GunTab
GunTab is a payment platform purpose-built for firearms and ammunition transactions, providing escrow-style credit card and ACH processing with buyer and seller protection. It serves individual buyers, sellers, FFL holders, and serves as the official payment partner for major firearms marketplaces GunBroker, Armslist, and GunsAmerica.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What GunTab does
GunTab, operated by Delaware-incorporated Lockeson Inc, is a payment platform purpose-built for firearms and ammunition transactions, founded in 2013 with its first transaction completed in May 2015 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. The platform functions as an escrow-style processor: it collects buyer payment via credit card (3% convenience fee) or bank account/ACH (2.9% fee), holds funds during shipment and a 3-day buyer inspection period, and disburses to the seller upon buyer acceptance. The fee can be borne by buyer, seller, or split 50/50, and FFL holders receive discounted rates plus premium support. The platform maintains PCI DSS Level D Service Provider compliance with quarterly validation by Security Metrics, and incorporates domain-specific tooling including an FFL search database, NFA item support (silencers, SBRs, SBSs, machine guns, AOWs), Type 03 Curio & Relic FFL handling, automatic sales tax exemptions, pickup/dropoff for local FFL-to-FFL transfers, and step-by-step compliance guidance for state-specific and shipping-carrier rules.
GunTab serves individual gun buyers and sellers as primary end-users, with secondary segments including FFL holders, NFA item traders, antique/curio & relic collectors, and firearms marketplaces. The company is the official recommended payment option on GunBroker (the largest online gun marketplace and third-largest auction site globally), Armslist (the largest gun classifieds), GunsAmerica, and GunsInternational. Distribution combines self-serve PLG signup on guntab.com with marketplace referrals, developer integrations (REST API, Account.js SDK, Checkout.js SDK, Webhooks, WooCommerce plugin), and a 10% revenue share paid to Integrated Partner platforms. After ArmsPay — GunTab's last remaining competitor — folded in July 2025, GunTab became the sole dedicated online payment platform for firearms transactions, monetizing exclusively through per-transaction take rates on a free, no-obligation account model with 11-50 employees and no disclosed outside institutional funding.
GunTab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GunTab
- Legal name
- Lockeson Inc
- Website
- https://guntab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GunTab is a payment platform purpose-built for firearms and ammunition transactions, providing escrow-style credit card and ACH processing with buyer and seller protection. It serves individual buyers, sellers, FFL holders, and serves as the official payment partner for major firearms marketplaces GunBroker, Armslist, and GunsAmerica.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GunTab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Firearm-Friendly Payment Processing
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Escrow, Trust & Legal Settlement Disbursements (FSAMAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hunting, Shooting Sports & Archery Retail (CRAMABAK)
Keywords
Where GunTab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
GunTab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Credit Card Transaction Fees: GunTab charges a 3% convenience fee on credit card payments, the same rate as PayPal and Venmo. This was reduced from 3.8% in October 2023.
- Bank Account (ACH) Transaction Fees: GunTab charges a 2.9% fee on bank account payments, same as PayPal's rate for card transactions
- Fee Payment Options: GunTab's fee can be paid by buyer, seller, or split 50/50 between both parties
- Integrated Partner Revenue Share: Marketplaces and retail websites integrating GunTab receive 10% revenue sharing on transactions processed through their platform
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Free Account - Basic transaction processing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | FFL Account - Premium features and discounted fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels7 records
GunTab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GunTab operates an escrow-style payment platform purpose-built for firearms, ammunition, parts, and accessories transactions, collecting buyer payment by credit card or bank account, holding funds during shipment and a 3-day inspection period, then disbursing to the seller. It is the only payment processor that explicitly permits firearm transactions, providing simultaneous buyer scam protection and seller chargeback protection, and serves as the official payment option for the largest online firearms marketplaces.
Product overview
GunTab operates as a unified firearm-friendly payment platform, positioning itself as 'The PayPal for guns.' The core offering is the GunTab Payment Platform, which provides escrow-style payment services for firearms and ammunition transactions with built-in buyer and seller protection guarantees. The platform includes developer-facing integration tools: Account.js SDK and Checkout.js SDK for JavaScript-based popup integrations, a REST API for large retail websites, Webhooks for real-time updates, and a WooCommerce plugin for e-commerce stores. Additional value-added services include an FFL Search Tool for locating Federal Firearm License dealers, and comprehensive compliance guidance covering NFA restrictions, shipping carrier policies, and payment platform firearm prohibition databases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GunTab Payment Platform Escrow-style payment service for firearms, ammunition, parts, and accessories that collects buyer payment by credit card or bank account, holds funds through shipment and a 3-day inspection period, then disburses to the seller. Provides simultaneous buyer scam protection and seller chargeback protection, and is the only payment platform explicitly permitted for firearm transactions.
- GunTab REST API API for large retail websites to integrate directly with GunTab to send payment requests directly to customers. Requires a production API token and supports custom workflows through webhook subscriptions.
- Account.js SDK JavaScript SDK enabling websites to embed GunTab account-opening as a popup window so users can create free GunTab accounts as part of a partner flow.
