Question 1

What is a virtual terminal?

Accepted Answer

A virtual terminal is a secure web page that turns any computer, tablet, or phone into a credit card terminal. You log in, type the customer's card number, expiration, CVV, and billing ZIP, and process the transaction — no physical hardware required. Used for phone orders, mailed orders, B2B invoicing, and remote service businesses.

Question 2

How much does a virtual terminal cost?

Accepted Answer

Standalone virtual terminals (Authorize.Net, NMI, USAePay) cost $5–$25/month plus $0.05–$0.10 per transaction. Processing fees on keyed-in cards are typically 2.5%–3.3% (interchange-plus) because card-not-present interchange is higher than swiped. PaySmart includes a virtual terminal free with every interchange-plus account.

Question 3

Is a virtual terminal secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes — modern virtual terminals are PCI Level 1 certified and tokenize card data on entry. The card number is never stored on your computer; only an opaque token is saved. Combined with AVS, CVV verification, and 3D Secure 2.0, virtual terminals are as secure as physical chip terminals for card-not-present use.

Question 4

Can a virtual terminal handle recurring billing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Authorize.Net, NMI, and USAePay all include recurring billing modules — set up customer profiles once, then bill on any schedule (weekly, monthly, annually, custom). Tokens make this safe and PCI-friendly. PaySmart includes recurring billing free, with no per-subscription fees.

Question 5

Do I need a separate merchant account for a virtual terminal?

Accepted Answer

No. A virtual terminal sits on top of your existing merchant account. PaySmart links the virtual terminal directly to your interchange-plus pricing — same statement, same deposit, no second contract. Most merchants are processing through the virtual terminal within 24 hours of approval.

What Is a Virtual Terminal — and How Does It Work?

How a Virtual Terminal Works

1. Log in from any browser

2. Key in the card details

3. Tokenize and save for re-use

4. Email a receipt or invoice link

Who Uses Virtual Terminals?

Frequently Asked Questions

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