ONTOP Systems
ONTOP Systems is a Portland, Oregon-based software developer founded in 1988 that builds PAYLEX, a payment processing module integrated with order entry systems for flooring merchants, alongside the ONTOP Summit business management platform, generating revenue primarily through transaction-fee residuals on credit card and ACH processing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ONTOP Systems does
ONTOP Systems, Inc. is a privately held, bootstrapped software developer and IT services firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon, founded by Gregory Gubrud in 1988. The company builds and supports vertical software for the flooring industry, with its flagship PAYLEX payment processing module integrating credit card and ACH/eCheck transactions directly into flooring merchants' order entry systems to eliminate redundant data entry and manual end-of-day reconciliation. A secondary product line, ONTOP Summit, is an enterprise-wide business management solution that covers retail, consumer finance, credit card processing, and online bill-payment workflows.
The technology stack is anchored on the Clarion development environment with SQL Server and Pervasive.SQL database backends, CapeSoft NetTalk for web application development, and mobile applications for iOS and Android built around Bluetooth QuickChip payment hardware. PAYLEX integrates with TSYS/Global Payments and Elavon for core payment-rail connectivity, and ONTOP maintains a network of development and channel partners including SoftVelocity, Microsoft, CapeSoft, BoxSoft, Mitten Software, and TechData. Mobile capabilities are delivered through PAYLEX Mobile on the Apple App Store and Google Play, and the company also offers document management and video production services. Internal APIs enable receipt creation in SQL databases with guaranteed 100% compatibility.
Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-fee residuals on payment processing rather than upfront software licensing: credit card transactions are priced at a 10-basis-point markup over interchange and ACH/eCheck at 20 basis points, while software, equipment, setup, support, and training are bundled in at no incremental cost. Go-to-market is sales-led, with phone-based direct outreach, website downloads, and remote support via Splashtop and a Zendesk knowledge base. The company reports serving hundreds of flooring merchants and thousands of flooring software users, with cumulative payment volume exceeding $4 billion across 5 million-plus transactions over more than 20 years in the vertical.
ONTOP Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ONTOP Systems
- Legal name
- ONTOP Systems, Inc.
- Website
- https://ontop.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ONTOP Systems is a Portland, Oregon-based software developer founded in 1988 that builds PAYLEX, a payment processing module integrated with order entry systems for flooring merchants, alongside the ONTOP Summit business management platform, generating revenue primarily through transaction-fee residuals on credit card and ACH processing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ONTOP Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vertical Business Software
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- POS, SoftPOS & In-Person Acceptance Infrastructure (FSAGABAO), Payment Processing & Acquiring Infrastructure (FSAGABAC)
Keywords
Where ONTOP Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ONTOP Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payment Processing Transaction Fees: ONTOP Systems generates revenue through payment processing fees. Credit card processing is offered at a 10-basis-point markup over interchange, while ACH/eCheck payments are processed at 20 basis points. The company partners with TSys/Global Payments and Elavon for payment infrastructure rails.
- Software Licensing and Updates: The company provides PAYLEX software products including Order Entry modules, Summit business management solutions, and related utilities. Software updates and new setups are provided, with active merchant account holders receiving upgrades at no charge.
- Free Equipment and Setup Services: The company offers free equipment (card readers, payment terminals), free setup, free support, and free training as part of their service package, bundling hardware costs into the overall payment processing business model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Credit Card Processing - 10 basis points over interchange |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | ACH/eCheck Processing - 20 basis points |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Software, Equipment, Setup, Support, and Training |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
ONTOP Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ONTOP Systems develops and sells software, IT consulting, and financial services platforms for businesses, with a flagship product called PAYLEX — a payment processing module that integrates credit card and ACH/eCheck transactions directly with order entry systems to eliminate redundant data entry. The company also offers the ONTOP Summit enterprise-wide business management solution, PAYLEX Mobile applications for iOS and Android, and complementary document management and video production IT services. While ONTOP serves businesses of all sizes, its deep specialization is in the flooring retail/wholesale vertical, where it claims to have built the original credit card services program for flooring software and processed over $4 billion in payments.
Product overview
ONTOP Systems offers a portfolio of software products centered on PAYLEX, a payment processing module for order entry systems that connects credit card and ACH/eCheck transactions directly to business software, eliminating redundant data entry. PAYLEX Mobile extends this capability to iOS and Android devices. ONTOP Summit serves as an enterprise-wide business management solution integrating retail, consumer finance, credit card processing, and online bill-payment. The company also provides document management and video production services. PAYLEX processes over $4 billion in payments for flooring merchants through integrations with TSYS/Global Payments and Elavon.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PAYLEX: Payment processing module for order entry that connects credit card and ACH transactions to business software. Includes PAYLEX Mobile for iOS and Android.
Products and services
- PAYLEX Payment processing module for order entry systems that connects credit card (10 basis-point markup over interchange) and ACH/eCheck (20 basis points) transactions directly into business software, eliminating redundant data entry and automating end-of-day reconciliation. Sold to flooring and other merchants as part of an integrated business software package with free equipment, setup, support, and training.
- PAYLEX Mobile Mobile payment gateway application for iOS and Android that enables Bluetooth QuickChip mobile payment processing for order entry systems, supporting both credit card and ACH/eCheck transactions for flooring and other merchants in the field.
- ONTOP Summit Enterprise-wide business management solution that integrates all key areas of business operations, including retail, consumer finance, credit card processing, and custom online bill-payment, built on Clarion and Pervasive.SQL for flooring-industry and broader retail clients.
