North
North (NorthAB, LLC) is a Troy, Michigan-based payment processor and merchant services provider offering unified payment acceptance, Payanywhere hardware, and back-office tools to SMBs, enterprises, and partner channels including ISVs, ISOs, and banks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What North does
North (legal entity NorthAB, LLC) is a Troy, Michigan-based payment processing and merchant services company founded in 1990 that delivers an end-to-end payments platform to SMBs, enterprises, and partner channels across the United States, with a satellite operation in Ireland. Its technology stack is anchored on PCI DSS-validated infrastructure with point-to-point encryption and tokenization, integrated across multiple payment gateways (EPX, Authorize.net, USAePay), and exposes developer-facing APIs through the North Developer portal and the Merchant Management API for portfolio-level merchant control. The product portfolio spans acceptance (in-person, online, mobile, hybrid, integrated, Tap to Pay on iPhone), a Payanywhere-branded hardware lineup of terminals and card readers, and a back-office suite covering billing, reporting, gift and loyalty, authorization optimization, fraud prevention, funding acceleration, inventory, and ATM services.
North generates revenue through a mix of transaction-based processing fees (flat-rate, interchange-plus, tiered pricing), hardware sales, recurring subscription fees for premium merchant portal features, and residuals/bonuses paid by ISVs, ISOs, and banking partners. Go-to-market is multi-channel: direct field sales for enterprise and government accounts; inside sales and self-serve online signup for SMBs; a registered ISO and ISV partner program; bank and credit union referral programs; and a developer marketplace. North serves diverse verticals including restaurant, retail, healthcare, government/utilities, and specialty/high-risk segments such as CBD, telemedicine, online pharmacy, gaming, and online dating, positioning itself as a full-stack alternative to fragmented point solutions.
North firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- North
- Legal name
- NorthAB, LLC
- Website
- https://north.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- North (NorthAB, LLC) is a Troy, Michigan-based payment processor and merchant services provider offering unified payment acceptance, Payanywhere hardware, and back-office tools to SMBs, enterprises, and partner channels including ISVs, ISOs, and banks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
North industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Processing
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Credit Card Issuing (522210), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated POS Payments (ISVs & Vertical POS Platforms) (FSAMADAD), Card Issuing & Program Management Platforms (BPAMAFAH), Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout) (FSAMACAA), POS, SoftPOS & In-Person Acceptance Infrastructure (FSAGABAO)
Keywords
Where North is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
North business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payment Processing Transaction Fees: Fees charged per transaction for processing credit/debit card payments. Supports multiple pricing models including flat rate, interchange-plus, and tiered pricing.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of payment hardware including card readers, smart terminals, POS systems. Product lineup includes Payanywhere 3-in-1 Bluetooth Reader, Smart Terminal, Smart Terminal Mini, Smart Flex, Smart POS+, and PINPad Pro.
- Subscription/Monthly Services: Monthly service fees for merchant account access, reporting tools, secure online merchant portal, and premium plan features. Basic plan offered free with premium paid tier.
- Partner Program Fees: Revenue from ISV, ISO, and Financial Institution partner programs including referral fees and residuals from merchant accounts brought in by partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Interchange-Plus Pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Tiered Pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Flat Rate Pricing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic vs Premium Plans |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
North product offering
Product offeringCore offering
North operates as a merchant services and payment technology provider offering end-to-end payment acceptance across in-person, online, mobile, hybrid, and integrated channels. The company sells a Payanywhere-branded lineup of POS hardware (smart terminals, Bluetooth readers, all-in-one POS systems), processes credit/debit card transactions on a PCI DSS-validated platform with point-to-point encryption and tokenization, and provides back-office tools including billing, reporting, gift & loyalty, fraud prevention, funding acceleration, inventory, and ATM services. It also distributes its platform through developer APIs/SDKs and partner programs for ISVs, ISOs, banks, and credit unions.
Product overview
North is a merchant services and payment technology company offering a comprehensive, unified payment platform with multiple integrated products. The core offering consists of Accept Payments (in-person, online, mobile, hybrid, integrated channels with associated hardware) and Run Your Business (back-office tools including billing/invoicing, reporting, fraud prevention, funding, inventory, and ATM). The product portfolio includes a hardware lineup of Payanywhere-branded terminals and card readers (Smart Terminal, Smart Terminal Mini, Smart POS+, Smart Flex, Smart PINPad Pro, 3-in-1 Bluetooth Reader) and software add-ons like North Billing Solutions, Gift & Loyalty, Authorization Optimization, and Payment Links. Developer capabilities are provided through North Developer, which offers APIs and SDKs for integrations, while the Merchant Management API enables CRM-level merchant portfolio control for ISOs and payment facilitators. Visa partnership brings Network Token Service, RTAU, and ANI for enhanced security. The Edge Program offers cash discount options. North positions itself as an end-to-end payment solution provider from front-door acceptance through back-office management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Payanywhere: Hardware brand for payment terminals and card readers including Smart Terminal, Smart Terminal Mini, Smart POS+, Smart Flex, and 3-in-1 Bluetooth Reader
- North Exchange
- North Developer
- Edge
Products and services
- Payment Processing Services Core merchant services enabling businesses to accept credit and debit card payments in-store, online, mobile, hybrid, and via integrated channels on a PCI DSS-validated platform. Supports flat-rate, interchange-plus, and tiered pricing models.
