GoHighLevel Payment Processing: Unison vs Stripe — Which Is Better?

If you use GoHighLevel for your CRM, you have probably connected Stripe as your payment processor. It is the easiest option to set up — a few clicks and you are accepting payments through your funnels and invoices.

But easy does not always mean best. As your business grows and your processing volume increases, Stripe's flat-rate pricing model starts to cost you real money. And if your business operates in a category Stripe considers risky, you could wake up to a frozen account with no warning.

This guide compares Unison vs Stripe for GoHighLevel payment processing across pricing, features, account stability, support, and high-risk compatibility.

Pricing: Flat-Rate vs Interchange-Plus

This is the biggest difference and where most businesses save money by switching.

How Stripe prices transactions

Stripe charges a flat rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction. Every card type, every transaction size, the same rate. Simple to understand, but expensive at scale.

Here is the problem: debit card interchange rates are often as low as 0.05% + $0.22. When Stripe charges you 2.9% on a debit card transaction, the markup over actual cost is enormous. You are subsidizing the simplicity of flat-rate pricing.

How Unison prices transactions

Unison uses interchange-plus pricing. You pay the actual interchange rate set by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) plus a small, transparent markup. This means:

• Debit card transactions cost significantly less than with Stripe
• The markup is visible on your statement — no hidden fees
• As your volume grows, your effective rate decreases

Real cost comparison

For a business processing $30,000/month with an average ticket of $100:

• Stripe: approximately $900/month in processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 x 300 transactions)
• Unison: approximately $630-$720/month depending on card mix (interchange-plus typically 1.8-2.4% effective rate)

That is $180-$270/month in savings — or $2,160-$3,240/year — just from switching pricing models. The savings scale with volume. At $100,000/month, the difference can exceed $600/month.

Use our savings calculator to estimate your specific savings.

Account Stability: Dedicated vs Aggregated

Stripe's aggregated model

Stripe uses aggregated merchant accounts. Your business shares a master merchant ID with thousands of other Stripe users. This means:

• Stripe can freeze your funds or terminate your account at any time based on their risk algorithms
• Account holds are common and often triggered without prior notice
• Disputes with Stripe's risk team are difficult — you are one of millions of merchants
• Certain business categories are flagged automatically, even if your business is legitimate

The GHL community is full of stories about Stripe freezing funds or shutting down accounts unexpectedly. For businesses that depend on payment processing for daily operations, this is a real risk.

Unison's dedicated model

Unison provides dedicated merchant accounts. Your business has its own merchant ID, underwritten specifically for your industry and processing profile. This means:

• Your account is yours — not shared with other businesses
• Account decisions are made by underwriters who understand your business
• No algorithmic freezes or surprise terminations
• If issues arise, your dedicated account manager works with you to resolve them

For businesses using GoHighLevel as their primary business platform, account stability is not optional. Your funnels, invoices, and payment links all depend on your processor being live.

Features Compared

Payment acceptance

Both processors support the core payment methods you need inside GoHighLevel. The functionality is comparable.

Business support features

This is where the difference matters most for growing businesses. Stripe is self-service by design. Unison is relationship-based.

High-Risk Business Support

If your business operates in a category that Stripe considers risky, this comparison is simple.

Categories Stripe restricts or prohibits

• Supplements and nutraceuticals
• CBD and hemp products
• Firearms and ammunition
• Adult content
• Travel services
• Subscription boxes with high return rates
• Debt collection
• Certain SaaS models

If you are in one of these categories and using GoHighLevel, connecting Stripe creates a ticking time bomb. Your account can be frozen or terminated at any time.

Unison's high-risk support

Unison maintains relationships with acquiring banks that specifically underwrite high-risk merchant accounts. We process for:

• Peptides and research chemicals
• CBD and cannabis
• Supplements and nutraceuticals
• Gambling and gaming
• Firearms
• Subscription businesses
• And other categories traditional processors decline

If your GoHighLevel business is in a restricted category, Unison is not just a better option — it may be your only stable option.

Chargeback Protection

Chargebacks affect every business that accepts card payments. How your processor handles them matters.

Stripe's approach

• Basic dispute management dashboard
• Automated evidence submission (limited)
• No proactive prevention tools
• High chargeback rates can trigger account review or termination

Unison's approach

• Chargeback prevention and management tools included
• Proactive alerts before disputes escalate
• Evidence assembly assistance
• Dedicated support for responding to chargebacks
• Account health monitoring to keep chargeback ratios below network thresholds

For businesses using GoHighLevel for recurring billing or subscription services — where chargebacks are more common — Unison's chargeback protection is a significant advantage.

Customer Support

Stripe

• Email and chat support
• Documentation-first approach
• No dedicated account manager
• Complex issues can take days to resolve
• Account freezes often handled by automated systems

Unison

• Dedicated account manager who knows your business
• Direct phone line — a real person answers
• Issues typically resolved on the first call
• Proactive account monitoring and optimization
• Help with GHL integration setup and configuration

When your GoHighLevel payments stop working, you need someone on the phone immediately — not a chatbot. This is where Unison's relationship-based model outperforms Stripe's self-service approach.

When to Stay With Stripe

Stripe is a good choice for GoHighLevel if:

• You are just starting out and processing under $5,000/month
• You want the simplest possible setup with no onboarding process
• Your business is in a low-risk category with no chargeback concerns
• You do not need a dedicated account manager or phone support
• You are comfortable with flat-rate pricing

Stripe's simplicity is its strength for early-stage businesses. But most businesses outgrow it.

When to Switch to Unison

Unison is the better choice for GoHighLevel if:

• You process over $10,000/month and want lower per-transaction costs
• You need a dedicated merchant account for stability and predictability
• Your business is in a category Stripe restricts or could restrict in the future
• You want proactive chargeback prevention instead of reactive dispute management
• You prefer a dedicated account manager over self-service support
• You are building your business on GoHighLevel and need a processor you can depend on long-term

How to Switch From Stripe to Unison in GoHighLevel

Switching is straightforward and does not require downtime:

1. **Contact Unison and let us know you are using GoHighLevel 2. Complete the application — takes under 10 minutes 3. Get approved — most businesses are approved within 24-48 hours 4. We connect the integration — Unison's team handles the API connection to your GHL account 5. Test and go live — we verify payment flows before you switch over 6. Disconnect Stripe** — once Unison is processing smoothly, remove the Stripe connection

You can keep Stripe active during the transition so there is zero downtime in your payment acceptance.

Related Resources

• GoHighLevel Payment Processing Setup Guide
• GoHighLevel Integration Details
• CRM Payment Processing Guide
• Best CRM for Payment Processing
• All Payment Processing Integrations
• Savings Calculator