Independent agents & ISOs
You already work with merchants on payments and want a transparent review process and a partner to hand off to when it fits.
ISO & Referral Partner Program
Refer merchants. Give them an honest look at their processing statement.
Relaycairn works with agents, consultants and software vendors who want to offer their merchant contacts an independent review of what they pay to accept cards, without hype, pressure or promised savings.
Merchant accounts are subject to underwriting and approval. Results vary by business, card mix and current agreement. Nothing on this page is a guarantee of savings, income or commissions.
Who this partnership is for
If merchants already trust you for advice or software, a statement review can be a useful, low-friction service to put in front of them.
Consultants & advisors
Bookkeepers, fractional CFOs, operations and marketing consultants who see client processing statements and want a second set of eyes on them.
Software vendors
POS, e-commerce, scheduling and vertical-software providers whose customers ask about processing costs or compatible payment options.
How referral partnerships work
A simple, documented flow. You introduce; we review and communicate directly with the merchant. You are never asked to quote rates or make claims on our behalf.
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Apply and align on terms
Submit the form below. If it looks like a fit, we send the partner terms in writing, including how referrals are tracked and how partner compensation is structured, before any merchant is referred.
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Introduce a merchant, with their consent
You make an introduction only to merchants who have agreed to be contacted. We recommend telling them plainly that you may receive a referral benefit. A disclosure template is below.
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We run the statement review
The merchant shares recent processing statements. We break down the fees and give them a written summary of what we see, whether or not a change makes sense.
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The merchant decides
If a different setup could fit, we explain the options and tradeoffs. Any new account goes through underwriting and approval by the processor and sponsor bank involved. Staying put is a perfectly valid outcome.
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We keep you informed
You’ll know where referrals stand, within what the merchant has consented to share.
The merchant statement review
This is the offer you bring to merchants: a plain-language review of what they currently pay to accept cards.
What the review looks at
- Total processing cost and the effective rate it implies for that month
- Interchange, card-brand assessments and processor markup, where the statement separates them
- Monthly, statement, gateway, PCI and other recurring fees
- Batch, authorization, chargeback and similar per-item charges
- Contract terms the merchant can show us, such as term length, early-termination clauses and equipment leases
What the merchant gets
- A written summary in plain English
- Notes on anything that looks unclear or worth asking their current provider about
- An honest view on whether switching is likely worth considering, which may be no
Compliance-minded by design
Payments are regulated by card-brand rules, processor and bank requirements, and state and federal law. We keep the partner role simple to reduce risk for everyone.
What partners do
- Introduce merchants who have agreed to be contacted
- Describe the statement review accurately
- Disclose to the merchant that they may receive a referral benefit
- Follow the written partner terms
What partners don’t do
- Promise savings, approval or specific rates
- Collect or store card numbers or full account credentials
- Make claims on Relaycairn’s behalf that we haven’t approved
- Misstate fees, contract terms or the status of a merchant’s application
Rules on surcharging, cash discounting and dual pricing vary by card brand and by state. We don’t offer legal advice; merchants should confirm requirements with their own counsel and provider. Merchants should send only the statements we request and redact full card or bank account numbers.
Program terms at a glance
The four things every partner should know before referring anyone. Specifics are set out in the written partner terms we send to approved applicants. We don’t publish figures on this page that aren’t confirmed in writing.
- Referral tracking
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How a referral is recorded and attributed to you is stated in the written partner terms, before any merchant is introduced.
In written terms · not published here - Partner compensation
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The structure is stated in the written partner terms. Compensation is never guaranteed, and it depends on the program terms and on which merchants are approved and activated.
In written terms · not published here - Processor & sponsor bank
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Approval decisions on new merchant accounts are made by the processor and sponsor bank involved, not by Relaycairn or the partner. Partner-specific processor and bank details are provided in writing during onboarding.
Disclosed in writing at onboarding - Merchant review offer
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What the merchant is offered, and whether anything is charged for it, is confirmed in the partner terms. Merchants are never asked to pay for something that wasn’t described to them up front.
In written terms · not published here
Get these four items in writing before you refer anyone
- How a referral is recorded and attributed to you
- How your compensation is structured, and when it applies
- Which processor and sponsor bank would handle an approved merchant
- What the merchant is offered for the review, and whether anything is charged
Want these before you apply? Email julien@relaycairn.com and ask what can be shared ahead of an application.
Referral-disclosure template
Merchants should know when the person introducing them may benefit. Partners can use or adapt this wording in an email, on a web page or in conversation. Replace the highlighted fields before you use it.
Written version (email or web page)
Disclosure: [Your name or company] may receive compensation or another benefit from Relaycairn in connection with this introduction. That has not been a condition of the advice I’ve given you.
Relaycairn offers a review of your card-processing statements. The review is: [review terms, exactly as stated in your partner terms]. Relaycairn does not guarantee savings. Any new merchant account is subject to underwriting and approval by the processor and sponsor bank involved.
You’re free to decline, to keep your current provider, or to talk to other providers. You choose what to share, and you should redact full card or bank account numbers from any statement.
Spoken version (call or meeting)
“Before I introduce you, I should say that I may receive a referral benefit from Relaycairn if this goes ahead. The review itself is [review terms]. They can’t promise you’ll save anything, and a new account would need approval from the processor and bank. It’s completely fine to say no, and I’d only introduce you if you’re happy to be contacted.”
Tip: make the disclosure before the introduction, not after.
This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Partners are responsible for checking their disclosure obligations, and the wording should match the written partner terms you receive.
Partner questions
Straight answers, including the ones that don’t sound like a sales pitch.
What will I earn as a partner?
We don’t publish compensation figures here because they depend on the program terms and on which merchants are approved and activated. Compensation is never guaranteed. Written terms are shared with approved applicants before you refer anyone. See program terms at a glance.
Does the merchant pay for the statement review?
The details of the review offer are confirmed in the partner terms. We won’t ask merchants to pay for something that wasn’t described to them up front.
Will every merchant save money?
No. Some merchants already have competitive pricing, and some businesses carry risk or card mix that limits options. The review tells them where they stand. That is the point.
Who underwrites and approves new merchant accounts?
Approval decisions are made by the processor and sponsor bank involved, based on the merchant’s application. Partner-specific processor and bank details are provided in writing during onboarding.
What should I tell merchants about my referral benefit?
Tell them plainly, before the introduction, that you may receive a benefit. Our disclosure template gives you wording to adapt.
Can I keep my existing processor relationships?
Yes. If you already work with other providers, tell us in your application. We’d rather discuss overlaps openly than discover them later.
Do you offer anything beyond payments?
Relaycairn also offers a $199 website audit, which some partners find useful for their own clients. It is separate from the payment-processing review and is never required.
Apply to become a partner
Tell us who you are and who you work with. A real person reads every application and replies by email. Submitting this form doesn’t create an obligation for either side.
- Describe the type of merchants you serve
- Mention any existing processing relationships
- Share roughly how many introductions you expect, if known
Prefer email? Write to julien@relaycairn.com.