Paya
Paya is a PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway and merchant services brand, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nuvei Corporation, serving eCommerce merchants, ISVs/ERP integrators, and POS retailers with credit card, ACH, and alternative payment processing across global markets.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Paya does
Paya is a payment gateway and merchant services brand that operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nuvei Corporation (Nasdaq/TSX: NVEI). Originally launched as Sage Payments and later acquired by Nuvei in 2021, Paya delivers integrated payment processing for credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners), ACH and virtual check, and alternative payment methods. Its core technology stack centers on the Paya Payment Gateway, delivered through three primary channels: a web-based Virtual Terminal, the Paya Connect Desktop application (an installed .NET, fully PCI-DSS compliant solution formerly known as Sage Exchange Desktop), and a set of Direct APIs accessible via the Paya Developer Portal with a sandbox environment. Supporting infrastructure includes the Account Updater service for stored credential refresh, the Paya Exchange Virtual Desktop (SEVD) for ISV tokenization, and the Nuvei Payment Orchestration control panel for routing, authentication, risk, and chargeback management across multiple providers.
Paya monetizes through transaction-based pricing: a Discount Rate (% of settled volume) combined with a flat Discount Per Item fee, supplemented by monthly minimum discount thresholds, American Express/Discover infrastructure fees (0.01%–0.03% of volume), software integration fees (0.03%–0.10%), and website compliance fees. Its go-to-market operates across three motions: API-first via the Developer Portal targeting ISVs and SaaS platforms, marketplace listings through certified plugins on WooCommerce, Magento, OpenCart, nopCommerce, and 15+ other shopping carts, and direct/enterprise sales supported by the broader Nuvei channel. The customer base spans eCommerce merchants, ISVs/ERP integrators (Sage Software, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and now Syspro), retail/POS merchants, marketplaces, and B2B/enterprise verticals including sports betting (Carousel Group), tourism (Wonderful Copenhagen), and retail (Galeries Lafayette UAE). Combined with Nuvei's broader infrastructure — local acquiring in 52 markets, 150 currencies, and 720+ alternative payment methods — Paya functions as the US-centric gateway and SMB/ISV distribution arm of a much larger global payments platform.
Paya firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paya
- Legal name
- Nuvei Corporation
- Website
- https://paya.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Paya is a PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway and merchant services brand, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nuvei Corporation, serving eCommerce merchants, ISVs/ERP integrators, and POS retailers with credit card, ACH, and alternative payment processing across global markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paya industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Gateway / Merchant Processing
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout) (FSAMACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA), Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF)
Keywords
Where Paya is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Paya business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Transaction Processing Fees: Percentage-based fees on each settled transaction combined with flat per-item charges (Discount Per Item fee). Key-enter transactions may incur higher fees due to elevated risk classification.
- Monthly Minimum Discount: Negotiated monthly minimum discount fee; if 'Discount Due' does not exceed the minimum, the difference is assessed as a separate line item
- Infrastructure and Compliance Fees: A/X and DSC Infrastructure Fee (0.01%-0.03% of sales volume) for American Express and Discover support; Software Integration Fee (0.03%-0.10%); Website Compliance Fee for regulatory compliance
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Transaction-based pricing with Discount Rate and Discount Per Item fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Paya product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paya provides integrated payment gateway and merchant processing services, enabling businesses to accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners), ACH and virtual check payments through its Virtual Terminal, Paya Connect Desktop application, and Direct API integrations. It serves merchants directly and as an embedded payment layer for ISVs and ERP platforms (Sage, Microsoft Dynamics GP), with shopping cart plugins for 20+ e-commerce platforms, PCI-DSS compliance, AVS-based fraud controls, recurring billing, and tokenized hosted payment capture via SEVD.
