Chip In

What Chip In does

Chip In (legally G.A. Garfield Inc., dba Chip-In) is a California-based payment processor founded in 1989 by Gregg Garfield. The company provides credit and debit card processing services to U.S. merchants across in-store, online, and mobile channels, accepting all major card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX), PIN and signature debit, EBT, government purchasing cards, and digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay). Its core differentiator is a charitable donation integration that automatically allocates a percentage of each merchant's payment processing fees to a merchant-selected 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a recurring monthly basis, at no incremental cost to the merchant.

The platform comprises two products: ChipIn for Merchants (the primary payment processing service including POS solutions, virtual terminals, and gateway integration) and ChipIn for Nonprofits (a donation recipient platform limited to verified 501(c)(3) organizations operating for at least 3 years with a minimum 5-member board). Chip In does not own its processing technology; instead it operates an ISO/agent model sourcing infrastructure from four channel partners—MiCamp Solutions, CardConnect, Aurora Payments, and Payzli—which together serve as the 'engine' of the service. The company monetizes through transaction-based fees, claiming to meet or beat any existing merchant rate based on a review of the merchant's month-end statement.

Chip In employs a small team of five named individuals—CEO Gregg Garfield, Operations Manager Brad Brontsema, and three account executives—operating from Tarzana, California. Go-to-market combines direct consultative sales with channel partner referrals, supplemented by a website-based merchant application flow. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, no reported revenue, and no public M&A activity. Its nonprofit beneficiary network spans 20+ organizations across health, education, environment, animal welfare, and community development.

Name

Chip In

Legal name

G.A. Garfield Inc., dba Chip-In

Website

https://chip-in.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chip In is a California-based payment processor, founded in 1989, that enables U.S. merchants to accept credit/debit payments while automatically donating a percentage of processing fees monthly to a merchant-selected 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Merchant Payment Processing Services

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (52221)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Payment PIN Pads, Card Readers & NFC Contactless Devices (HDACAKAG)

Keywords

• Merchant payment processing
• Credit card processing
• Charitable donation platform
• POS solutions
• Payment gateway services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Payment Processing Fees: Chip In generates revenue through payment processing fees charged to merchants for credit card transactions. A portion of these fees is donated monthly to the merchant's selected nonprofit organization. The company leverages partnerships with payment processors (MiCamp Solutions, CardConnect, Aurora Payments, Payzli) to provide payment processing infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Chip In provides credit card payment processing services to merchants across in-store, online, and mobile channels. The company donates a percentage of the payment processing fees it earns to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit selected by each merchant every month, enabling businesses to reduce processing costs while generating recurring donations to charity at no additional expense.

Product overview

Chip In is a purpose-driven payment processing company offering two core products: ChipIn for Merchants and ChipIn for Nonprofits. The merchant platform enables businesses to accept credit card payments (in-store, online, and mobile) while directing a percentage of processing fees to charity each month. The nonprofit platform provides pre-certified 501(c)(3) organizations with recurring monthly donations from the merchant network. Additional features include payment gateway integration, virtual terminal, and POS solutions for integrated payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ChipIn for Merchants A merchant credit card processing service that allows businesses to accept credit and debit card payments (swipe, EMV chip, and contactless including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay) in-store, online, and on the go, while a percentage of processing fees is donated monthly to the merchant's chosen 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
• ChipIn for Nonprofits A donation platform that enables vetted 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to receive recurring monthly donations funded by a percentage of ChipIn's payment processing fees from participating merchants, with direct deposit of donations to the nonprofit's bank account.

Quantifiable outcome

• Merchants reduce payment processing costs while generating ongoing donations to their chosen charity at no additional expense

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, featured and minor.

