cardflight.com

What It Is

CardFlight is a U.S. payment technology company whose core product is SwipeSimple. It provides mobile, in-store, and back-office payment solutions for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. The site states that SwipeSimple is used by 125,000+ small merchants across all U.S. states, through 200+ partners as well as direct sales via SwipeSimple Connect.

Core Capabilities

SwipeSimple covers three main scenarios: on mobile, it turns iOS/Android devices into credit card terminals; in-store, it supports countertop and terminal-based payments; in the back office, it offers a payment gateway, Virtual Terminal, Invoices, Payment Links, and more. It supports most Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards, as well as swipe, keyed entry, EMV chip, contactless tap, Apple Pay, and other payment methods. Its Dashboard also provides tools for reporting, customer management, card-on-file, subscriptions/installments, and business insights. For partners, it offers capabilities such as SwipeSimple RAMP, real-time activation APIs, account and transaction information viewing, and merchant parameter management.

Pricing and Compliance

The public-facing content does not disclose specific transaction rates, monthly fees, hardware prices, or settlement timelines. The terms state that fees are governed by the service agreement, hardware services, merchant agreement, or sub-merchant agreement. In terms of compliance, merchants must follow card network rules and generally need to sign a valid merchant agreement with an authorized acquiring service provider. In most cases, CardFlight positions itself as a technology service provider that captures and securely transmits transaction and cardholder data, rather than as an entity that holds funds.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths are that the product focuses on small and micro merchants, has a low deployment barrier, and covers a complete set of payment scenarios. It has been adopted by major U.S. acquiring channels, is recommended by 10 of the top 25 U.S. acquirers, and has a strong channel ecosystem. Its EMV, Quick Chip, contactless payment, and Level II/III capabilities are also useful for brick-and-mortar merchants looking to upgrade.

The downside is limited transparency around key information: rates, settlement timelines, hardware costs, PCI details, and licensing information are not clearly stated in the main content. The terms of service also specify that the Services are provided only in the United States and may only be accessed or used from within the United States, making it a weak fit for international merchants.

Who It’s For and Access From China

It is better suited for local U.S. community retailers, mobile service providers, restaurants, specialty retail businesses, nonprofit organizations, as well as acquirers, banks, and ISOs that want to distribute payment solutions to small merchants. The main content does not state its accessibility from China, so this is considered unknown; however, because its service scope is explicitly limited to the United States, merchants in mainland China are not suitable candidates for direct adoption.