Product overview
Paya is a payment gateway and processing platform that operates as part of Nuvei's global payments infrastructure. The product portfolio centers on the Paya Payment Gateway as the core platform, supplemented by multiple delivery mechanisms including the Paya Virtual Terminal (web-based), Paya Connect Desktop (installed .NET application), and Paya Connect. Integration capabilities include certified shopping cart plugins for 20+ e-commerce platforms and ERP connectivity through Microsoft Dynamics GP. Additional services include the Account Updater for card data management, Chargeback Assistance Program, Terminal Replacement Program, and Business Accounts with multi-currency support. The platform also offers a Developer Portal for API integrations and custom payment module development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Paya Connect Desktop: Desktop application for payment processing (formerly Sage Exchange Desktop).
- Paya Virtual Terminal
- Paya Exchange
- Sage Exchange Desktop
Products and services
- Paya Payment Gateway Core payment gateway platform that enables merchants to accept credit card and electronic payments through multiple integration methods including virtual terminal, Direct API, and shopping cart plugins. Targets merchants, ISVs, and ERP integrators.
- Paya Virtual Terminal Web-based virtual terminal for processing credit card and ACH transactions without card present; supports 18 months of transaction history, recurring billing, and configurable AVS fraud settings; available via merchant login.
- Paya Connect Desktop (formerly Sage Exchange Desktop / SED) Installed .NET desktop application for payment processing that is fully PCI-DSS compliant. Previously branded as Sage Exchange Desktop (SED). Used by Sage Software customers and merchants needing a desktop POS-style capture path.
- Paya Exchange Virtual Terminal (SEVD) Web version of Paya Connect Desktop that allows ISVs to completely remove sensitive payment data from their application through tokenized hosted capture. Sold to software vendors that need to minimize PCI scope.
- Developer Portal (Direct API, XML Web Services, Paya Exchange) Developer portal providing API sandbox, Direct API access, integration documentation, discussion forums, and partner listings. Supports Direct API (full UI/UX ownership, requires PCI certification), XML Web Services, and Paya Exchange integration methods. Sells to developers and ISVs.
- Paya Account Updater Service that automatically updates stored customer credit card information when cards expire or are reissued, reducing authorization declines. Supports Visa and MasterCard with updates processed monthly on the 25th. Sold to merchants with recurring card-on-file billing.
- Shopping Cart Plugins Certified plugins and integrations for popular e-commerce platforms including WooCommerce, Magento, OpenCart, nopCommerce, 3DCart, FoxyCart, AmeriCommerce, CS-Cart, and 19+ other shopping cart solutions. Distributed via marketplace listings and direct download.
- Chargeback Assistance Program Program providing merchants with dedicated chargeback specialists, custom prevention tips, reduction plan assistance, and one-on-one consultation for responding to chargebacks. Sold as a service add-on to Paya merchants.
- Terminal Replacement Program Program that provides terminal repair or replacement for non-functioning hardware, with up to 12 rolls of paper and 5 sales draft packets quarterly, and up to 2 device replacements per 12-month period. Sold to retail/POS merchants.
- Paya Business Accounts Multi-currency business accounts with European IBANs for EUR, GBP, and 20+ other currencies, enabling real-time funds access and efficient settlements. Targeted at merchants needing cross-border treasury and payouts.
Companies that use Paya
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Paya technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration19 records
Feature6 records
Paya partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- SysprocorePartnership to embed integrated payments directly into Syspro's ERP platform for manufacturers and distributors. Connects payments to the same system that runs operations, enabling real-time fund collection, automatic accounts receivable updates, and PCI-DSS compliant transactions across 150 currencies and 200+ markets.
- Carousel GroupcoreAgreement to power payment transactions for Carousel Group's SportsBetting.com web and mobile app. Provides built-in compliance, fraud prevention, one-click payments, and real-time user payouts for regulated US sports betting and iGaming markets.
- WooCommercecoreOfficial plugin/extension partner listed as Sage Payments USA for WooCommerce (WordPress) e-commerce platform
- MagentocoreOfficial marketplace partner providing payment gateway integration for Magento e-commerce platforms
- Sage SoftwarecoreDeep integration with Sage Software products including Sage 50, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Sage Marketplace for North American products. Sage Exchange Desktop (Paya Connect Desktop) provides seamless payment processing within Sage environments.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paya competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stripe: Stripe is the leading API-first payment gateway serving developers, ISVs, and online merchants globally. Paya's Developer Portal, Direct API model, and ISV integrations mirror Stripe's core GTM, making them direct competitors for embedded payments and merchant acquiring.
