Accept Payments Online with Heartland

Frequently Asked Questions

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  What is the Heartland payment gateway?

  The Heartland payment gateway is Heartland’s Portico-based platform that connects a business website, app or payment device to Heartland processing for online, mobile and in-person payments. Heartland Payment Systems is now part of Global Payments and has fully transitioned to the Global Payments brand, so newer Heartland developer tools, such as the JavaScript library, carry the Global Payments name.

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  Is Heartland a merchant account or a payment gateway?

  Heartland is both. Heartland Payment Systems, LLC is a registered ISO of PNC Bank, N.A. and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, and its gateway API keys are tied to a specific merchant and terminal account at Heartland. The Heartland gateway therefore runs on a Heartland merchant account, not one from another provider. AllayPay merchant accounts connect to the Authorize.net, NMI and Fluid Pay gateways instead.

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  What is the difference between Heartland and Authorize.net?

  Heartland and Authorize.net differ mainly in processor choice. Heartland gateway API keys are tied to a Heartland merchant account, while Authorize.net states it can connect to any merchant account provider,. AllayPay offers both Authorize.net and NMI, and NMI states it integrates with more than 200 payment processors.

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  What payment methods does Heartland support?

  Heartland supports Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover credit and debit cards, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH and eCheck payments. The Global Payments JavaScript library used for Heartland online checkout can also tokenize Heartland gift and loyalty cards, but only for Heartland eCommerce accounts.

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  Can I accept payments through my website with Heartland?

  Yes. Heartland offers hosted payment forms, shopping cart integrations, pay by link and APIs. Merchants can choose a simple hosted option or build a custom checkout that matches their brand.

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  How long does it take to set up Heartland online payments?

  Heartland says businesses are set up within three business days on average, and some customers can be implemented as soon as the same day. Heartland also states merchants can start taking orders in as little as 30 minutes with no coding necessary, and it offers same-day, next-day and instant funding options.

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  Does Heartland integrate with eCommerce platforms and business software?

  Yes. Heartland lists more than 900 integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, WordPress and Gravity Forms. For a custom Heartland gateway integration, Global Payments publishes open-source SDKs for PHP, .NET, Java and Node.js on GitHub, along with the Global Payments JavaScript library for iframe card fields.

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  Does Heartland include a virtual terminal?

  Yes. Heartland offers a virtual terminal so authorized users can key in card payments from a browser. It supports phone orders, mail orders and other payments where the customer is not completing an online checkout.

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  Does Heartland support recurring billing?

  Yes. Heartland recurring billing automates payments for subscriptions, memberships and service plans, so customers are charged on schedule without manual entry. Recurring charges run on tokenized payment details instead of stored card numbers, and Heartland pairs them with automatic card updates to cut declines from replaced cards.

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  Can Heartland store customer payment methods?

  Yes. Heartland uses tokenization to replace card numbers with secure tokens. Merchants can use stored payment details for repeat purchases and recurring billing without keeping full card data on their own servers.

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  What are Heartland Hosted Payment Forms?

  Heartland hosted payment forms are secure, mobile-responsive checkout forms that Heartland hosts and that you can customize to match your website. Because Heartland hosts the payment fields, the forms reduce your PCI compliance scope, and they support multiple payment options on one form.

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  What are Heartland Hosted Fields?

  Heartland Hosted Fields place secure payment fields inside your own checkout page using iframes, now provided through the Global Payments JavaScript library. Heartland collects the card data on its servers, so less sensitive data touches your site. This can help eligible merchants qualify for a simpler PCI self-assessment.

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  Can I send invoices through Heartland?

  Yes. Heartland lets merchants generate a “Pay now” link and send it straight from their invoice or ERP software. The customer clicks the link and pays on a secure payment page.

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  Does Heartland support payment links and QR codes?

  Yes. Heartland Pay by Link lets merchants send a payment link by email, text or QR code. Customers pay with a tap or a click, with no full shopping cart needed.

