Elavon and Global Payments are two of the largest merchant acquirers in the world — and the two hardest to price, because neither publishes list rates. Elavon (the US bank-owned acquirer) serves more than 2 million customers across 32 countries. Global Payments (which absorbed Heartland in 2016) is a US-based global acquirer. Since no brochure will tell you what either costs, this comparison works the other way: what their merchants' statements reveal, what their contracts demand, and the questions that force a real quote out of each.
Two quote-only giants: what we actually know
| Elavon | Global Payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Published list rates | None — quote only | None — quote only |
| Typical pricing model | Interchange-plus or tiered | Interchange-plus or tiered |
| Contract term | 3 years typical | 12–36 months typical |
| Early termination fee | $295+ | Varies; can be high |
| Equipment leases | 48-month locked terms reported | Varies by ISO |
| Documented junk fees | $99.99 annual fee on statements | 0.09% + $0.10/txn hidden fees on statements |
| 2026 rate action | Raised basis points + batch fees (Feb 2026) | Raised 100–225 bps (Aug 2026) |
What real statements reveal: the junk-fee audit
When neither vendor publishes prices, the statements are the price list. A statement audit documented Global Payments adding a fee structured as both a percentage of volume (0.09%) and a per-transaction fee ($0.10) — the sneakiest kind, because it scales with your business and hides in the totals. The same audit found Elavon adding a $99.99 annual fee. Both were refunded or waived when challenged — which tells you everything about whether they were contractual or discretionary.
Elavon's contract profile runs to a fairly standard three-year agreement with a $295+ early termination fee, PCI compliance fees of $29–$59/month, and 48-month locked equipment leases. Merchant reviews rate Elavon 1/5 on Trustpilot (120 reviews) and BBB, with complaints clustering on poor service, undisclosed terms, and hidden fees.
Global Payments' 2026 rate hikes
In August 2026, Global Payments raised discount rates by 100 to 225 basis points, applied differently across merchants and discovered on statements — nothing on the statement names the increase. At the top end, that is $6,750 a year on $25,000/month in volume, or $27,000 a year on $100,000/month. Heartland merchants (Global-owned since 2016) got a separate September notice that did not state the amount at all. These increases are not one-time events in this industry; they are the business model. Any Global Payments quote you get today should be read against the assumption that the rate will move.
The questions that force a real quote
- What is the exact markup over interchange? Get the basis points and per-transaction fee in writing. Anything quoted as a "qualified rate" without the markup is a teaser.
- List every recurring fee. Statement fees, PCI fees, batch fees, annual fees, minimums — and what a zero-volume month costs. A July 2026 Trustpilot review documents an undisclosed ~$700 "Infrastructure Fee" appearing on a Global Payments statement.
- What is the contract term and the exit price? Elavon's 3-year/$295+ profile is the benchmark; get the other side's number in the same format.
- Who owns the equipment? 48-month non-cancelable leases turn a $1,899 terminal into a multi-thousand-dollar commitment. Buy outright or walk.
- How are rate increases disclosed? After August 2026, this is not a hypothetical. Get the notice mechanism in writing.
What merchants report
Global Payments' review aggregate sits at 2.5/5, with complaint themes of unexpected fees, poor communication, and cancellation difficulty — including billing that continued after account closure and ended in a collections letter. Elavon's pattern is quieter but similar: undisclosed terms surfacing at exit. The counterpoint: both are genuinely negotiable. A merchant consultant documents negotiating Global Payments rates equal to or better than Costco's, including free terminals. The published price is fictional; the negotiated price is real.
A note from the audit desk: contract length and termination fees are the silent killers — double-check them before signing, and never sign an equipment lease bundled into a processing agreement without pricing the hardware separately.
A note on steps: this is a buying-decision guide, not a repair procedure — the numbered question list above is the actionable part, and there is no settings path to click through.
FAQ
Is Elavon or Global Payments cheaper?
Neither publishes rates, so there is no honest generic answer. Both are negotiable; get competing written quotes and compare the markup over interchange, not the headline rate.
Why did my Global Payments rates go up in 2026?
Global Payments raised discount rates 100–225 basis points effective August 2026. The increase appears on statements without being named — divide total fees by volume for two consecutive months to see your own number.
Does Elavon have a termination fee?
Typically yes: around $295+ on a standard three-year agreement, plus any remaining equipment-lease obligation. Get the exact figure in writing before signing.