- Square (Block): Square competes with Paya across both online payment gateway and in-person POS, including API integrations for software platforms. Square's developer platform and merchant services overlap directly with Paya's Virtual Terminal, Paya Connect Desktop, and Developer Portal offerings.
- Adyen: Adyen provides unified online, in-person, and marketplace payment processing with strong ISV partnerships. Paya's Nuvei-enabled global acquiring (52 markets, 150 currencies) directly competes with Adyen for enterprise merchants seeking global payment orchestration.
- Authorize.Net: Authorize.Net is a long-standing US payment gateway serving SMBs and ISVs with virtual terminal and API integrations. Paya's Virtual Terminal, Developer Portal, and shopping cart integrations are highly comparable in scope and target customer.
- Braintree (PayPal): Braintree offers API-first payment processing for online and mobile merchants, with strong ISV and marketplace appeal. Its developer-first positioning and recurring billing tooling overlap directly with Paya's API gateway and ERP/shopping cart integrations.
- EBizCharge: EBizCharge specializes in payment processing with deep ERP integrations (Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, QuickBooks), directly competing with Paya for ERP-embedded B2B and merchant payment workflows.
Emerging players
- Stax (Stax by Fattmerchant): Stax is a subscription-based payment processing platform targeting SMBs and software platforms with developer-friendly APIs. It competes with Paya in the ISV and mid-market gateway space with differentiated transparent pricing.
- Finix: Finix provides embedded payment infrastructure for software platforms, enabling ISVs and marketplaces to monetize payments. Its payfac-as-a-service model overlaps with Paya's ISV embedded payments value proposition and developer-first GTM.
Broad incumbents
- Worldpay: Worldpay is a large-scale global merchant acquirer and payment processor offering gateway, POS, and online payment services. As a broad incumbent, Worldpay competes with Paya's Nuvei-enabled acquiring and gateway capabilities across enterprise and SMB segments.
- Fiserv: Fiserv is a major payment processor and merchant acquirer providing gateway, processing, and integrated commerce solutions. Its Clover platform and gateway offerings compete with Paya's POS and online gateway products, especially in SMB segments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Paya social profiles
Digital presencePaya compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Paya financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paya leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Paya subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Paya funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paya M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paya
What does Paya do?
Paya provides integrated payment gateway and merchant processing services, enabling businesses to accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners), ACH and virtual check payments through its Virtual Terminal, Paya Connect Desktop application, and Direct API integrations. It serves merchants directly and as an embedded payment layer for ISVs and ERP platforms (Sage, Microsoft Dynamics GP), with shopping cart plugins for 20+ e-commerce platforms, PCI-DSS compliance, AVS-based fraud controls, recurring billing, and tokenized hosted payment capture via SEVD.
Is Paya a public or private company?
Paya is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Paya founded?
Paya was founded in 2003. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Paya based?
Paya is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paya make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Transaction Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are monthly Minimum Discount and infrastructure and Compliance Fees.
Who are Paya's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stripe, Square (Block), Adyen, Authorize.Net, Braintree (PayPal) and EBizCharge. Emerging players are Stax (Stax by Fattmerchant) and Finix. Broad incumbents are Worldpay and Fiserv.
Does Paya have an API?
Yes. Paya offers developers several methods for third-party software integrations including Direct API (for full UI/UX ownership, requires PCI certification), XML Web Services, and Paya Exchange integration methods. The API Sandbox allows testing of the Direct API. Developer assistance available via [email protected]. Note: Legacy APIs are not available; PaymentsJS is archived and no longer accepting new integrations. Developer documentation is at developer.sagepayments.com.
What industry is Paya in?
Paya's product category is Payment Gateway / Merchant Processing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMACAA, Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout), with a secondary code of FSAMABAA, Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer). Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 6199.