| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mobile Payments |
| Founded | January 2011 |
| Founder | Marc Gardner |
| Headquarters | Troy, Michigan |
Area served | United States |
| Website | www |
Payanywhere is a payments platform and app that allows merchants in the United States to acceptcredit anddebit card payments while building customer relationships in-store, online, or on the go. Merchants may accept payments on their smartphone via aBluetoothcard reader or on an in-store “Storefront” solution[buzzword] featuring a tablet and stand, which was introduced on April 8, 2014.[1] PayAnywhere offerscredit card readers and apps that are compatible with both Apple and Android devices.[2]
Announced in late August 2015, a new Payanywhere reader for iOS phones and tablets addedApple Pay support, as well asNFC,EMV andmagnetic stripe acceptance. It was available exclusively from Apple’s retail and online store(s). Android tablet support was added in early October of that year.[3]
A key feature of thesolution platform beyond payment acceptance is Payanywhere Inside, an online merchant portal that enables businesses to access reporting, manage employee permissions, accept phone andonline payments via avirtual terminal, send and manage invoices, take action on chargebacks, and access additional business management tools.[4]
North (payment processing company) developed the Payanywhere app internally. Payanywhere officially launched in January 2011 on the iOS platform. In May 2011, Payanywhere made its app available for Android devices.[5] Payanywhere launched an app for BlackBerry smartphones in May 2012, supporting BlackBerry models OS 4.7 or later.[6]
In June 2012, Payanywhere released itsAndroid SDK to complement itsiOS SDK, which was made available in December 2011. The SDKs, available in Basic and Advanced, allow developers to embedcredit card processing functionality into their own apps.[7]
Payanywhere Storefront, a tablet and stand designed for retail payment acceptance, was launched in April 2014.[8]
In August 2015, Payanywhere introduced a new version of its Payanywheremobile credit card reader that would accept bothEMV chip card andApple Pay transactions. Then, in October of that same year, Payanywhere began offering the only mobileNFC reader on the market that acceptedApple Pay,Android Pay, andSamsung Pay.[9]
In September 2017, Payanywhere became the first payment processor to offerBluetoothEMV credit card readers without a monthly fee. As of December 2017, Payanywhere users are able to use a camera orbarcode scanner to acceptAlipay through both the mobile app and Payanywhere Storefront.[10]
Payanywhere’s payments platform allows merchants to accept credit and debit card payments on a smartphone or tablet (Storefront) while also enabling them to view reporting, send and receive invoices, accept online payments through avirtual terminal, and manage employees, customers, and inventory. Merchants may accept traditionalmagstriped credit and debit cards, along withEMV chip cards, andNFC payments likeApplePay – all with next-day funding, access to Payanywhere Inside, a secure, online merchant portal, and live customer and technical support.
Payanywhere offers Standard (as low as 1.69% per swipe), Pay-As-You-Go (as low as 2.69% per swipe) and Custom pricing models. Up-to-date versions of the app can be downloaded, at no cost, in the App Store and Google Play. Merchants can acceptVisa,MasterCard,Discover, andAmerican Express credit and debit cards. As of December 2015, Payanywhere charges inactivity fees for idle accounts; otherwise they claim there are no monthly fees or cancellation fees.[11]
The Payanywhere platform also includes security features likedata encryption,tokenization, and fraud protection. Additionally, in-app and online reporting provide small and medium-sized business owners with analysis tools. Users can monitor their daily sales, create inventories and generate customized reports of all sales activity in real time. This enables users to track sales immediately or over the long term and evaluate sales based on time of day, week or month to assess inventory orders and product promotions.
Payanywhere offers the following features:[12]
At CTIA Wireless 2012, Payanywhere announced its intention to expand into theretail channel, making itsmobile payment solution[buzzword] available in stores and online from retailers nationwide.
In November 2012 the company announced its nationwide retail rollout was live. Nationwide retailers includeWalmart,OfficeMax andThe Home Depot. Specialty retailers includePep Boys and Hastings. Regional retailers includeFred Meyer andMeijer. Payanywhere is also available for purchase online atWalmart,OfficeMax, andAmazon.com.[13]
PayAnywhere was a finalist for the Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards under the Mobile Applications: Mobile Commerce, Shopping & Rewards category.
Black Enterprise named PayAnywhere the “Most Dynamic Mobile App” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Best in Show Awards atCTIA Wireless 2012.[14]
J.P. Morgan analyst Tien-tsin Huang commented that “being born out of a top merchant processor gives PayAnywhere an advantage in understanding the complex needs of businesses looking to accept card-based payments.”
In a mobile payment roundup, Eric Geier ofPCWorld advised “PayAnywhere’s system is a good choice if you’re looking for a simple processor or even a POS-like system that supports cash drawers and can print receipts.”[15]
Jessica Dolcourt ofCNET reviewed PayAnywhere at CTIA Wireless 2012 and said “Payanywhere is taking swipes at Square’s credit card reader with a strong offering of its own and national distribution.”[16]