Inner Fence Overall Rating
Review Updated: 12/13/2012
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Inner Fence Overview
Inner Fence Logo
Sometimes referred to as “InnerFence” as one word, Inner Fence, LLC. (innerfence.com) is a Seattle based company that focuses on building credit card processing software for mobile devices such as the Android and iPhone. Similar to that of Pay Anywhere, GoPayment and Square, Inner Fence allows merchants to accept credit card payments on their smartphones and tablets. However, unlike most other mobile providers, Inner Fence’s service also include the ability to accept swiped and keyed card transactions on Windows and Mac computers. This platform flexibility makes Inner Fence one of the better choices for established merchants that regularly accept card payments.
Inner Fence was founded in 2007 and operates in an apparent joint venture with Merchant Focus, which supplies the actual credit card processing. The companies also acquired AppNinjas (Swipe), another mobile processor, in 2010.
Inner Fence Sales & Marketing Tactics | A+
Inner Fence uses no deceptive advertising or rate quoting tactics that are apparent to this reviewer. In fact, the company’s website has the most transparent pricing of any previously reviewed provider (covered below). It appears that Inner Fence primarily markets it service through online marketing, referral partnerships, and referrals from Merchant Focus.
Inner Fence Costs & Contract Terms | B
Inner Fence splits its pricing into three categories: U.S. Merchants, Canadian Merchants and Non-Profits. All three offer month-to-month agreements with no cancellation fees, no setup fees, no minimum fees, no annual fees, no AVS fees, no batch header fees and no leasing or PCI Compliance fees. All types also include Discover credit card acceptance while requiring a separate American Express merchant account. As for pricing, each has slightly different fees which can be customized for merchants processing over $250,000 annually.
US based merchants will pay a $25 per month service fee and the following processing rates: Swipe/retail accounts have three tiers: 1.74% Qualified, 2.49% Mid-Qualified, and 3.79% Non-Qualified plus $0.24 per transaction for all tiers. Keyed/e-commerce accounts have two tiers: 2.09% Qualified, 3.79% Non-Qualified plus $0.24 per transaction. Inner Fence does not bundle the Dues & Assessments fees charged by the card associations, so this will add an additional 0.11% – 0.13% for VISA and MasterCard transactions and 0.105% for Discover. Other card association fees may also be passed on to the merchant as they arise, which is typical of most traditional merchant accounts. Merchants who wish to accept American Express will need to establish an account directly with the company and then supply the account number to Inner Fence.
Canadian based merchants will have their processing handled by BeanStream and will be have and $35 (CAD) monthly service fee. Canadians also have a simple flat rate transaction fee of 2.95% + $0.25 (CAD) per transaction, regardless of card or transaction type. Like U.S. merchants, card association fees will be passed on to the merchant.
Non-Profit companies based in the U.S. get a slight break in pricing with a $20 monthly service fee and rates of 1.74% Qualified, 2.49% Mid-Qualified, 3.09% Non-Qualified plus $0.24 per transaction. These rate tiers appear to apply to both keyed and swiped transactions, but merchants are encouraged to double check with Inner Fence before applying. Be sure to read “Fee Sweep” to get a full understanding of how rates and fees are assessed in the credit card processing industry.
Aside from processing costs, merchants who wish to have more than one card reader will need purchase them for $79 each (first one is free through December 15th, 2012). Additionally, Inner Fence credit card processing requires an Authorize.net account which is subject to its own fees. Check the company’s website and service agreement for full rate and fee disclosure.
Inner Fence Complaints & Service | A
Inner Fence has no complaints filed in the usual forums and the app has received high ratings in the iTunes and Android app marketplaces. Additionally, the company has a dedicated customer support phone number as well as email support.
Inner Fence BBB Report | A
As of this review, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) does not have a report for Inner Fence so we have used the Merchant Focus BBB report since it’s the company that handles the processing.
Bottom Line
Overall, Inner Fence scores well in most of the important areas of merchant credit card acceptance. The service is best suited for established merchants that regularly accept credit card payments ($3,000+ per month) and want wider platform compatibility. Inner Fence has drawbacks including pricing that, in some cases, will be more expensive than its competitors and expensive additional card readers. Learn more about the company by visiting the Inner Fence website.