- Document and Video Services IT solutions providing cutting-edge document management and video production services suitable for enterprises of all scales, offered by ONTOP Systems as part of its broader IT consulting portfolio.
Quantifiable outcome
- One client saving over $2,500 per month on payment processing costs
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ONTOP Systems
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ONTOP Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
ONTOP Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TSYS Merchant Solutions (Global Payments)coreONTOP Systems partners with TSys/Global Payments, one of the original developers of worldwide payment infrastructure 'rails'. PAYLEX integrates with TSys for credit card and ACH/eCheck payment processing, offering competitive rates and reliable transaction handling.
- ElavoncorePartnership with Elavon for payment processing services. The PAYLEX/ONTOP program offers even better terms than Elavon's Costco merchants, including free overnight funding for ACH and credit card transactions.
- SoftVelocitycoreStrategic technology partner for Clarion development environment and related software tools. Listed as a key supported technology partner.
- Microsoft CorporationcoreCertified partner for Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Server, and Microsoft SharePoint technologies. Strategic technology alliance for enterprise software development.
- CapeSoftcoreKey development partner for NetTalk web development toolkit. Bruce Johnson from CapeSoft provides consultative support for developing web applications powering ONTOP Systems products.
- BoxSoftcorePartner for Super Templates and Clarion development tools. Mike Hanson provides consulting and training services, extending and maintaining development frameworks.
- Mitten SoftwarecorePartner for Clarion, SQL, and .Net development services. Jim Morgan founded Mitten Software in 1988 as one of the original Clarion third-party developers. Provides expert systems, web-based applications, and financial applications.
- TechDataminorTechnology distributor partner for software products and solutions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ONTOP Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Stax (formerly Fattmerchant): Stax is a subscription-based payment processor that passes through interchange with a flat monthly fee, targeting SMBs with cost-effective payment processing. Comparable pricing model innovation and SMB merchant focus overlap with ONTOP's PAYLEX proposition.
- Helcim: Helcim is a payment processor that operates on a transparent interchange-plus markup model with no hidden fees, similar to ONTOP's PAYLEX 10/20 basis point approach. While broader in vertical reach, the pricing philosophy and SMB-merchant target overlap meaningfully with PAYLEX.
Direct peers
- Measure Square: Measure Square offers flooring estimation and POS/order entry software for flooring retailers. It competes with ONTOP for the same vertical-specific business management workflows and merchant relationships.
- Pacific Solutions: Pacific Solutions develops enterprise software including for flooring industry verticals with payment processing capabilities. Directly comparable vertical software plus payments stack focused on similar SMB and enterprise flooring merchants.
- RFMS (by Applied Software): RFMS provides flooring-specific business management, point of sale, and payment processing software solutions. It competes directly with ONTOP Summit and PAYLEX for the same flooring merchant customer base.
- QFloors: QFloors is a direct competitor offering business management and order entry software specifically designed for flooring retailers and contractors. Comparable vertical software focus with payment processing integrations for the same target market.
Broad incumbents
- Stripe: Stripe provides broad payment infrastructure and increasingly vertical-specific integrations with transparent interchange-plus pricing. While not vertical-specialized, Stripe competes for the underlying payment processing relationship that ONTOP monetizes through PAYLEX.
- Housecall Pro: Housecall Pro is a vertical SaaS for home service businesses with embedded payment processing. While focused on home services rather than flooring specifically, it represents the broader vertical SaaS + payments model that competes for similar SMB merchant software spend.
- Square (Block): Block's Square provides broad payment processing, POS hardware, and software solutions for SMBs across verticals including retail. Its transparent pricing and integrated hardware/software bundle compete with PAYLEX for flooring merchants evaluating modern alternatives.
- Jobber: Jobber is a vertical SaaS platform for home service businesses that includes integrated payment processing through Jobber Payments. Comparable business model of vertical software with embedded payments, representing adjacent vertical competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ONTOP Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
ONTOP Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ONTOP Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ONTOP Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ONTOP Systems 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 ONTOP Systems
What does ONTOP Systems do?
ONTOP Systems develops and sells software, IT consulting, and financial services platforms for businesses, with a flagship product called PAYLEX — a payment processing module that integrates credit card and ACH/eCheck transactions directly with order entry systems to eliminate redundant data entry. The company also offers the ONTOP Summit enterprise-wide business management solution, PAYLEX Mobile applications for iOS and Android, and complementary document management and video production IT services. While ONTOP serves businesses of all sizes, its deep specialization is in the flooring retail/wholesale vertical, where it claims to have built the original credit card services program for flooring software and processed over $4 billion in payments.
Is ONTOP Systems a public or private company?
ONTOP Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ONTOP Systems founded?
ONTOP Systems was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ONTOP Systems based?
ONTOP Systems is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does ONTOP Systems make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Payment Processing Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are software Licensing and Updates and free Equipment and Setup Services.
Who are ONTOP Systems's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Stax (formerly Fattmerchant) and Helcim. Direct peers are Measure Square, Pacific Solutions, RFMS (by Applied Software) and QFloors. Broad incumbents are Stripe, Housecall Pro, Square (Block) and Jobber.
Does ONTOP Systems have an API?
Yes. ONTOP Systems offers an internal API that allows creation of receipts in SQL databases that are guaranteed to be 100% compatible. The API is primarily used within the PAYLEX payment processing module to integrate credit card and ACH transactions with client business software. The API enables automatic synchronization of payment transaction data into SQL databases. No public or external developer API documentation is available.
What industry is ONTOP Systems in?
ONTOP Systems's product category is Vertical Business Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGALAB, Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets), with a secondary code of FSAGABAO, POS, SoftPOS & In-Person Acceptance Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 7372.