GoPayhawk vs. Electronic Merchant Systems: Battle of Payment Processors

Choosing a payment processor is one of the most consequential decisions a business owner makes. The wrong choice means hidden fees, locked-in contracts, and no one to call when things go wrong. Let's compare GoPayhawk and Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) across every dimension that matters.

What Is Electronic Merchant Systems?

Electronic Merchant Systems is an Illinois-based merchant services provider serving both online and brick-and-mortar businesses. They offer mobile accessibility features and standard card processing but have drawn criticism for non-transparent fee structures and term-based contracts with steep cancellation penalties.

What Is GoPayhawk?

GoPayhawk is a Georgia-based merchant services provider offering sandbox API capabilities, dedicated account management, and transparent interchange-plus pricing. We specialize in matching businesses with the right pricing model — from flat rate to interchange plus — and providing genuine human support at every step.

Fee Comparison

GoPayhawk: Transparent, fixed pricing. Online payments from 2.2%–3.0%. Free ACH transfers. No fees for recurring billing, invoicing, or API connections. What you're quoted is what you pay.

EMS: Non-transparent fee structures. Rates vary and are not always clearly disclosed upfront. Multiple add-on fees reported by merchants.

Customer Service

GoPayhawk: 24/7 dedicated account managers. You speak to the same rep who knows your business, not a rotating call center.

EMS: Limited personalized support. Customer reviews frequently cite difficulty reaching knowledgeable support staff.

Contracts

GoPayhawk: Month-to-month. No cancellation fees. We earn your business every month.

EMS: Term contracts with cancellation penalties up to $595. Switching costs are a real barrier.

Integration Options

GoPayhawk: Sandbox API with native CMS integration. Works with major platforms and accounting software. See our full integrations list.

EMS: Limited integration options reported by merchants.

Security

Both providers are PCI compliant. GoPayhawk additionally provides real-time fraud detection and dedicated chargeback assistance — critical for businesses that handle high transaction volumes.

Settlement Timeframes

Both support daily, weekly, and monthly settlement options. GoPayhawk also supports intraday settlements for businesses that need same-day access to funds.