The Easy Pay Direct Strategic Partner Program

What is the Easy Pay Direct Strategic Partner Program?

The Easy Pay Direct Strategic Partner Program is an application-only partnership designed for software companies, high-volume referrers, and white-glove partners. Unlike the standard affiliate program, Strategic Partner terms are negotiated case by case to reflect integration depth, referral volume, and client profile. Partners accepted into the program earn lifetime residuals on every merchant account they refer, paid monthly through the Easy Pay Direct partner dashboard. Easy Pay Direct has processed $12B+ across 100,000+ businesses over 20+ years, which means your referrals go to a processor with deep underwriting relationships across 40+ industries.

How is this different from the Affiliate Partner Program?

The Affiliate Partner Program pays a flat 20% lifetime residual and is open to anyone who applies through standard enrollment. The Strategic Partner Program is application-only, requires a qualification call, and offers negotiated revenue share up to 50% based on integration depth, referral volume, and partner fit. Strategic Partners also receive a dedicated partner manager separate from the affiliate program, direct API support for software integrations, and priority underwriting access for high-volume merchant referrals. If you are unsure which program fits your business, apply for the Strategic Partner Program and the qualification call will clarify the right path.

How much can I earn?

Strategic Partner revenue share is negotiated individually and can reach up to 50% of net revenue processed by your referred merchants. Your exact rate depends on your path (software integration, high-volume referral, or white-glove), your volume, and the terms agreed during the qualification call. Because residuals are paid for the lifetime of each merchant account, a strong book of referrals compounds into meaningful ongoing income. Estimates only. Actual residuals depend on processing volume, account longevity, card mix, and merchant retention. Easy Pay Direct does not guarantee earnings.

Who qualifies for the Strategic Partner Program?

The Strategic Partner Program is designed for three audiences. Software and SaaS platforms with API capability and an existing customer base who want to embed payments and earn on every transaction. High-volume referrers, including agencies, consultants, and communities, who can send 50 or more qualified merchant referrals per month. White-glove partners with an established book of larger-volume clients ($100k per month or more) who need dedicated account management. All applicants go through a qualification call before terms are confirmed.

What is the application process?

You begin by submitting the application form on this page. After your application is reviewed, a Strategic Partner manager will contact you within one business day to schedule a qualification call. On the call, the team reviews your business model, audience, integration capability or referral volume, and expected deal flow. If there is a strong fit, terms are proposed and onboarding begins. For software partners, this includes API documentation and integration support. For referral partners, this includes tracking links, co-branded assets, and a dedicated manager.

Do I need an API integration to join?

No. API integration is required only for the Software and SaaS Integration path. High-volume referrers and white-glove partners use tracking links and co-branded landing pages to refer merchants, with no technical integration required. If you are a software company or SaaS platform that wants to embed payments directly, the API integration path is available and the team provides full documentation and engineering support.

What happens if a referred merchant cancels?

Residuals are paid for as long as the referred merchant continues processing with Easy Pay Direct. If a merchant account closes or the merchant moves to a different processor, residuals on that account stop. Easy Pay Direct's average account life is 3 or more years, which reflects strong merchant retention across the portfolio. The best way to protect your residual income is to refer businesses that are a good fit for Easy Pay Direct's underwriting and supported industries.

How are payouts handled?

Strategic Partners are paid monthly. Residuals from the prior month's processing activity are calculated and paid on a monthly payout cycle. Your real-time partner dashboard shows your active referrals, monthly processing volume per account, and payout status so you always know where your earnings stand. Your dedicated Strategic Partner manager is your direct point of contact for any payout questions.

Is there a higher payout for software integrations?

Yes. Software and SaaS partners who embed payments directly through the Easy Pay Direct gateway earn on every transaction processed by their users, which typically results in higher total residuals than referral-only partners. The exact revenue share for software integrations is negotiated during the qualification call based on your customer base, transaction volume, and integration depth. Platform companies that integrate payments capture meaningful revenue from every transaction, and Easy Pay Direct structures partner terms to reflect that.

Can I refer merchants in any vertical?

Easy Pay Direct supports 40+ industries, including many that payment aggregators and standard processors decline. Your referrals can be in supplements, CBD, firearms, coaching and online education, SaaS and software, continuity and subscription businesses, healthcare, professional services, ecommerce, and many more. High-risk businesses that have been declined elsewhere are often approvable at Easy Pay Direct, which makes referrals from software platforms, agencies, and white-glove partners in those spaces particularly valuable.