Payanywhere
Payanywhere is a United States-focused payments platform that enables merchants to accept card, contactless, cash, and online payments through mobile devices and point-of-sale equipment.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Payanywhere is a merchant payments platform and application developed internally by North, a payment-processing company. The service was created to help small and medium-sized businesses accept credit and debit card payments without requiring a conventional fixed point-of-sale installation. Its core proposition combines mobile card acceptance with merchant-management tools, allowing businesses to take payments in stores, at events, or while traveling, then review transactions and manage operational tasks through an online account. The platform officially launched on iOS in January 2011 and expanded to Android in May of the same year. A BlackBerry version followed in May 2012, reflecting the broad range of smartphones used by merchants at the time. Payanywhere also released software development kits: an iOS SDK became available in December 2011 and an Android SDK followed in June 2012. These tools allowed developers to embed payment-processing functionality into their own applications, extending the brand beyond its own merchant application. Payanywhere developed from a mobile card-reader product into a broader point-of-sale and business-management system. Its Storefront product, introduced on April 8, 2014, paired a tablet with a stand for in-store use. The platform supported traditional magnetic-stripe cards, EMV chip cards, and near-field communication payments. In 2015, the company introduced a mobile reader for Apple devices with support for Apple Pay, NFC, EMV, and magnetic-stripe transactions. Android tablet compatibility was added later that year. Payanywhere subsequently described its mobile reader as supporting Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. A central part of the service is Payanywhere Inside, an online merchant portal. The portal provides sales reporting, employee-permission controls, invoice management, chargeback workflows, virtual-terminal payments, and other administrative functions. Additional platform features include inventory and customer management, discounts, tips, tax configuration, digital receipts, cash-drawer and printer connectivity, QuickBooks integration, and online or telephone support. Security-related capabilities described for the platform include encryption, tokenization, fraud controls, and PCI-compliant equipment. Payanywhere has offered multiple pricing approaches, including Standard, Pay-As-You-Go, and Custom plans. Pricing and fees have changed over time; historical descriptions included per-transaction rates and, at one point, an inactivity fee for idle accounts. Because the service's commercial terms are time-sensitive, historical pricing should not be treated as current pricing without a contemporary source. The brand also pursued distribution through major retail channels. In 2012, it announced an expansion into nationwide retail, with availability reported through retailers including Walmart, OfficeMax, The Home Depot, Pep Boys, Hastings, Fred Meyer, and Meijer, as well as online marketplaces. Payanywhere was positioned as an alternative to simpler mobile card readers, combining payment acceptance with features closer to a lightweight point-of-sale system. Its historical coverage included recognition at Black Enterprise's 2012 Best in Show Awards and finalist status in an Emerging Technology Awards category. The available reference material does not establish the brand's current ownership structure, headquarters, commercial availability, or operating status, so those fields remain conservative.
History
Payanywhere was developed by North as an internally created merchant-payments product. It launched on Apple's iOS platform in January 2011, with an Android release in May 2011. The early product centered on a smartphone application and a card reader, enabling merchants to accept card payments in settings where a traditional checkout terminal was impractical. A BlackBerry edition arrived in May 2012, supporting devices running BlackBerry OS 4.7 or later. The brand expanded its technical reach through developer tools. An iOS software development kit was released in December 2011, followed by an Android SDK in June 2012. Offered in Basic and Advanced versions, these tools enabled third-party developers to integrate credit-card processing into their own applications. This positioned Payanywhere not only as a merchant-facing app but also as a payments component for other software products. In 2012, Payanywhere pursued physical retail distribution. Its retail expansion was announced at CTIA Wireless, and a nationwide rollout was later reported through outlets such as Walmart, OfficeMax, and The Home Depot, alongside specialty and regional retailers. The same period brought external attention: Black Enterprise recognized Payanywhere as the Most Dynamic Mobile App at its 2012 Best in Show Awards, while the product was also listed as a finalist in an Emerging Technology Awards mobile-commerce category. Payanywhere broadened from a portable reader into a more conventional point-of-sale proposition with the April 2014 introduction of Storefront. The product combined a tablet and stand for merchants operating from a fixed retail counter. In addition to taking payments, the platform supported reporting, inventory, employee and customer management, receipts, discounts, taxes, cash drawers, printers, and accounting connectivity. Payment acceptance capabilities developed rapidly during 2015. A redesigned reader for iOS devices supported EMV chip cards, NFC transactions, Apple Pay, and magnetic-stripe cards. Android tablet support was added in October. Payanywhere subsequently marketed a reader compatible with the principal mobile-wallet systems then in use, including Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. These changes reflected the industry's transition away from magnetic-stripe-only acceptance toward chip and contactless standards. The platform's software layer was consolidated through Payanywhere Inside, a web-based merchant portal. It gave account holders access to reports, employee permissions, invoices, chargeback management, virtual-terminal payments, and other administrative functions. Payanywhere also offered encryption, tokenization, fraud-protection features, and PCI-compliant equipment, while promoting next-day funding and live support in historical product descriptions. In September 2017, Payanywhere announced that it offered Bluetooth EMV readers without a monthly fee. By December 2017, the service also supported Alipay acceptance through the mobile application and Storefront using a camera or barcode scanner. Historical descriptions identify Standard, Pay-As-You-Go, and Custom pricing models, although the commercial terms and availability of those plans may have changed. The supplied reference material does not document subsequent ownership, leadership, headquarters, or current operating status; accordingly, the present status of the brand is recorded as unknown rather than inferred.