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  Does Heartland support ACH and eCheck payments?

  Yes. Heartland ACH payments let customers pay invoices, recurring bills and other charges by eCheck from a bank account. In the Global Payments JavaScript library, ACH and eCheck tokenization is available for Heartland eCommerce accounts only, and ACH access depends on Heartland’s underwriting approval and account configuration.

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  What fraud prevention tools does Heartland provide?

  Heartland fraud prevention tools include address verification (AVS), CVV checks, encryption, tokenization and dispute management, and the Heartland and Global Payments SDK supports 3D Secure authentication. None of these screens out every fraudulent order, so merchants with high chargeback exposure still need active monitoring.

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  Is Heartland PCI compliant?

  Heartland describes its hosted shopping cart integrations as PCI-compliant and provides PCI compliance support, encryption and tokenization. Its hosted payment forms reduce the card data a business handles, but merchants must still complete the PCI requirements that apply to their own payment environment.

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  Can Heartland help reduce failed recurring payments?

  Yes. Heartland automatic card updates refresh stored card details when a customer’s card expires or is reissued, which cuts declines on recurring payments. Card updates do not fix declines from insufficient funds or closed accounts.

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  Can I issue refunds and void transactions through Heartland?

  Yes. Heartland lets authorized users refund settled transactions and void eligible transactions before settlement. In the Heartland Portico API, these run as CreditReturn and CreditVoid requests, and the exact options depend on the tool or integration the merchant uses.

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  Does Heartland provide APIs and developer tools?

  Yes. Heartland gives developers APIs, detailed documentation, real-time debugging tools and an instant sandbox for testing. Dedicated developer support and integration specialists help with setup.

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  Is Heartland suitable for enterprise payment processing?

  Yes. Heartland serves small, midsize and enterprise businesses and states that more than 90,000 businesses use its online payment processing. Heartland also offers 24/7/365 U.S.-based support and offline processing that keeps payments flowing when network connections fail.

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  Can high-risk merchants use the Heartland payment gateway?

  High-risk merchants can use the Heartland payment gateway only if Heartland’s underwriting approves them. Heartland issues its own merchant accounts as a registered ISO of PNC Bank and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, and its gateway runs only on those accounts. High-risk businesses that Heartland does not approve can use a gateway such as NMI or Authorize.net with a high-risk merchant account from another provider.

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  What is a good alternative to Heartland for high-risk merchants?

  AllayPay offers high-risk merchant accounts paired with the Authorize.net, NMI or Fluid Pay gateway as an alternative to Heartland. AllayPay specializes in industries such as CBD and Delta 8, nutraceuticals, research peptides, vape, firearms and travel. AllayPay boards U.S. merchants only.

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  How much does the Heartland payment gateway cost?

  Heartland does not publish a standalone price for its payment gateway or for online transactions; those are quoted by Heartland. Its published Payments+ plan starts at 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person transactions on flat-rate pricing, and its FAQ states the first three disputes are free, then $25 per dispute. Because the gateway is tied to a Heartland account, Heartland sets this pricing, not AllayPay.

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  Why talk to AllayPay® before choosing the Heartland payment gateway?

  AllayPay helps you weigh Heartland’s bundled gateway and merchant account against an AllayPay merchant account on the Authorize.net, NMI or Fluid Pay gateway. AllayPay, Inc. has operated since 2016 from Plantation, Florida, serves more than 1,000 active merchants, processes over $1.1 billion a year and gives each merchant a dedicated U.S.-based account manager.

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  How do I get started with AllayPay® if I am considering Heartland?

  Request a free quote from AllayPay with your business type, website, monthly volume and average ticket. If Heartland’s bundled account fits better, AllayPay will tell you, and you apply with Heartland directly. Otherwise, AllayPay underwrites a U.S. merchant account on Authorize.net, NMI or Fluid Pay for checkout, recurring billing, ACH or invoicing, with same-day approvals for many businesses.