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Industry editions · Marketing & creative

Software that already knows how a studio or agency runs

Every edition here is the same platform, pre-configured for a business that sells proposals, deposits and retainers. Payments are built in, and the AI builds whatever your shop does differently.

16 editionsRetainers by ACHLevel 2/3 B2B cardsBasic credited back with processing
Design studio · Today at a glanceAll systems live
$44.6K
Billed this month
7
Proposals out
3
Deposits in
PR
Proposals7 out, 3 accepted with the deposit paid on the pay link
Auto
RT
Retainers9 monthly retainers drafted by ACH on the 1st, all cleared
Auto
IN
Inquiries11 new from the website and Instagram, intake done, 4 discovery calls booked
Booked
RV
ReviewsProjects closed for 2 clients, review requests out, 1 posted
Auto
Illustrative.
Editions in this category

Sixteen kinds of shop, one platform

Each edition loads the inquiry form, proposal flow, deposit rules and billing schedule that kind of business runs on. Three entries are software or referral businesses, and we say so.

Affiliate Marketing AgencyAffiliate and performance marketers are referral businesses, and so is our Partner Program: bring the deal, we demo, sign, onboard and support, and you earn a share of processing residual and of software revenue for the life of each account. Payout platforms that move money themselves are software companies to us: see the ISV page.
CRM SoftwareYou built the software; we hand you the payments. On Stripe Connect you earn what you add yourself; on our rails you earn a published share of the processing margin on every customer you bring, and we do the boarding, statements and support. ISV program · Pair your software with ours.
Content CreatorBrand-deal invoices with a pay link and Level 2/3 data for corporate cards, a paid community or course billed monthly by card on file, one inbox for DMs, email and text, and a sponsorship pipeline by stage.
CopywriterInquiry form, discovery call, proposal with a pay link, a deposit on acceptance and the balance on delivery. Retainer clients are drafted by ACH on the 1st at a flat per-item fee. A review request goes out when the project closes.
Dance CompanyClass memberships billed monthly by card on file, recital and costume fees on a pay link, a roster per class with attendance, trial-class booking from the website and a rebooking text to families who miss two weeks.
Event MarketingSponsor and exhibitor invoices with pay links and Level 2/3 data, registration forms that take payment on the page, a pipeline from pitch to signed, vendor deposits by ACH and a save-the-date sequence for next year.
Graphic DesignProposal, deposit, milestone invoices and a final balance, each with a pay link. Retainers drafted by ACH or card on file, a project pipeline by stage and a review request when the files are delivered.
Interior DesignA design-fee deposit on the signed agreement, hourly or flat-fee invoices with pay links, and furnishings and procurement invoices by ACH at a flat per-item fee, where a percentage on a large order would hurt. Trade clients paying by corporate card get Level 2/3 treatment.
Marketing AgencyA sub-account per client, campaigns and reporting from one login, retainers billed on the 1st by card or ACH, and a white-label option under your name.Full edition →
PhotographerSession booking with a deposit, a contract e-signed at booking, the balance due before the shoot or on a payment plan for weddings, and a review request when the gallery is delivered.
Public Relations FirmMonthly retainers drafted by ACH at a flat per-item fee, proposals with a pay link, a CRM that holds clients, journalists and outlets with tags, and renewal reminders before the term ends.
SaaSA software company is a partner here, not a merchant. Integrate our gateway or refer your customers and earn a published share of the processing margin on every customer you bring; each customer holds its own merchant account and we board, support and report. ISV program.
Tattoo ShopConsult booking with a deposit, a calendar per artist, a consent form e-signed before the chair, an in-person reader with a compliant dual-pricing program where permitted, and aftercare texts on days 1, 3 and 14.
Video ProducerProposal with a pay link, a deposit on acceptance, milestone invoices through production and the balance on delivery, with large amounts by ACH at a flat per-item fee. Corporate clients paying by card get Level 2/3 data.
Visual Advertising AgencyRetainers drafted by ACH, pass-through invoices with pay links and Level 2/3 data for corporate cards, and a sub-account per client when you run their campaigns.
Web DesignerProposals with a deposit, build milestones invoiced with pay links, and hosting and care plans billed monthly by card on file. Designers who hand clients CRM, booking and payments resell our platform through the Partner Program.Full edition →
What every edition here shares

The four automations every shop gets

In a studio owner's words.

