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Review

PayKings high-risk merchant account review

By Marcus Flynn, tracking and attribution editor. Updated 14 October 2026.

Quick answer

PayKings is our top pick for most people. A high-risk ISO that publishes interchange-plus markups and underwrites a dedicated account before you process. I would choose it when those written tiers matter, and I would add interchange on top before I called the markup the real rate.

  • PayKings. Best for sellers who want interchange-plus markups in writing before the first sale.

Where PayKings fits

A high-risk ISO that publishes interchange-plus markups and underwrites a dedicated account before you process. I would choose it when those written tiers matter, and I would add interchange on top before I called the markup the real rate.

It is at its best for sellers who want interchange-plus markups in writing before the first sale. That is the lens the rest of this review uses: not whether it is the biggest tool on the market, but whether it is the right one for that operator.

I would look at PayKings when the priority is a dedicated account in the business name, priced as interchange plus a markup you can read before the first sale. Aggregators such as Stripe, Square, and PayPal board many sellers as sub-accounts. This is the other structure.

The approval rate and the 24-hour decision are the company's own statements. They assume the file is already complete. The reserve percentage is not on the rate card. PayKings says rolling reserves are typically held for six months.

PayKings also says card networks start monitoring when chargebacks reach roughly 0.9 percent to 1 percent of monthly transactions. Model that against Visa and Mastercard in our chargeback ratio calculator before you treat one percentage as the only line.

PayKings' high-risk page is the source for the tiers. A payments-forum thread calls PayKings and Durango decent for the space and says the fees sit above a standard account. How the three ISOs differ is in our guide to high-risk merchant account providers.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Publishes interchange-plus markups in two volume bands, with no setup fee.
  • Sells a dedicated merchant account in the business name, underwritten before the first sale.
  • States an approval rate and a decision window once the file is complete.

What to watch

  • The published percentages are markups on interchange, so the statement rate is higher once the card brand's interchange is added.
  • The reserve percentage is set in underwriting. The public page says the hold is typically six months.
  • A payments forum calls the fees higher than a standard account. That is one thread, not a measured rate.

What users actually say about PayKings

Research: unverified

Markups on interchange, with higher fees than a standard account

PayKings publishes interchange plus 1.10% plus $0.25 up to $100k a month, and interchange plus 0.80% plus $0.10 from $100k to $300k, with no setup fee. One forum post calls the fees higher than a standard account.

“Merchants processing up to $100k a month pay interchange + 1.10% + 25¢.”

PayKings Blog: High-risk merchant account

“From $100k to $300k a month it's interchange + 0.80% + 10¢ with the monthly fee waived.”

PayKings Blog: High-risk merchant account

“PayKings and Durango are both decent for that space, though fees tend to be higher.”

Anonymous Reddit: High risk processor

A complete file can get a fast decision ↑ frequently praised

PayKings states that 86% of applicants are approved and that a decision can arrive within 24 hours once the file is complete.

“86% of applicants”

PayKings Blog: High-risk merchant account

Monitoring starts near 1 percent of transactions ↓ common complaint

PayKings says card networks start monitoring when chargebacks reach roughly 0.9% to 1% of monthly transactions.

“Card networks start monitoring merchants whose chargebacks reach roughly 0.9% to 1% of monthly transactions”

PayKings Blog: High-risk merchant account

Reserves are typically held six months

The reserve percentage is set in underwriting. PayKings says the hold is typically six months.

“At PayKings, reserves are typically held for six months”

PayKings Blog: High-risk merchant account

What it costs

Up to $100,000 a month, PayKings lists interchange plus 1.10% plus $0.25 per transaction, with no setup fee. From $100,000 to $300,000 a month the markup is interchange plus 0.80% plus $0.10, and the monthly fee is waived. Above $300,000 the pricing is custom.

Those figures are markups on interchange. The rate on a statement depends on the card mix. PayKings also says 86 percent of applicants are approved, and that a complete file can receive a decision within 24 hours.

See the full PayKings pricing breakdown

Frequently asked questions

How much does PayKings cost?
Interchange plus 1.10% plus $0.25 up to $100,000 a month. Interchange plus 0.80% plus $0.10 from $100,000 to $300,000 a month, with the monthly fee waived. Custom above $300,000. No setup fees. These are markups on interchange, not all-in rates.
Does PayKings offer a free trial?
PayKings underwrites the account before you process. A complete file can get a decision quickly. That decision is not a free software trial.

How we reviewed this

We do not run paid campaigns through PayKings. We read its documentation and pricing, check every figure against the vendor, and weigh what operators report after spending real money on traffic through it. The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Related reading

Marcus Flynn

Written by

Marcus Flynn

Tracking and attribution editor

Marcus Flynn runs OfferROAS's tracking and attribution desk. He covers direct-response paid media for this site, from the tracker to the merchant account. He reads operator threads, vendor changelogs and pricing pages, then writes what those sources support. He sets the methodology and puts his name on the commercial pages.

marcus@offerroas.com

Last checked 2026-10-14

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