Shopify High-Risk Payment Gateway — Accept Payments for Restricted Products on Shopify

Shopify is the most popular eCommerce platform in the world, but Shopify Payments — its built-in payment processor powered by Stripe — [restricts dozens of product categories](/blog/shopify-payments-restrictions-explained). If you sell CBD, peptides, supplements, firearms, vape products, adult items, kratom, or any other product on Stripe's prohibited list, you need a third-party high-risk payment gateway.

The good news: **Shopify supports third-party payment gateways.** You don't need to leave Shopify. You keep your store, your theme, your apps, your customers, and your SEO — you just connect a different payment processor through Shopify's Settings → Payments → Third-party providers.

Unison Payment Solutions provides high-risk payment gateways that integrate with Shopify for all restricted product categories. Our gateway partners (PayTrace, NMI, Authorize.net) are available as third-party providers in Shopify's payment settings.

**How the integration works:** 1. Apply for a [high-risk merchant account](/high-risk-merchant-account) with Unison (3-10 business days) 2. Receive your gateway credentials (PayTrace, NMI, or Authorize.net) 3. In Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments → Third-party providers 4. Select your gateway and enter your credentials 5. Process payments through your high-risk-approved account

**Shopify's additional gateway fee** is the main cost consideration. Shopify charges an extra fee for third-party gateways that varies by plan:

| Shopify Plan | Monthly Cost | Third-Party Gateway Fee | |-------------|-------------|------------------------| | Basic | $39/mo | 2.0% per transaction | | Shopify | $105/mo | 1.0% per transaction | | Advanced | $399/mo | 0.5% per transaction |

This fee is on top of your gateway's processing rate. For most high-risk merchants, upgrading to the Advanced plan saves money if your monthly volume exceeds $30,000 — the lower gateway fee more than offsets the higher monthly subscription.

**Industry-specific Shopify guides:** - [Peptide payments on Shopify](/industries/peptides/peptide-payments-shopify) — the most detailed guide for peptide Shopify stores - [CBD payment gateway](/industries/cannabis/cbd-payment-gateway) — CBD-specific gateway integration for Shopify and other platforms - [Vape merchant account](/industries/cannabis/vape-merchant-account) — vape and e-cigarette processing for Shopify stores

For product categories that Shopify itself restricts (not just Shopify Payments), such as certain firearms or heavily regulated items, you may need an alternative platform like WooCommerce or BigCommerce. However, most high-risk categories are restricted only at the payment level — Shopify allows the products on its platform when using a third-party gateway.

Unison handles the gateway setup and integration for you. [Contact us](/contact) for a free consultation, or [apply directly](/high-risk-merchant-account) to get started.

3 Simple Steps

1. Apply online — Takes less than 10 minutes
2. Get approved — 24–48 hours, no hard credit pull
3. Start processing — Equipment ships pre-configured and ready to go

No Strings Attached

• No long-term contracts
• No early termination fees
• No hidden charges
• Transparent interchange-plus pricing

Switching providers? We analyze your current statement, show your savings, and handle the transition.

The ecommerce & online retail industry is evolving rapidly, and payment processing technology is evolving with it. Understanding the key trends shaping how shopify high-risk payment gateway — accept payments for restricted products on shopify businesses accept and manage payments helps you stay ahead of the competition and position your business for long-term growth. Unison Payment Solutions continuously invests in new technology and processing capabilities to ensure our merchants always have access to the most current and effective payment solutions.

Contactless payments have become the norm, with over 50% of in-person transactions now using tap-to-pay or mobile wallet technology. Consumers increasingly expect businesses to offer contactless payment options, and those that do see faster checkout times, shorter lines, and higher customer satisfaction scores. All POS terminals provided by Unison support NFC contactless payments, ensuring your shopify high-risk payment gateway — accept payments for restricted products on shopify business meets modern customer expectations.

Integrated business management is replacing standalone payment terminals. Modern POS systems do far more than process transactions — they manage inventory, track employee performance, generate financial reports, facilitate customer loyalty programs, and integrate with accounting software. For shopify high-risk payment gateway — accept payments for restricted products on shopify businesses, this integration eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors, and provides real-time visibility into business performance that drives better decision-making.

Consumer financing and buy now, pay later (BNPL) options are driving higher average transaction values across many industries. Offering payment plans through providers like Affirm, Afterpay, and Klarna can increase your average ticket size by 30 to 50 percent while reducing cart abandonment for higher-priced products and services. Unison's consumer financing integration makes it easy to offer flexible payment options to your customers.

Payment processing does not have to drain your profits. But many shopify high-risk payment gateway — accept payments for restricted products on shopify business owners lose thousands of dollars a year through avoidable mistakes. Here are the most common issues we see and how to fix them.

Overpaying on Flat-Rate Processing

Flat-rate processors charge the same percentage on every transaction regardless of card type. A debit card that would cost 0.5 percent on interchange-plus gets charged 2.6 percent on flat rate. Once your monthly volume exceeds $5,000, interchange-plus pricing saves real money. The higher your volume the bigger the savings.

Not Reading Monthly Statements

Your processing statement lists every fee you paid last month. Most merchants never look at it. Calculate your effective rate by dividing total fees by total volume. If the result is above 2.5 percent for card-present transactions you are paying too much. Our team will help you read your statement and identify savings.

Ignoring Chargeback Prevention

Each chargeback costs you the transaction amount plus a $25 to $100 fee. Too many chargebacks can put your account into a monitoring program or lead to termination. Simple steps like clear billing descriptors, detailed receipts, and prompt customer service prevent most disputes before they happen.

Using Outdated Equipment

Old terminals that do not support EMV chip or contactless payments expose you to fraud liability and higher interchange rates. Modern terminals process faster, accept all payment types, and qualify for the lowest available rates. Upgrading your equipment often pays for itself within the first month through lower fees and fewer chargebacks.