Independent Payment Advisors & Payment Architects for Growing Businesses

We create smart solutions when you need to scale your business.

Confused About Your Merchant Account?

We review your payment setup, explain it in plain language, and help you make confident decisions.

Overpaying on Credit Card Processing?

One statement. A clear answer. No pressure.

We review what you pay, compare options across multiple processors, and tell you plainly whether a change is worth making.

Understand what you pay. Know your options.

Payment processing should make it easier to run your business. If your statements are hard to understand, your fees have changed, or your current system no longer fits the way you work, we can help you get a clear answer.

Penguin Payment Advisors reviews your processing costs, explains your options, and helps you choose a practical setup for cards, ACH, POS, invoicing, and integrations. We work with multiple processors and payment platforms, so the conversation begins with your business, not a preset product.

Illustration of a processing statement with a hidden fee flagged, an effective rate chart, and payment options for cards, ACH, POS, invoicing, and integrations

A good place to start

Send us a recent processing statement. We will look at the total cost, the fees behind it, and how you take payments today. If the existing arrangement is a good fit, we will tell you. If there is a better option, we will explain the tradeoffs and help you move forward.

One statement. A clear answer. No pressure.

Illustration of a pricing review checklist and one payment setup scaling from 5 to 20 to 200 locations

Advisor When You’re Reviewing. Partner When You’re Scaling.

Some businesses come to us to review pricing and confirm they are not overpaying. Others come to us because they are growing, opening new locations, franchising, or reworking how payments fit into their operation.

When payments start slowing you down, we step in and design systems that can scale, including:

  • Payment structure and account setup
  • POS and platform selection
  • Multi-location and franchise payment models
  • Processor and gateway selection
  • Risk management and contract terms

The goal is to ensure your payment setup works today and continues to work as your business grows to 5, 20, or 200 locations.

Why Businesses Work With Us

Payments Should Not Be a Guessing Game

Most business owners are not sure if their pricing is fair or why their fees change without warning.

Statements are hard to read, and support is often unclear.

That is where Penguin Payment Advisors comes in.

We bring transparency to your pricing, account structure, and payment systems. The result is a setup that is easy to understand, fairly priced, flexible, and built to support how your business operates now and as it grows.

We Work for You, Not the Banks

Every recommendation is based on your business model and long-term costs, not sales quotas.

Lower Effective Costs

We identify padded pricing, unnecessary fees, and inefficient setups that quietly erode margins.

Right-Fit Solutions

B2B, B2C, card-present, card-not-present, ACH. Your setup should match how you get paid.

Clean Integrations

We help implement solutions that work with QuickBooks and other accounting platforms so reporting stays simple.

We Work for You

Unbiased Advice

We work with multiple processors and payment platforms, so every recommendation starts with your business, not a preset product. If your current setup is a good fit, we will tell you.

Lower Costs Without Surprises

We discover hidden costs, high prices, and equipment leases that eat into your profits and then show you exactly where the money is going.

Clear Contract Terms

We review contract length, renewal dates, and equipment commitments before you sign, so you know exactly what you are agreeing to.

Built Around How You Get Paid

In-store, online, B2B, B2C, ACH, single location or multi-location. We help set up payments that fit how your business operates now and still work as you grow.

Reliable Support

We help you move away from processors that stop working when there is an issue and toward alternatives that come with actual, responsive assistance.

How the Complimentary Audit Works

Know Exactly How Your Payments Are Working

A strategic review of your pricing, fees, contracts, and systems to confirm fairness, uncover hidden costs and ensure your setup is built to scale.

What We Review

  • True effective rate
  • Hidden fees
  • Contract risks
  • Account & system structure
  • Scalability

How It Works

  • 1
    Share a statement
  • 2
    We analyze
  • 3
    Strategy call

No sales. No pressure.
Advisory review. 100% confidential.

Illustration of the three audit steps: share a statement, we analyze your effective rate and fees, then a strategy call

What You Get

Clear Explanation

We translate your merchant statement into plain language.

Independent Advice

We are not tied to any processor or bank.

Confidence

You know whether your current setup is helping or hurting your business.

Peace of Mind

Payments stop being something you think about.

Who We Serve

Built for Growing & Scaling Businesses

Our sweet spot includes:

  • Businesses processing $1M – $20M annually
  • Single-location and multi-location operators
  • Franchise brands and emerging concepts
  • Retailers, service businesses, professional service providers, and contractors

Is this you? Let’s talk

Experience You Can Trust

Decades of Experience in Banking and Payments

Our team has spent decades working with merchant accounts, card programs, and ACH payments. We know how pricing works and where problems hide.

We use that experience to help business owners make smarter decisions.

Stop Guessing About Your Merchant Account

If you accept credit cards or ACH payments, you deserve to understand your setup.

We will review it with you and explain it clearly.

Get a Complimentary Payment Audit

About Penguin Payment Advisors

Independent. Experienced. Straightforward.

