Do you sign up with Visa or Mastercard directly?
No. Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express are card networks, not merchant sign-up desks. To accept their cards you open a merchant account through a provider, and that account is what connects you to all the networks at once. You do not apply to each brand separately — one setup covers them all.
What do you need to accept cards?
- A merchant account — the account that receives card funds.
- A processing method — a gateway for online and virtual payments, a terminal for in person, or both.
- Underwriting approval — the sponsor bank reviews your business and approves the account.
Once these are in place, your customers can pay with any of the four major brands.
Does accepting Amex work differently?
Historically American Express was set up separately, but today it is usually enabled alongside Visa, Mastercard and Discover through the same merchant account. Your provider handles the enablement. The cost of accepting Amex can differ from the other brands, which you will see reflected on your statement.
How much does accepting cards cost?
Every card payment carries interchange set by the issuing bank, assessments set by the card brand, and your processor's markup. The first two are the same for everyone; the markup is where providers differ. Ask any provider for the effective rate — total fees divided by total volume — so you compare the true all-in cost, not just a headline number.
How does VOXEPAY help?
VOXEPAY sets up the merchant account and the processing method so your business can accept all four major brands. We handle the application, the underwriting, and the gateway or terminal setup — so you go from "we can't take cards" to fully processing without assembling the pieces yourself.