Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers about payment processing, transparent pricing, Clover POS systems, dual pricing, switching processors, and Cloud 9 local support in Northeast Ohio.
General
Cloud 9 Payments is a credit card processing company that helps businesses accept payments, reduce processing costs, and improve their payment operations. We provide transparent national pricing, Clover POS systems, and hands-on local support from our Northeast Ohio headquarters.
Yes. We're on North Main Street in Chagrin Falls. That's why same-day on-site support is a real thing here and not a line in a brochure. We're driving to you, not dispatching a contractor. When you call, you get someone who already knows your account.
We serve restaurants, retail stores, professional service firms, healthcare practices, salons, automotive businesses, and more. We are highly specialized in restaurant consultation and have deep expertise across multiple key industries.
We are cost reduction specialists, efficiency maximizers, and business advisors, in a category of one. In practice that means we read your statement before we quote you, we build the POS ourselves instead of handing you a box, and we don't raise your margin once you're signed. We not only lower your costs, we also extend our expertise into multiple core areas to make you more profitable.
We work with businesses in Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Hudson, Warren, Chagrin Falls and the communities around them, across Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark, Geauga, Portage, Lake and Trumbull counties.
No. Cloud 9 Payments is an independent payment processing company and Clover dealer based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Cloud9 Payment Gateway (c9pg.com) is a separate company with a separate owner, and we have no association with it.
Cloud 9 Payments was founded by Brian Murphy. Between them, Brian and David on our team have about 20 years of payments industry experience, including time at Global Payments, Royal Bank of Scotland and Heartland.
Pricing
Our national pricing program passes through the exact interchange rate set by Visa and Mastercard, plus a small fixed markup. It's the only model where you can check our math: Visa publishes its interchange rates, ours is a fixed number on the same line. Add them up and you should get your statement. No bundled rates, no hidden tiers.
No. Your statement shows every charge: interchange, our markup, and anything else that applies. We don't charge PCI compliance fees, statement fees, or annual fees. What you see is what you pay.
No. There is no contract and no early termination fee. You can leave any month you want. That's on purpose: it keeps us honest.
The easiest way is to upload your most recent processing statement on our pricing page. Our team reviews it by hand and sends you a free, no-obligation savings analysis that shows your current effective rate, identifies hidden fees, and projects what you would pay with Cloud 9.
It depends on your volume, your card mix and what you pay now, which is why we review your statement before quoting. On average our customers save hundreds of dollars a month, and every one of them gets clear, transparent pricing. Dual pricing can save far more: we have seen savings as high as $80,000 a year for a business that moved to passing card fees on to its customers.
We offer same-day or next-day funding. Which one you get depends on what time you batch out. This is among the fastest in the industry. Your sales deposits hit your bank account quickly so you can manage cash flow with confidence.
Dual Pricing & Surcharging
Dual pricing automatically displays two prices for every item at checkout: a cash price and a card price. Customers who pay cash receive a lower price, while the card price includes the processing cost. It is a transparent, compliant way to offset or eliminate your credit card processing fees.
Yes. Federal law protects a business's right to offer a discount for paying cash, and Ohio has no law against dual pricing. Dual pricing is not the same as a cash discount, though the two are often confused: a cash discount shows one price and takes an amount off at the register, while dual pricing shows both the cash and card price before the customer decides. Both differ again from surcharging, which adds a fee to credit transactions and carries state-by-state rules and card-network caps. We set the program up to comply with the rules that apply to you, including the signage and receipt requirements.
Yes. As of November 2026, Ohio has no state law banning or capping surcharges, but card network rules apply. Visa caps a surcharge at 3% or your cost of acceptance, whichever is lower, and Mastercard caps it at 4%. You must give your processor at least 30 days' notice before you start (Mastercard also requires you to register with Mastercard), and you must disclose the surcharge at the entrance, at checkout and as its own line on every receipt.
No. Visa and Mastercard rules do not allow surcharges on debit or prepaid cards, even when the card is run as credit. Dual pricing works differently: the card price applies to every card payment, credit and debit, and cash customers get the lower price.
Your POS automatically calculates and displays both prices. Signage at the entrance and register informs customers before they reach the counter. The receipt clearly shows the pricing. Staff simply ask the customer whether they would like to pay with cash or card.
Most customers appreciate the transparency and the choice. Gas stations have offered cash discounts for years. Our experience shows that when dual pricing is communicated clearly through signage and staff training, customer satisfaction remains high.
Equipment & POS
Clover is a modern point-of-sale system that handles payments, inventory, employee management, reporting, and more. It comes in several form factors: Station Duo for countertops, Mini for compact spaces, and Flex for mobile use. Cloud 9 is an authorized Clover dealer.
It depends on your business type and needs. Station Duo is best for full-service restaurants and high-volume retail. Mini works great for counter service and coffee shops. Flex is ideal for food trucks, tableside payments, and mobile businesses. We help you choose during our free consultation.
Yes. Clover connects to QuickBooks through its Accounting Sync feature and through accounting apps in the Clover App Market, such as Commerce Sync, which send your daily Clover sales to QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop. These apps are made by other companies and carry their own monthly fee. We will help you pick the right one and set it up.
Clover is our primary recommendation because of its flexibility and reliability. However, we can process payments through other terminal and POS platforms. During our consultation, we assess your needs and recommend the best fit.
Call us directly. Our local Northeast Ohio team provides same-day support for equipment issues. We carry replacement equipment and can often resolve problems on the same day they are reported.
Switching
Most businesses are fully switched within 5–7 business days. We handle equipment setup, menu or product configuration, and staff training. Complex restaurant builds may take slightly longer for menu programming.
No. We build and configure the new system while the old one is still running. On installation day the new equipment is ready before anything gets disconnected, so you never stop taking payments.
Yes. Toast's software runs only on Toast hardware, and Square devices run Square's own software, so switching usually means new Clover equipment, which we set up while your old system keeps running. Toast agreements can carry a set term and an early termination fee, so send us yours and we will show you exactly what leaving would cost. Square advertises no long-term contract.
Most processors say you're locked in. Early termination fees are often negotiable, or smaller than the letter makes them sound. Send us the contract and we'll work out what leaving actually costs against what you'd save. Usually the savings cover it within a couple of months.
Yes. Equipment ordering, configuration, installation, data migration where it's possible, and staff training. You don't need to project-manage any of it. That's our job.
Support & Languages
Call or text us at 1-855-297-6722 or use the contact form on our website. Our local team answers directly, with no automated phone trees or offshore call centers.
Our standard support hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST. For urgent equipment issues during business hours, we provide same-day response and resolution.
Yes. We offer support in Spanish and Arabic in addition to English. Our multilingual team ensures clear communication regardless of your preferred language.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is here to help. Reach out and we will get back to you within one business day.
Call or Text: 1-855-297-6722