- 2017
Bluetooth EMV pricing change
[1]Payanywhere announced Bluetooth EMV readers without a monthly fee.
- 2017
Alipay support
[1]Alipay acceptance became available through the mobile app and Storefront.
- 2015
EMV and mobile-wallet reader
[1]A redesigned reader added EMV and NFC capabilities, including Apple Pay support.
- 2014
Storefront introduced
[1]Payanywhere introduced a tablet-and-stand point-of-sale configuration for in-store merchants.
- 2012
BlackBerry application and developer expansion
[1]Payanywhere released a BlackBerry application and expanded its integration capabilities through mobile SDKs.
- 2012
Nationwide retail rollout
[1]The product became available through a range of national, regional, specialty, and online retailers.
- 2011
iOS launch
[1]Payanywhere officially launched its mobile payments application on iOS.
- 2011
Android expansion
[1]An Android version made the service available on a second major mobile operating system.
Products and positioning
A mobile-first merchant payment and lightweight point-of-sale platform for United States small and medium-sized businesses, emphasizing card-reader flexibility, contactless acceptance, reporting, invoicing, and business-management tools.
Mobile payments software · 2011
Payanywhere mobile application
The core merchant application allows businesses to accept card and contactless payments through compatible smartphones and tablets. Historical versions supported iOS, Android, and BlackBerry devices. The application also provided transaction reporting, digital receipts, inventory functions, employee and customer management, discounts, taxes, and other tools intended to supplement payment acceptance.
Point-of-sale hardware · 2014
Payanywhere Storefront
Storefront is a tablet-and-stand configuration introduced for merchants operating from a fixed retail counter. It supports card, contactless, and other payment workflows while connecting with peripherals such as cash drawers and receipt printers. The product extends Payanywhere from a portable card reader into a compact point-of-sale system.
Payment hardware · 2011
Payanywhere mobile card readers
Payanywhere's reader family was designed to connect to mobile devices through Bluetooth or compatible interfaces. Later generations supported magnetic-stripe cards, EMV chip cards, and NFC wallets including Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. Historical material also describes Bluetooth EMV hardware offered without a monthly fee.
Merchant management software
Payanywhere Inside
Payanywhere Inside is the platform's online merchant portal. It provides reporting, employee-permission management, invoicing, chargeback workflows, virtual-terminal payments, and related business-administration functions. It is intended to give merchants a central place to monitor transactions and manage operations beyond the physical payment device.
Developer tools · 2011
Payanywhere SDKs
The iOS and Android SDKs allowed third-party developers to embed Payanywhere card-processing capabilities in their own applications. Historical materials identify Basic and Advanced SDK tiers and also mention APIs, code samples, test accounts, hosted e-commerce tools, and PC-based middleware.
Brand decisions
2017
Bluetooth EMV reader offered without a monthly feePrice changeBackground
Recurring software and equipment charges were an important consideration for small merchants selecting mobile payment providers.
Action taken
Payanywhere announced Bluetooth EMV readers without a monthly fee.
Aftermath
The move reinforced the platform's low-recurring-cost positioning, although the supplied material does not establish the complete contemporary fee schedule.
2015
Addition of EMV and contactless acceptanceGeneration changeBackground
Merchants were increasingly required or expected to accept chip cards and mobile-wallet transactions.
Action taken
Payanywhere introduced a revised mobile reader supporting EMV, NFC, Apple Pay, and magnetic-stripe payments, followed by Android tablet support.
Aftermath
The platform became compatible with a wider range of card and mobile-wallet payment methods.
2014
Launch of StorefrontProduct launchBackground
Payanywhere sought to serve merchants needing a fixed in-store checkout rather than only a portable mobile reader.
Action taken
The company introduced a tablet-and-stand Storefront solution for retail payment acceptance.
Aftermath
Storefront broadened the brand's proposition toward lightweight point-of-sale functionality.
Recent events
- 2017
Bluetooth EMV reader offered without a monthly fee[1]
Pricing · Product launch
Payanywhere stated that it became the first payment processor to offer Bluetooth EMV readers without a monthly fee.
- 2017
Alipay acceptance added[1]
Product launch
The platform added Alipay acceptance through its mobile application and Storefront, using a device camera or barcode scanner.
- 2015
Payanywhere adds EMV and Apple Pay support[1]
Product launch · Product generation
A new reader for iPhones and iPads added EMV chip-card and Apple Pay acceptance alongside NFC and magnetic-stripe transactions; Android tablet support followed later in the year.
- 2015
Mobile reader expands contactless wallet compatibility[1]
Product generation
Payanywhere described its mobile NFC reader as supporting Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- 2014
Payanywhere Storefront introduced[1]
Product launch
The brand introduced Storefront, a tablet-and-stand solution designed to support fixed in-store payment acceptance and point-of-sale functions.
- 2012
Payanywhere expands into retail distribution[1]
Other
Payanywhere announced retail-channel expansion, followed by a nationwide rollout involving large general retailers, office-supply stores, home-improvement retailers, automotive outlets, and regional chains.
- 2011
Payanywhere launches on iOS[1]
Product launch
Payanywhere officially introduced its mobile payments application for iOS, allowing merchants to process card transactions through compatible mobile hardware.
- 2011
Android application becomes available[1]
Product launch
The Payanywhere application expanded from iOS to Android, broadening device compatibility for merchants.
Sources1 sources
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