Vantiv Overview
Vantiv is a large, publicly traded direct credit card processor that claims to have processed over 19 billion transactions in 2015. A former subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, Vantiv has acquired several large ISOs as part of its growth strategy over the past decade, including National Processing Company (NPC), Mercury Payment Systems, and Element Payment Services. In early 2016, the company rebranded Mercury Payment Systems and Element Payment Systems as “Vantiv Integrated Payments.” Vantiv Integrated Payments emphasizes omnichannel commerce products like mobile apps and e-commerce software in addition to conventional payment processing tools.
Vantiv’s status as a direct processor helps it serve a wide range of business sizes and types, from seasonal flea market vendors to enterprise-scale corporations. The company’s products and services include terminal-based point-of-sale systems, mobile phone processing, traditional credit card terminals, EMV acceptance, ACH processing, gift cards, merchant cash advance, e-commerce solutions, international payment acceptance, and sales analytics. Vantiv also promotes targeted service packages for industries ranging from small contractors to the non-profit sector to the healthcare industry. Vantiv has recently begun to emphasize its tools for developers—which include API documentation, mobile app tools, and web commerce SDKs—in its marketing materials for Vantiv Integrated Payments.
Vantiv offers 24/7/365 phone support to all of its merchants in addition to an online video library and email channels. The company also maintains customer service lines for the financial institutions that it serves, but these lines of communication are not intended for merchant customers. Charles Drucker is the CEO of Vantiv.
Vantiv Promotional Video
Online reputation and reviews
Vantiv has received over 100 negative reviews on various consumer protection websites. These complaints describe issues that are typical of large processors: long-term contracts, costly early termination fees, hidden fees, poor customer service, and billing and shipping errors. Compared to other companies of its size, Vantiv has a lower total number of complaints. However, it does not appear to distinguish itself from the competition in terms of pricing or service.
Legal actions and lawsuits
Although it previously served as the merchant account provider for DraftKings, Vantiv has stopped processing payments for daily fantasy sports sites due to the increased legal regulations placed on the industry.
Have you used Vantiv for your business? Rate the company at the top of this post and tell us about your experience in the comment section below:
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Recent User Reviews
Another company chasing after younger, faster, prettier, and now (post-COVID), cheaper. They don’t want experienced, reliable, professional employees. Give them nothing.
Almost impossible to cancel! It has taken me countless phone calls with promises that they would call back and no call returns. They tell told me they can see that I called to cancel on Jan 2nd but my account wasn’t officially closed until March 18th. $145 a month for the last 3 months. Even after 8 years of being with them they charged me $495 for early termination.
I just had the same issue! Been with them for 8 years and was charged $495 to cancel. Took me 3 months to finally get notice my account had been closed.
Placed a charge on my credit card that I did not authorize, nor have I ever done business with them. Zero association with them. TOTAL SCAM
This company is not a company that any one should do business with. The Customer service representative was anything but help full. It was like talking with a wall and when I asked to speak to a supervisor I was told NO. I feel that I was not valued. I Would not recommend this company or it’s service to anyone
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE CROOKS. After being a customer for over 9 years, it took me 5 phone calls and 2 months to close my account. Even after closing my account, they continue to steal money out of my account including today, $375 for early termination. They fall back on the excuse that it is in my contract, that they can not produce. 9 years apparently is not long enough for them. I urge you to close whatever bank account you have linked to these people so that you do not fall victim to me
I have been trying to cancel my account with vantive for over a year. We have not used them for processing at least that long and yet they still continue to charge useless fees every month. Calling the phone number on the statement is useless because they say they can’t cancel the account. So I get transferred to a voicemail box that nobody ever checks evidently. I was forced to go to my bank and pay a stop payment fee. They keep sending me statements and I continue to try to make it stop but this is obviously how they rip people off. STAY AWAY FROM VANTIV!
Same thing happened to me. All of a sudden they charged me 199 annual fee for customer service upgrades which sucks! And they only had the notice on one of the statements in very tiny writing at the bottom. Also, they changed my account without permission and started to charge me more per month and when I called they finally changed it back after 6 months of trying but fifththird bank refused to give me a refund. STAY AWAY FROM VANTIV AND FIFTHTHIRD BANK!!!!!!
These people are so inadequate. I requested a copy of a billing statement from 2019. (We are definitely switching processing companies!!). I called last week to have it e-mailed. After the 3rd degree to make sure I am who I say I am, they did not send it. Called 2 days later asking where my statement was, and they said it never got sent because they wrote down the wrong e-mail. I asked the second person when I would get the statement, and she said 3-5 business days. What?? It’s a simple e-mail!!!!! She said that she had to send it “out back” for “them” to send it. Come on People, get it together!!
It is absolutely impossible to work cooperatively with Vantiv. 6 phone calls and our simple request has still not been answered. They are awful!
This company is a rip off. Adding on more fees then acceptable. Compliance fee 90.00, non compliance fee 19.95 and tons more.
these guys are crook do not sign up for this service or lease a machine
The absolute worst company and customer service ever. Have been trying to resolve an issue with our gift cards for a month now. No way to run a business. No one responds to emails. When you call you can expect to be on hold for a very long time only to be asked to provide your company information several times as you are transferred over and over again. Then you get transferred to a voice message that tell you to leave a message but the mailbox is full. This is after 65 minutes on the phone.
I agree on the Vantiv rating- ultra ZERO.
I spent countless hours on phone calls and emails giving them extra chances to correct multiple errors to my account over a several year period. They did not honor my contract and I finally gave up trying to get them to fix it. They really didn’t care. They only way they would fix anything is if I signed another 2 year contract. HUH? -now why on earth would I sign another contract if they have already shown themselves to be untrustworthy? I also had problems with the “opt in” fees. They automatically “opt you in” to new fees unless you specifically call them to “opt out”. I sent them an email telling them that I OPT OUT of all present and future fees for anything unless they get permission from me. I finally gave up and dropped them. I will be shopping around as well. I just want an honest merchant services provider. I don’t have time to deal with this nonsense.
Vantiv is a really shifty company. It seems every so often they got their hands in my pocket. Either auto opt-in me into their RAAP program where I’d have to pay $90/yr, or auto opt-in me into their Breach Assist Program in paying about $30/m. They sure like to auto opt me into a lot of programs. I have to examine my monthly statement CLOSELY right when I get it.
Their latest tactic is something I just got in the mail today, it states,
“Due to the complexities of the payments industry and systems that support your processing, we must periodically review our pricing structure. Effective September 1, 2016, you will be assessed an annual fee of $169 each year in September.”
WHAT!? Now they’re just taking money from me without an explanation and without an auto opt-in/out-out. I think it’s time I shop around.
Vantiv has made a gross error at my private practice, Center for Behavioral Medicine in Port Orange, FL. Over a period of two to three months they made payments of $16,988.44 to my bank account, in error. These payments from patients should have been paid to our psychiatrist. Our office manager spent countless hours on the phone, with VANTIV, to unravel this bookkeeping error, and make corrections. The result was lost wages in the amount above for at least three months. The monthly fees I was charged and paid for the months of April, May and June were also overcharged due to the error made by VANTIV. My phone call to VANTIV today asking them to reimburse me for these overcharges was a waste of time. The person on the phone (after waiting for 30 minutes) was unable to help. My rating for this company is a big fat zero.