There’s nothing more frustrating than having software tailored for a specialized vertical… only to have your payments provider treat it like a generic checkout cart.

From summer camp POS platforms to platforms for pet groomers, feed and tack shops, pawnbrokers, sports leagues, ski retailers, or pet crematoriums, ISVs building for niche verticals don’t follow a one-size-fits-all playbook. So why should your payments partner?

The reality? Too many ISVs are stuck with legacy processors that don’t understand their business models, don’t prioritize their needs, and can’t (or won’t) flex to accommodate complex payment workflows. And it’s slowing growth. 

It’s time to rethink what a true embedded payments partner looks like. 

What Is a “Super-Niche” Vertical in Payments?

We’re talking about software that powers very specific industries with unique customer behaviors and operational requirements. These aren’t general tools, they’re built for businesses with: 

• Recurring billing models (e.g., camps, gyms, nonprofits)
• Alternative payment methods (anything other than cash, debit card, or credit card, such as ACH, digital wallets, buy now pay later (BNPL), or payment installments, for example)
• Memberships, donations, parent payers, custom fee structures
• High fraud risk (like food delivery or on-demand services)
• Real-world + digital services (true omnichannel needs)

If you’re nodding your head, chances are you’ve already felt the friction of trying to force a horizontal payment platform to fit a vertical problem.

The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Payment Solutions

Legacy providers are often rigid. They’ve built horizontal solutions that serve the masses but struggle when it comes to deep integration or vertical-specific innovation. That means:

• Lack of flexibility: Can’t adapt to your specialized core requirements or platform roadmap
• Limited control: Your brand gets buried under their restrictive tools, and they’re holding back your growth plans 
• Slow support: Can’t understand or refuse to spend the time to understand the unique intricacies of your industry
• High fees: Refuse to adapt their fee model to meet the reality of your niche market, and no clear value in return

To truly deliver deep verticalization, ISVs must partner with a payments provider that genuinely understands their unique challenges, helps them serve their clients effectively, and supports their growth.

In fact, a recent Envisionit survey showed that the top reasons ISVs switch providers include better tech, lower fees, and better customer support. 

Vertical Expertise Isn’t Optional, It’s the Advantage 

Verticalized payment partners offer more than just processing, they bring a strategic understanding of your market, which leads to better integration, fewer support issues, and more payments monetization opportunities​.

For example, a niche ISV serving childcare organizations may need built-in ACH and subsidy billing features. A self-storage platform might prioritize fast merchant onboarding with low fraud risk. A flexible payments partner knows that and delivers without requiring you to hack together workarounds.

Diving into Omnichannel 

Today’s vertical software providers often support online, mobile, unattended, and in-person experiences. Think: sports clinics registering kids via app, and taking payments on-site. Or spas with recurring memberships and one-off POS payments.

If your provider can’t bridge the gap between in-store, mobile, unattended, and online channels with a unified experience and support all your user cases, you’re leaving money (and customer satisfaction) on the table.

Why BOLD Is Built for ISVs Like You

At BOLD, we believe control + customization = power. And ISVs should never be boxed in by their payments stack.

Here’s how we’re different:

• Vertical-friendly from the start: Over the years, we have worked with ISVs and merchants in a number of verticals, sub-verticals, and niche verticals—so we understand how crucial verticalization is.
• Flexible solutions: Build what you need, not what a legacy provider allows.
• Understand and support all your use cases: From countertop terminal to mPOS mobile devices, and self-service unattended to texting invoice payment link and pay-by-app, we support smooth end-to-end experiences.
• White-label support: Let your brand shine across the payments journey.
• Transparent monetization: We offer revenue sharing with full transparency, so you can build a sustainable business.

But most importantly? We listen and spend the time to truly understand your unique needs. If your use case is outside the box, we don’t say “no”, we ask, “how can we make this work?”

Niche ISVs are creating incredible platforms, but many are being held back by payment partners that aren’t built to support innovation. Don’t let that be your story.

Choose a partner who understands your vertical, shares your values, and is as invested in your growth as you are.

Sources:

Envisionit. ISO/ISV Field Survey Results & Takeaways. 2024.

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