- Payanywhere Smart Terminal
Quantifiable outcome
- Merchants can be approved in as little as 5 minutes through VIP Instant Approval Program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use North
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
North technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
North partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- VisacoreNorth partnered with Visa to offer three enterprise-grade innovations: Visa Network Token Service (replaces PANs with tokenized identifiers), Visa Real Time Account Updater (RTAU) for automated card updates, and Visa Account Name Inquiry (ANI) for cardholder name verification to reduce fraud. Partnership makes these tools accessible to businesses of all sizes from small merchants to large enterprises.
- Payments Dive (Informa TechTarget)flagshipCollaborated on joint thought leadership playbook 'The Hidden Cost of Fragmented Payment Systems' authored by Payments Dive journalist Sylvie Tremblay with contributions from North experts Bryan Long and Nate Serianni. Positions North as payments technology thought leader through industry engagement.
- EPX (Payment Gateway)coreEPX payment gateway integration supported as part of North's comprehensive payment solutions ecosystem.
- Authorize.net (Payment Gateway)coreAuthorize.net payment gateway integration supported for seamless payment processing.
- USAePay (Payment Gateway)coreUSAePay payment gateway integration supported for flexible payment acceptance options.
- ISV PartnerscoreIndependent Software Vendor partners who integrate North payment capabilities into their software solutions using APIs, SDKs, and shopping cart extensions in a PCI DSS-validated package.
- ISO Partners (Independent Sales Organizations)coreISO partners receive one-stop payment processing and back-office solutions with Peak Bonus Program ($600 Activation Bonuses, 14X Profitability Multipliers), VIP Instant Approval, and residual income paid on 15th of every month.
- Banks and Credit UnionscoreFinancial institution partners benefit from economies of scale on underwriting, servicing, operations, and marketing. Merchants can add North services to demand deposit accounts with co-branded marketing and quick onboarding.
- BMO Harris Bank N.A.coreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
- Citizens Bank N.A.coreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
- The Bancorp BankcoreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
- FFB BankcoreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.coreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
- PNC Bank, N.A.coreRegistered ISO sponsor bank for North payment processing services
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
North competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Clover (Fiserv): Clover is a Fiserv-owned integrated POS + payments platform serving SMBs and mid-market merchants with hardware, software marketplace, and ISO/reseller channels — overlapping North's integrated POS and partner program strategy.
- Stripe: Stripe dominates online and integrated payments for SMBs and developers with APIs/SDKs comparable to North Developer; also pressures the integrated-payments and ISV segments where North plays.
- Paysafe: Paysafe specializes in integrated payments, eCash, and high-risk/regulated verticals (online gaming, digital goods) — directly comparable to North's specialty vertical coverage and global processing ambition.
- Square (Block): Square is the dominant U.S. SMB payments + POS platform with hardware (similar to Payanywhere), self-serve signup, and a giant software/financial-services ecosystem — the principal broad incumbent North competes with for SMB wallet share.
Direct peers
- Heartland Payment Systems (Global Payments): Heartland is a long-standing U.S. registered ISO/acquirer in SMB payments with similar multi-bank sponsorship, ISV/ISO partner programs, and POS hardware offerings — a near-direct comparable to North's business model and customer segments.
- PaymentCloud: PaymentCloud specializes in high-risk merchant categories (CBD, adult, nutraceuticals, online pharmacy) — directly comparable to North's specialty vertical exposure and high-risk underwriting model.
- Helcim: Helcim is a U.S./Canadian SMB payment processor offering flat-rate, interchange-plus, and tiered pricing with a self-serve signup model — directly overlapping North's pricing models and SMB onboarding approach.
- Stax (by Fattmerchant): Stax is a subscription-based SMB payment processor with interchange-plus pricing and ISV/ISO partner programs — a closely comparable business model and pricing structure to North's offerings.
- Wind River Financial: Wind River is a Wisconsin-based registered ISO/PSP with a similar SMB + enterprise mix, ISO/ISV partner program structure, and multi-bank sponsorship model — a like-for-like private-market comparable to North.
Emerging players
- Toast: Toast is a vertical-specific payments + POS platform focused on restaurants (QSR and full-service) — directly comparable to North's restaurant vertical solutions and a benchmark for vertical-payments SaaS economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
North social profiles
Digital presenceNorth compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
North financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
North leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
North funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
North M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about North
What does North do?
North operates as a merchant services and payment technology provider offering end-to-end payment acceptance across in-person, online, mobile, hybrid, and integrated channels. The company sells a Payanywhere-branded lineup of POS hardware (smart terminals, Bluetooth readers, all-in-one POS systems), processes credit/debit card transactions on a PCI DSS-validated platform with point-to-point encryption and tokenization, and provides back-office tools including billing, reporting, gift & loyalty, fraud prevention, funding acceleration, inventory, and ATM services. It also distributes its platform through developer APIs/SDKs and partner programs for ISVs, ISOs, banks, and credit unions.
Is North a public or private company?
North is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was North founded?
North was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is North based?
North is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does North make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Payment Processing Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales, subscription/Monthly Services and partner Program Fees.
Who are North's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Clover (Fiserv), Stripe, Paysafe and Square (Block). Direct peers are Heartland Payment Systems (Global Payments), PaymentCloud, Helcim, Stax (by Fattmerchant) and Wind River Financial. Toast is listed as an emerging player.
Does North have an API?
Yes. North Developer enables merchants, ISVs, and VARs to integrate payment solutions into mobile apps, websites, and POS systems. The platform offers easy-to-use APIs and SDKs for in-person payments, B2B transactions, integrated payments, and high-risk/international merchant categories. Developer portal provides resources for building full-featured payment solutions. Developer documentation is at developer.north.com.
What industry is North in?
North's product category is Payment Processing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMABAA, Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer), with a secondary code of FSAMADAD, Integrated POS Payments (ISVs & Vertical POS Platforms). Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6199.