Hello all, I've been using Ascent now for a few months (simply at the recommendation of OR), and have been less than impressed with them, mainly (but not solely) due to the fees they charge. After all is said and done they are keeping over 4% of my total transaction amounts each month. It is my understanding that Stripe charges only a 3% flat fee... can anyone using either Stripe or Ascent chime in and let me know if your experiences have been similar?
That seems a bit on the high side for Ascent, from our experience. Perhaps there are financial issues that raise your rates - have you asked Ascent why their rates are so high, point-blank? They're usually willing to negotiate, or at least explain.
Failing that, we support a great many other processors that you can talk to:
https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/payment-processing-gateways-recommended
https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/payment-processing-gateways-list
And in most cases, changing processors is not terribly hard:
https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/payment-processing-gateways-changing
bumping this thread just to comment that looking back on all of the monthly statements we have shockingly been paying north of 5% to ascent on average, which to my memory is much more than the rate we agreed to in 2019. Our account is now being managed by Elavon so we will see what they have to say. Stay alert out there!
Good to know. I use Stripe and have been happy with them. Has anyone used Clearview? OR just integrated with them for payment processing.
What is the best processor?
Any experience with Clearview?
How to find out what the processor is charging you as they all seem to increase the rate from what they originally say they will charge.
Great questions, this comes up a lot.
First, on “best processor”, that’s honestly pretty subjective. It really depends on your business model, volume, and what you value most, whether that’s rates, reporting, support, or STR-specific features. That’s exactly why we support a wide range of processors rather than limiting you to just one or two options. You can see the current Recommended and Integrated Processors here: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/payment-processing-gateways-recommended
Regarding Clearview, they connect to OwnerRez via the Authorize.Net gateway, which is one of the most established and widely used gateways in the payments space. So from a compatibility standpoint, the setup is solid.
As far as pricing or support, that’s one area where we don’t have visibility or control. Each processor sets its own rates, which can vary quite a bit depending on your business profile, volume, and negotiation. We also don’t maintain a comparison chart of rates across providers since those can change frequently.
What I’d recommend is talking directly with a couple of processors you’re considering and asking for a full breakdown, including:
One thing I would strongly encourage is not choosing based on rate alone. In the short-term rental space, there’s real value in working with processors that understand the industry. Both Clearview and Lynnbrook Group are examples of providers that focus on STR, so they tend to be more familiar with things like chargebacks, security deposits, and how bookings flow.
You’ll also see that Lynnbrook Group and Stripe are our current recommended processors. With those, we’re able to bring in not just payment data but also deposit timing, so you can actually see inside OwnerRez when funds hit your bank account. That can be really helpful, especially if you’re reconciling with QuickBooks or other accounting tools.
Our Lynnbrook users have reported competitive rates, and last I checked they were running a promo without a monthly fee, which may be worth asking about.
Bottom line, it’s worth having a couple of conversations, comparing both pricing and features, and picking the one that fits your business best. Cheapest isn’t always best here, especially when support and STR-specific functionality come into play.
