's own pagesStates it is "PCI DSS compliant & TLS-Certified where possible" and describes POSaBIT Pay as requiring the customer to connect a bank account through Plaid.Source, read August 18, 2026States that because B2B is federally illegal most banks and national card networks will not process these transactions; its debit product requires the customer to enter a PIN, and its banking product requires app-loaded funds or a linked external bank account.Source, read August 18, 2026Not published publicly.

Head-to-head detail: B2B Pay Hub vs POSaBIT, B2B Pay Hub vs Paybotic, B2B Pay Hub vs Aeropay.

Questions operators ask

What payment methods can a distributor actually accept?
In practice: cash, PIN-based debit where the provider supports it, ACH or pay-by-bank for pre-orders and some in-store flows, and closed-loop or account-funded wallets. Standard credit card acceptance is not available to plant-touching retailers on the major networks.
Should I buy payments from my POS vendor?
Bundling simplifies reconciliation and support. Separating them means a payments change does not force a POS migration. Either way, confirm portability: what transfers if you leave, and how long you keep access to reporting.
What is a fair way to compare quotes?
Put every quote on the same monthly volume, transaction count and average ticket, then add monthly, gateway, PCI, chargeback, hardware and reserve costs. The cost calculator publishes the formulas so a quote can be checked independently.

Other guides: How to compare B2B payment processors · B2B ACH and pay-by-bank providers: how to compare · Card versus ACH: the rails compared

Where you are today

Four ways operators start with us on provider selection

New or pre-revenue business

Not processing yet. We map which payment methods your card mix and products can realistically support, what each costs, and what your application file needs before you open.

Plan your payment setup

Operating and looking to switch

Already processing but paying too much, funding too slowly, or working around a system that does not fit. Send statements and we return a line-by-line read plus alternatives.

Review my current setup

Recently shut down or restricted

Account terminated, frozen, capped or moved to reserve. We help you interpret the notice, pursue held funds, and rebuild with fewer single points of failure.

Get help with a complex account

Declined during underwriting

Turned down on application. We read the decline reason, identify what was missing or mismatched in the file — licence, ownership, product mix, banking — and rebuild the submission before it goes back out.

Review a declined application