About The Southern Institute
Overview
The Southern Institute is a merchant services provider headquartered in Addison, Texas that focuses on placing payment processing accounts for high-risk businesses. The company was founded in 2017 and operates under The Steward Group, the same organization behind related processors ASAP Solutions Consulting and High Risk Merchant Solutions.
The Southern Institute markets merchant account placement for industries that traditional processors often decline, including CBD and hemp sellers, nutraceutical companies, firearms retailers with Federal Firearms Licenses, document preparation services, credit repair, timeshare, travel, and continuity or subscription billing businesses. Services offered through partner acquirers include credit and debit card processing, ACH and electronic check processing, payment gateway integration, and in-person card acceptance.
Pricing
The Southern Institute does not publish a fee schedule on its website. Pricing for the high-risk merchant accounts the company places is set by the underwriting acquirer and varies by industry, processing volume, chargeback history, and time in business.
Custom Quotes
Prospective merchants are required to submit an application or speak with a representative to receive a rate proposal. Because high-risk processing typically carries higher discount rates, larger reserves, and stricter contract terms than standard merchant accounts, the company's specific pricing varies significantly from one client to the next and is not publicly disclosed.
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Recent User Reviews
The Southern Institute helped us integrate our payment tools in a way that didn’t interrupt our day to day operations. They kept communication clear and timely, and their team was helpful without being pushy. The setup has been reliable and easy to manage.