• MiCamp SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered ISO/MSP of Merrick Bank and other banks. Provides payment processing infrastructure and technology for Chip In merchants. One of the four main processing partners assembled by Chip In.
• CardConnectcoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank and Deutsche Bank. Provides payment processing technology and services. CardConnect East Valley is a contracted reseller of Clover solutions.
• Aurora PaymentscoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered ISO and FSP of Wells Fargo Bank, Esquire Bank, Elavon, Evolve Bank & Trust, Merrick Bank, and Deutsche Bank. Provides payment processing infrastructure for Chip In.
• PayzlicoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered trademark of United Payment Systems LLC. Registered ISO of Esquire Bank, Commercial Bank of California, and Wells Fargo Bank. Provides payment processing technology services.
• Mammoth Mountain Community FoundationfeaturedOthersFeatured nonprofit partner. Receives donations from Chip In merchants including revenue from Mammoth Mountain and local business processing. Supports K-12 academic and athletic programs in the Eastern Sierra community.
• Giving SightminorOthers'Optometry's Charity' that receives funds from optometrists, optometry practices, and optometry-related businesses. Chip In processing generates donations for vision care projects in underserved areas.
• Autism Partnership FoundationminorOthersNonprofit focused on raising standards of treatment for children with autism and increasing access to high-quality training and treatment for marginalized communities.
• Eastern Sierra Community HousingminorOthersNonprofit that provides and supports community housing for a viable economy and sustainable community in the Eastern Sierra region.
• Donor ConnectminorOthersNonprofit focused on organ, tissue, and eye donation. Gives hope and heals lives through donation programs.
• Horatius ImpactminorOthersNonprofit that equips, trains, and supports those who defend endangered species and threatened habitats in critical ecosystems.
• The Benchetler Fasani Foundation (BFF)minorOthersNonprofit providing meaningful outdoor experiences for those who have suffered loss or hardship, using the healing properties found in nature.
• National Minority Health AssociationminorOthersNonprofit helping to close the disparity gap in minority health and care.
• Health Is For EverybodyminorOthersCampaign focused on transforming healthcare to ensure every individual receives access to quality care regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, language, ability, or socioeconomic status.
• Foster Army Animal RescueminorOthersAnimal rescue organization focused on rescuing vulnerable shelter animals, providing foster homes, medical care, and behavioral support until adoption.
• Charity: WaterminorOthersNonprofit ensuring everyone has access to clean water. 100% of donations go directly to funding water solutions in rural communities.
• Mission Flight FoundationminorOthersNonprofit compassionately connecting people in need with hope, help, and healing. Uses aircraft to access remote communities in need internationally and locally.
• Elephant Aid InternationalminorOthersNonprofit creating innovative approaches to elephant care and management. Working with international scientists, veterinarians, and elephant welfare supporters to end worldwide elephant suffering.
• Country Roads FoundationminorOthersParent organization of Camp Power - a week-long nonprofit camp for 200+ kids from NYC's most underfunded neighborhoods.
• Big Bear High School Education FoundationminorOthersEducation foundation that awards post-secondary scholarships and provides resources to enrich educational programs for students.
• Maribo CaresminorOthersNonprofit dedicated to making cancer fighter and survivor recovery time more comfortable. Builds relationships with service providers who share the belief in compassionate care.
• Park City Education FoundationminorOthersEducation foundation that funds and supports educator-powered initiatives inspiring students to reach academic and lifelong potential.
• Revital ColoradominorOthersNonprofit providing support and encouragement through various services that revitalize mind, body, and spirit for frontline workers.
• Pak HopeminorOthersNonprofit dedicated to providing practical essentials and restoring dignity to the unhoused through Hito Pak backpacks filled with essential items.
• ADEOminorOthersNonprofit supporting people with brain injuries and their families by providing services tailored to meet individual needs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Stripe:

Direct peers

• PaymentCloud: Independent merchant services ISO targeting SMBs and high-risk verticals, offering rate-match guarantees and multi-processor backend similar to Chip In. Directly competes for the same merchant acquisition channels.
• National Processing: Independent ISO offering merchant services with rate-match guarantees and multi-processor flexibility to SMBs. Closely comparable in GTM motion (outbound sales, ISOs) and value proposition.
• Dharma Merchant Services: Acquired by Stripe in 2020, Dharma was a merchant services ISO famous for its 'Dharma Cares' program that donated a percentage of processing fees to nonprofits — virtually identical to Chip In's model. It is the closest historical analogue and validates both the model and its replicability.
• Helcim: Merchant services provider with transparent pricing and direct-to-merchant model, frequently cited as a value-priced alternative in the SMB payment processing space. Comparable target market and competitive positioning.
• Stax Payments: Subscription-based payment processor with transparent interchange-plus pricing for SMBs, competing on cost predictability and technology — adjacent to Chip In's rate-matching value proposition.

Emerging players

• SumUp: European-headquartered SMB payments provider expanding in the US, offering card readers and competitive pricing. Comparable scale and SMB target customer with similar low-friction value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Toast: Vertically-focused restaurant payments and POS platform with hardware and software. While specialized, it illustrates how a purpose-built payments/OS platform can dominate a vertical — the direction Chip In's charity angle would need to evolve to remain competitive.
• Square (Block): Dominant SMB payments and POS platform with hardware, software, and lending. Overlaps with Chip In across in-store, online, and mobile acceptance and is the benchmark competitor in the SMB merchant services category.
• Clover (Fiserv): Fiserv's SMB POS and payments platform, distributed via ISOs and bank partners (CardConnect, one of Chip In's partners, is a Clover reseller). Represents the broader incumbent ecosystem in which Chip In operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chipinpay

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chip In