Inquiry forms that qualifyThe inquiry form asks budget, timeline and scope before anyone replies; good fits get a discovery call offered within a minute by the AI.
Proposal, deposit, startA proposal goes out with a pay link. Acceptance collects the deposit and e-signs the agreement in one step; the pipeline opens and the kickoff booking link goes to the client.
Retainer reminders and invoices on scheduleRetainers draft by ACH or card on file on the 1st. Milestone invoices send when you move a card in the pipeline; an unpaid invoice gets a text on day 3 and an AI call on day 7.
Review requests and file chasingBrand assets, approvals and sign-offs are requested until they arrive. When the project closes, a review request goes out.
Payments built for marketing & creative

Deposits in, retainers in, fees out

Studios and agencies move money in two shapes: a deposit on a proposal and a retainer on the 1st. Both are expensive on a flat card rate and cheap by ACH.

Your merchant account is in your own name with our processing partner; your stored cards and customer records move with you as tokens and exports if you ever leave. Cards are priced interchange plus one small, disclosed margin, with the math on your statement. Where state law permits, a compliant dual-pricing program can move the card cost to the client, within the card-brand and state caps.*

  • ACH at a flat per-item fee instead of a percentage for retainers, production balances and procurement invoices; you decide whether the payer covers it. Returned payments: the processor's return fee passes through at cost, with two automatic retries
  • Card on file for retainers and care plans, with smart retries and a text when a card declines
  • Level 2/3 data on corporate cards from brands and business clients, for lower interchange
  • Pay links on proposals and invoices; the deposit collects on acceptance
  • An in-person reader for shops with a counter

Everything we accept, A to Z →

*Surcharges are capped at the lesser of 3% or your actual cost of acceptance, lower in some states; debit cards are never surcharged. Dual-pricing and cash-discount programs are subject to card-brand rules and state law and are not available everywhere.

How a studio's money moves
Retainers on the 1stACH at a flat per-item fee, or card on fileProposal depositsPay link; collected on acceptance with the e-signatureCorporate cardsLevel 2/3 data for lower interchangeCard pricingInterchange plus one disclosed marginDual pricingWhere permitted, within card-brand and state capsYour numbersSend a statement; we run your real mix
Your savings depend on your retainer mix, so send a statement and we show the math.
Plans for marketing & creative

Start on Basic. Grow into Pro.

Freelancers and small studios: Basic, $99/mo, credited back on your monthly processing statement while you process with Merch FinTech. Studios that want automation, the AI receptionist, campaigns and funnels: Pro, $299/mo or $249/mo billed annually, credited back at higher processing volumes. Agencies with many client sub-accounts: Enterprise, with unlimited sub-accounts and an account manager. See pricing.

Sell clients their own account instead: the Partner Program. Your brand on your own environment; we run the software company behind it and split the revenue, and you can resell custom builds under your name. How partnering works. Need it built around how you run? Custom builds from $1,999: we map how your studio runs, then build the pipelines, forms, automations and payment flows to match. Don't see your business? Illustrators, podcasters and sign shops load from the nearest edition. Tell us what you run.

FAQ

Studio and agency questions

Do I need Enterprise to run clients inside my account?
If each client needs their own contacts, calendar, campaigns and reporting, yes: Enterprise gives you unlimited sub-accounts with your agency view above them. A freelancer or a studio billing its own work runs on Basic or Pro.
How does a deposit on a proposal work?
The proposal carries a pay link. On acceptance the deposit is collected and the agreement e-signed in one step, the project opens in your pipeline, and the balance is invoiced on the milestones you set. Card or ACH, the client's choice unless you decide otherwise.
Can clients pay large invoices by ACH?
Yes. ACH is a flat per-item fee instead of a percentage; you decide whether the client covers it or you absorb it. Returned payments: the processor's return fee passes through at cost, with two automatic retries.
Some of these editions are software companies. Why are they here?
Because software companies are our partners rather than our merchants. If you built a CRM, a SaaS product or an affiliate platform, the ISV program pays a published share of the processing margin on every customer you bring, and the pairing program, by invitation, adds our all-in-one suite as your pro tier.

Keep the client after the project

Tell us what you bill each month. We'll show you the edition, the fee comparison from your statement and what a custom build would cover.

305-954-7362 · hello@merchfintech.com