Every payment method that matters
EMV chip, magnetic stripe (where required), contactless tap, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, plus QR-code mobile pay at the table. International cards including Canadian Interac and most European EMV.
Katalyst Payments
Transparent rates. Fast deposits. Zero integration tax.
Restaurant payment processing built into the POS — interchange-plus pricing with no bundled-rate surprises, next-day funding, and PCI compliance handled. The 15–20% you’re likely overpaying on Square or Toast bundled rates is margin you can keep.
Transparent processor-cost pricing
no bundled rates, no hidden tier downgrades
Next-day deposits, every day
weekends, holidays, and same-day options available
PCI DSS compliance handled
no separate audits, no liability on your side
What you get
Payment processing that doesn’t fight your POS
Most restaurants run two different vendors for their POS and their payment processor — which means two systems to reconcile, two contracts to manage, and two places where things can go wrong at midnight. Katalyst Payments is one platform: same software, same support team, one source of truth for every transaction.
Transparent pricing — no surprises
Interchange-plus pricing means you see processor cost + Katalyst markup separately. No bundled rates, no surcharge changes, no tier downgrades that quietly cost you 30 basis points. Most operators save 15–20% vs Square or Toast bundled processing.
Next-day funding
Standard ACH deposits land next business day, including weekends with same-day funding available for an additional fee. No holds for new merchants past initial verification — your cash flow doesn’t wait.
PCI compliance and chargebacks
Card data never touches your network — terminals tokenise on-device. PCI DSS Level 1 attestation handled by Katalyst, not you. Chargeback management via the Katalyst dashboard with auto-evidence submission for clear-cut cases.
Built into the POS workflow
No separate payment app, no integration to maintain, no reconciliation across systems. Tipping, splits, partial refunds, voids — all flow through the same Katalyst interface as the rest of your operations.
Surcharge and dual-pricing capable
If you’re running a cash discount or surcharge program (where legally permitted), Katalyst Payments handles dual-pricing display, automatic surcharge application, and all required signage compliance — no third-party plugin needed.
The processing-fee math
Why bundled rates cost more than they look
Bundled processors (Square, Toast, Clover) advertise simple rates like “2.6% + $0.10 per swipe.” The reality is messier: that rate is an average across card mix, and rewards/business/international cards get downgraded to higher tiers — quietly costing you another 0.5–1% effective on those transactions.
Interchange-plus pricing strips this out. You see the actual interchange cost (set by Visa/Mastercard, public) plus the processor markup (transparent). For a restaurant doing $1M annual card volume, the difference between bundled (~3.0% effective) and interchange-plus (~2.4% effective) is $6,000/year per location. Multi-unit groups: multiply.
The trade-off honest operators acknowledge: bundled is simpler to budget. Interchange-plus statements are denser but more accurate. If you want simplicity, we can quote you a flat-rate equivalent that still beats bundled processors. Run a free rate analysis on your last 3 months of statements during the demo to see what your specific savings look like.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does payment processing actually cost?
Katalyst Payments uses interchange-plus pricing — you pay the actual card network cost (set by Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) plus a transparent Katalyst markup of typically 0.20–0.40% + $0.10/transaction depending on volume. For a typical $35 ticket on a Visa rewards card, the total cost runs about 2.4–2.6% effective. Compare to bundled rates of 2.6–3.5% on Square or Toast, and savings stack up fast.
How long is funding to my bank account?
Standard funding is next business day for transactions captured before 8pm Eastern. Weekend/holiday funding lands the next business day at no extra cost (i.e. Saturday transactions fund Monday). Same-day funding is available as an option for ~0.05% surcharge if cash flow timing is critical.
Can I keep my existing merchant account?
If you’re already on Katalyst POS but using a different processor (e.g. you switched from another POS and kept your old merchant account), yes — we support major processors via integration. But the savings and simplicity of Katalyst Payments typically pay back the switch within the first month. We can run a parallel rate analysis from your current statements during the demo.
What hardware do I need?
Katalyst Payments runs on the same iPad-based POS as the rest of the Katalyst platform plus a paired EMV/NFC payment terminal — typically PAX A30 or Verifone P400 (about $300–500 per terminal). For mobile order and pay or kiosks, the iPad’s built-in NFC handles tap payments without an external terminal.
How do refunds, voids, and chargebacks work?
Refunds and voids issue from the POS terminal directly — same workflow as cash refunds, just with card. Funds return to the customer’s card within 3–5 business days. Chargebacks (when a customer disputes a charge with their bank) are managed via the Katalyst dashboard: we surface evidence (signed receipts, item details, delivery confirmation), and most clear-cut cases auto-submit.
What about international cards or fraud?
International cards (Canadian Interac, EU EMV, UK contactless) are accepted with no additional setup. Fraud screening runs at the network level (Visa’s VAA, Mastercard’s SafetyNet) plus Katalyst’s velocity checks for unusual patterns (multi-card retries, rapid-fire transactions). Most operators see fraud rates well under 0.1% of volume.
Stop overpaying
Get a free rate analysis
Send us your last 3 months of merchant statements during the demo — we’ll show you exactly what you’re paying and what Katalyst Payments would cost on the same volume.