Our team brings decades of experience across relationship banking, merchant services, card programs, and ACH payments.

We believe businesses deserve clarity when it comes to processing fees and pricing. We focus on long-term relationships built on trust, responsiveness, and practical advice.

When your business grows, your payment strategy should grow with it.

Case Studies

Inconsistent Setups Across Locations

In multi-location businesses, pricing and systems often evolve independently. One location signs a different agreement, another adopts a new provider, and over time the structure becomes fragmented.

The result is inconsistent pricing, limited visibility, and unnecessary cost.

Without a standardized approach, leadership has no clear picture of what they are actually paying across the business.

Hidden Fees That Add Up

Many accounts include small fees that go unnoticed. Individually they look minor.

Together they create a meaningful increase in total cost.

Without a full audit, most businesses never realize how much they are actually paying.

Assumptions Around Size and Leverage

Smaller businesses often assume they do not have enough volume to improve their setup.

That assumption costs them.

Even at lower volumes, there are opportunities to reduce cost, simplify structure, and position for better terms as the business grows.

Pricing

Interchange Plus Pricing

In this transparent model, merchants pay the actual interchange fee set by credit card networks (e.g., Visa, Mastercard) plus a fixed markup from the payment processor. This approach allows businesses to see the exact cost breakdown of each transaction. Interchange fees vary based on factors like card type and transaction method. For instance, the average credit card interchange fees range from 1.15% to 3.25%.

Fixed Pricing

Also known as flat-rate pricing, this model charges a consistent percentage for all transactions, regardless of card type or transaction method. For example, a processor might charge 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. This simplicity makes it easier for businesses to predict processing costs, though it may not always be the most cost-effective option.

Surcharging

Surcharging involves adding a fee to transactions where customers pay with credit cards, offsetting processing costs. While this can reduce expenses for the merchant, it’s essential to comply with legal regulations and card network rules, as surcharging is not permitted in all jurisdictions.

Dual Pricing

In a dual pricing model, businesses display two prices: a lower cash price and a higher card price. This approach encourages cash payments by offering a discount, while still covering processing fees for card transactions. It’s important to ensure that this pricing strategy complies with local laws and card network regulations.

Frequently asked questions

Penguin Payment Advisors is an independent advisory firm that helps business owners understand and improve how they accept payments. We review merchant accounts, pricing, contracts, and payment systems, explain them in plain language, and compare practical options. We do not sell payment processing, rates, hardware, or merchant accounts.

It is a strategic review of your pricing, fees, contracts, and systems that confirms whether your setup is fair, uncovers hidden costs, and checks that it is built to scale. You share a statement, we analyze it, and we walk through the findings on a strategy call. It is an advisory review, it is confidential, and there is no sales pressure. Request your audit.

We look at your true effective rate, hidden fees, contract risks, account and system structure, and scalability. The goal is to make sure your payment setup works today and keeps working as your business grows to 5, 20, or 200 locations.

No. We are not tied to any processor, card network, or bank, so our advice is based on your business rather than on a product we have to sell. Penguin works with multiple processing and technology providers, and when a change does not make sense we say so. You can read more about our team.

Our sweet spot is businesses processing $1M to $20M annually, including single-location and multi-location operators, franchise brands and emerging concepts, retailers, service businesses, professional service providers, and contractors. We also have dedicated pages for medical and dental practices, home services, wholesale, construction, and restaurants. See the industries we serve.

Get Clarity on Your Payment Setup

Understand how your pricing is structured, what fees you are paying, and whether your current system supports how your business operates and plans to grow.

Testimonials

“We’ve had a great experience working with Penguin Payment Advisors. Anna and Charlie took the time to thoroughly review our payment processing and quickly identified areas where we were overpaying and exposed to potential rate increases. Their familiarity and knowledge in the field helped them to quickly and efficiently identify the important details needed to help save money, yet still have full functionality with services.

Beyond just reducing our costs, what really stood out was the proactive approach — ongoing monitoring, clear communication, and the ability to pivot quickly when changes in the industry could impact our rates. The transition to a more optimized solution was seamless with no disruption to our day-to-day operations.

It’s rare to find this level of transparency, expertise, and follow-through in the payments space. We feel confident knowing our processing is being actively managed and aligned with our best interests.”

Dr. Enrico DiVito
Arizona Center for Laser Dentistry
Scottsdale, AZ

Working with Penguin Payment Advisors was a great experience. The team took a no-pressure approach, which allowed me to make decisions based on what was best for my business rather than feeling pushed in any direction.

They took the time to understand our existing software and operations. They then presented options that made sense for us. Not only did they help streamline our payment process by adding useful functionality, but they also identified opportunities to reduce costs.

Overall, the transition was smooth, thoughtful, and tailored to our needs. I would highly recommend Penguin Payment Advisors to any business looking for a more strategic and supportive approach to payments.

Thank you, Anna, for being patient with us. We had a lot going on.

Stephen Pike
Pedego Electric Bikes
Glendale-Peoria