How to Open an Authorize.net Merchant Account
A merchant account is the bank piece behind every card sale. Here is what Authorize.net's own pages say about getting one, from the two plans to the fees.
What an Authorize.net merchant account is
An Authorize.net merchant account is the bank piece behind card sales. Authorize.net's pricing page says a merchant account is a type of bank account that lets businesses accept payments by debit or credit cards. It holds funds from card transactions and deposits them into your business bank account.
The gateway is a different thing. Authorize.net's pricing page says a payment gateway securely transmits payment data between a customer, your website or terminal, and the payment networks. The account holds the money. The gateway moves the data. Authorize.net's page says you must have a merchant account in order to accept credit cards, so the account is not optional.
Two paths to an account
Authorize.net's pricing page says its All-in-One plan includes two things. These are a payment gateway and a merchant account. That is the simpler path if you are starting from nothing.
The other path is Gateway Only. Authorize.net's pricing page says this plan connects to a merchant account you already have. It does not replace that account. Its page says the gateway only option allows you to connect to any merchant account provider. Do you already have a merchant account? Authorize.net's page says you can update your gateway with parameters from your merchant provider.
One limit matters here. Authorize.net's page says an account that is not solely owned cannot be used with the Authorize.net gateway. If your current account has another owner on it, ask your provider before you assume it will connect.
What applying and approval look like
Authorize.net's pages describe the gateway account and the merchant account being approved in different ways.
Authorize.net's page says a completed Payment Gateway account application is approved automatically. Fill it out right, and the gateway side is done.
The merchant account side goes through underwriting. Authorize.net's page says merchant account approval depends on factors including industry, credit history and responsiveness. Its pricing page says an underwriter looks at four things. These are your industry, your processing history, your personal credit, and your business creditworthiness. Its page says the all-in-one solution includes help providing you with a merchant account. You are not left to find an underwriter on your own.
What you can accept once approved
Authorize.net's page says it accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, and Diners Club credit and debit cards. It also accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and eChecks, which are ACH bank transfers. The eCheck option is only available for businesses based in the U.S.
Its page lists four payment offerings. These are online payments, mobile payments, eCheck payments, and virtual point of sale. So one Authorize.net setup can take online, mobile and virtual point of sale payments.
What the plans cost
Authorize.net's pricing page says the All-in-One plan is $25 per month plus 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction.
Its page says the Gateway Only plan is $25 per month plus 10 cents per transaction and a 10 cent daily batch fee.
Its pricing page says its Gateway plus eCheck plan costs $25 per month. The eCheck rate is 0.75%. Credit card sales cost 10 cents each, plus a 10 cent daily batch fee.
The monthly fee covers included features. What does the monthly fee cover? Authorize.net's page says it covers fraud protection, recurring billing, digital invoicing, and customer data management. It also covers 24/7 support and AI-powered reporting. Its page says the gateway monthly fee is $25.00 and is prorated if the service is set up mid-month.
Beyond the plan price, Authorize.net's page lists merchant account fee types including percentage-based fees, fixed per-transaction fees, and monthly service or gateway fees. It also lists batch or settlement fees, cross-border surcharges, and PCI compliance fees. Its page says these fee types together shape the total cost of payment acceptance. Ask any merchant account provider you pair with the gateway which of these apply to you.
Published prices change, so confirm them on Authorize.net's page before you sign up.
Contract, cancellation and security
Authorize.net's pricing page says it has no contract requirement and no early termination fees. It says you can cancel your gateway subscription at any time without penalty. Its page says the gateway setup fee is $0.00.
One caveat. Its pricing page says a merchant account from its All-in-one plan may have separate terms. You can review them at signup. Read those terms before you apply.
On security, Authorize.net's page says it is a PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider. Its page says sensitive cardholder data never touches the business's servers directly. That lowers the business's own PCI compliance burden.
After approval: funding and support
Money movement runs through your Merchant Service Provider. Authorize.net's page says the Merchant Service Provider moves the funds to your bank account. Funding time can vary depending on that provider. So the honest answer on deposit speed is: ask the provider at signup.
The batch closes automatically once per day. Authorize.net's page says the default cut-off is 3:00 PM PST, and you can change it.
Support is always on. Authorize.net's pricing page says its live support team is available around the clock with no bots or ticket queues.
How to start
Authorize.net's page says partners will work with you to ensure you have everything you need to sign up. You can contact them online by filling in a quick form, or a representative will help you get started by phone.
Before you apply, know your average ticket size. A plan with a low flat fee per transaction can cost more on small sales than a plan with a percentage. Run your own numbers, the same way you would for a forty dollar sale at the counter. Does deposit speed matter to your cash flow? Ask your Merchant Service Provider up front. Waiting for money is its own cost, as paying to be paid tonight shows.