- Checkout.js SDK JavaScript SDK for API users that integrates the GunTab checkout experience as a popup window for seamless buyer payment flow on partner sites.
- GunTab Payment Gateway (WooCommerce Plugin) WordPress/WooCommerce plugin that lets firearm, ammo, parts, and accessories retailers add 'Pay with GunTab' as a payment gateway, with auto-updating order status via webhook integration. Requires PHP 7.2+, WordPress 4.7+, and an API token.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% buyer protection from scams since first transaction in 2015
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GunTab
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GunTab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature20 records
GunTab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- GunsAmericacoreGunTab is officially partnered with GunsAmerica, a comprehensive firearm hub. GunsAmerica now recommends GunTab for payments, stating 'we've made it simpler than ever for buyers and sellers to complete transactions with confidence.'
- GunBrokerflagshipGunTab is now an official payment option of GunBroker.com, the largest online gun marketplace in the world and third-largest auction website globally. GunTab brings safety and convenience to GunBroker transactions and empowers users to buy and sell with anyone. GunBroker suggests GunTab on its Buyer Tools and Seller Tools.
- ArmslistflagshipGunTab is the first official payment option of Armslist, the largest gun classifieds marketplace. GunTab brings safety and convenience to Armslist transactions and empowers users to buy and sell not just locally, but nationwide.
- GunsInternationalminorPartner marketplace where GunTab is accepted as payment option for firearms, ammo, parts and accessories transactions.
- Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)coreLifetime member since September 2019. Second Amendment Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Second Amendment rights. GunTab is listed as official partner.
- National Rifle Association (NRA) Business AlliancecoreMember since November 2014, with current membership expiring 2026. Listed in NRA Business Alliance Directory under Texas Financial Services. GunTab logo displayed on NRA partnerships page.
- Security MetricscoreCybersecurity and compliance partner that validates GunTab's PCI DSS compliance quarterly through external vulnerability scanning by Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV).
- Wasatch Firearm NetworkminorGunTab automatically pays seller fees for transactions originating with Wasatch Firearm Network, streamlining the selling process for these marketplace users.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GunTab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- BitPay: Crypto payments processor enabling merchants to accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Emerging alternative rail that has been used for firearms transactions and competes for share of the niche GunTab serves.
- Coinbase Commerce: Crypto-native merchant payments gateway that has historically been more permissive of firearms merchants than traditional processors. Emerging alternative payment rail competing for the same firearms-transaction use case.
Broad incumbents
- Venmo: Peer-to-peer payments service owned by PayPal that explicitly bans firearms and ammunition. Comparable transfer model for individual buyers and sellers that GunTab displaces in the firearms use case.
- PayPal: Dominant digital wallet and payments platform that explicitly prohibits firearms transactions. Serves as the benchmark GunTab positions against ('Beats PayPal and Venmo') and as the default payment method GunTab displaces in the firearms vertical.
- Stripe: Leading online payments processor that prohibits firearms merchants under its restricted businesses policy. Comparable in core payments infrastructure but operates only outside the firearms vertical.
- Block (Square / Cash App): Payments and merchant services provider whose Square and Cash App products both prohibit firearms transactions. Broad incumbent peer whose prohibited-vertical status reinforces GunTab's market position.
Direct peers
- Escrow.com: General-purpose online escrow service that holds buyer funds until conditions are met. Closest business-model analog to GunTab outside the firearms niche, and is sometimes used as a fallback for firearm transactions where GunTab is not available.
- ArmsPay: Was GunTab's main direct competitor in firearms-friendly online payments until it ceased operations in July 2025. Same niche, same core escrow-for-guns model, and the closest 1:1 historical comparable.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GunTab social profiles
Digital presenceGunTab compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
GunTab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GunTab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GunTab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GunTab 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 GunTab
What does GunTab do?
GunTab operates an escrow-style payment platform purpose-built for firearms, ammunition, parts, and accessories transactions, collecting buyer payment by credit card or bank account, holding funds during shipment and a 3-day inspection period, then disbursing to the seller. It is the only payment processor that explicitly permits firearm transactions, providing simultaneous buyer scam protection and seller chargeback protection, and serves as the official payment option for the largest online firearms marketplaces.
Is GunTab a public or private company?
GunTab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GunTab founded?
GunTab was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GunTab based?
GunTab is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does GunTab make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Credit Card Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are bank Account (ACH) Transaction Fees, fee Payment Options and integrated Partner Revenue Share.
Who are GunTab's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are BitPay and Coinbase Commerce. Broad incumbents are Venmo, PayPal, Stripe and Block (Square / Cash App). Direct peers are Escrow.com and ArmsPay.
Does GunTab have an API?
Yes. REST API for large retail websites to send payment requests directly to customers. Also includes Webhooks for receiving real-time updates via POST requests. SDKs available: Account.js SDK for account-opening flow integration, Checkout.js SDK for seamless popup checkout experience. Developer documentation is at www.guntab.com/documentation/rest-api.
What industry is GunTab in?
GunTab's product category is Firearm-Friendly Payment Processing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAKAO, Escrow, Trust & Legal Settlement Disbursements, with a secondary code of CRAMABAK, Hunting, Shooting Sports & Archery Retail. Its NAICS code is 522320.