e-commerce
Not provided, Not provided
Volume: Under $10K
Received 507h ago
MerchantCardLeads · For payments professionals
ISO vs Independent Agent: How Should You Buy Leads?
ISOs should buy leads around assigned rep capacity, territory ownership and team coverage; independent agents should buy around their own selling hours and cash limits. At MerchantCardLeads, our shared leads cost $25 each and exclusive leads cost $45 each. We recommend increasing volume only when your follow-up process can absorb it.
Last updated October 26, 2026
How much do merchant leads cost?
Shared
$25.00 / lead
Exclusive
$45.00 / lead
Aged from
$0.75 / lead
Shared: up to 3 buyers. Fresh exclusive: one platform buyer. High-risk, volume and aged profile adjustments can change prices.
Updated Oct 22, 2026
What inventory is available?
8
Received in the last 30 days
928
Aged inventory pool
Updated 10/26/2026, 10:00:00 PM UTC. Pool totals are not a promise of matching inventory for your account.
other high risk
Not provided, Not provided
Volume: Under $10K
Received 510h ago
other high risk
Not provided, Not provided
Volume: $50K – $250K
Received 591h ago
How should your buying plan differ as an ISO or independent agent?
As an ISO, you are buying for a sales operation. Your first decision is who owns each opportunity, who handles an absent rep’s queue and how managers will catch missed follow-ups. A larger purchase makes sense only when those responsibilities are clear. Use our [ISO buyer page](/buyers/isos) to explore buying for your team.
As an independent agent, you are buying work for your own calendar. Merchant visits, statement reviews, proposals and account support compete with first outreach. A modest purchase you can work thoroughly is more useful than a large queue you cannot maintain. Start with our [independent agent buyer page](/buyers/independent-agents).
We recommend that both buyers separate acquisition capacity from closing ambition. Wanting more accounts does not create more hours to qualify merchants.
How much lead volume can you actually cover?
For an ISO, count available selling time rather than total rep headcount. A rep handling installations or servicing existing accounts may have little room for new opportunities. Before you buy, assign an owner and a backup, then reserve time for repeat attempts and proposals—not just first calls.
For a solo agent, build your purchase limit around uninterrupted outreach blocks. If tomorrow is full of merchant visits, buying more today can create a backlog before you have spoken with anyone. We recommend reducing purchases before predictable absences instead of relying on a catch-up day.
Track unworked purchases, overdue follow-ups and time to first attempt. Review those measures by rep for an ISO and by working day for a solo practice. Increase buying only when the existing queue remains manageable.
How should territory and processor fit shape your purchases?
An ISO can support a broader footprint when it has clear territory assignments and coverage across relevant time zones. Decide whether ownership follows merchant location, rep location or industry expertise. Avoid overlapping assignments that cause two of your representatives to approach the same merchant independently.
As a solo agent, distinguish the area you can call from the area you can service. A distant merchant may fit a remote processing sale but not your hands-on POS installation model. We recommend defining that boundary before committing your budget.
Both buyer types should match merchant opportunities to their processor relationships, accepted business categories and support capabilities. A larger territory is not automatically a better territory. Expand only when you can handle discovery, onboarding coordination and ongoing service without weakening coverage for existing clients.
How should you choose a budget and lead mix?
Our packs are Starter at $250, Growth at $500 and Scale at $1,000; custom packs start at $250. We offer no contracts, and you can pause anytime. Treat pack size as a spending decision, not a reason to buy beyond your operating capacity.
An ISO should set both a team budget and rep-level limits. Release more spending to reps who keep their queues current and produce sound account economics. A solo agent should protect cash needed for travel, software and servicing rather than putting the entire sales budget into purchases.
Our shared leads cost $25 each and are shared with up to three buyers. Exclusive leads cost $45 each. Pricing can vary for high-risk or high-volume leads. Choose shared when your response process can handle buyer competition; consider exclusive when reduced buyer competition supports your sales approach. Fresh exclusivity does not prohibit later disclosed aged resale.
When should aged leads become part of your buying plan?
Our aged leads cost $6 for 1–30 days, $3 for 31–90 days, $1.50 for 91–180 days and $0.75 for 180+ days, with a minimum order of 25. Lower purchase cost does not remove the time required to establish whether a merchant still has a relevant need.
For an ISO, aged outreach can belong in a separate queue with explicit ownership and its own performance review. Do not let a large aged purchase distract reps from current conversations and pending proposals.
For an independent agent, reserve a defined outreach block before adding aged leads. We recommend comparing total effort and retained merchant earnings, not merely the number of names your budget buys. Keep fresh and aged results separate so a cheaper purchase price does not obscure heavier follow-up work.
What outreach controls should be in place before you buy?
Our own campaigns display this consent disclosure: “By submitting, you agree that MerchantCardLeads and its partner payment-processing providers may contact you by phone, text and email about merchant services, including via automated technology. Consent is not a condition of purchase.”
New campaign leads carry the captured consent text, timestamp and source page in our dashboard, email and webhook delivery. You are responsible for TCPA and DNC rules in your own outreach. Purchasing an aged lead does not renew consent, and buyer SMS alert opt-in is separate from permission to contact merchants.
As an ISO, make consent review, opt-out handling and reassignment controls consistent across your team. As a solo agent, keep those checks in your daily workflow rather than postponing them until a merchant objects. Before increasing purchases, review whether your outreach records and follow-up discipline are keeping pace.
Where these leads come from
Our owned merchant-services sites and campaigns attract business owners searching for processing quotes, savings reviews and provider comparisons. New campaign inquiries are inbound and include partner-contact consent. Historical aged leads retain their original source and consent evidence; they are not new inquiries.
Explore our lead sourcesWhat should you know before contacting a merchant?
Our campaigns capture merchant inquiries with a disclosure naming MerchantCardLeads and partner payment-processing providers. New campaign leads include the captured consent text, timestamp and source page in your dashboard, email and webhook delivery. You are responsible for following TCPA and DNC rules in your own outreach.
By submitting, you agree that MerchantCardLeads and its partner payment-processing providers may contact you by phone, text and email about merchant services, including via automated technology. Consent is not a condition of purchase.
Buyer SMS alerts use a separate opt-in: “I agree to receive automated lead-alert text messages from MerchantCardLeads at this number. Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase.”
No contracts. Pause anytime.
Real-time return requests: within 72 hours. Approved returns become wallet credits; “already has a processor” is not a valid return reason. Aged returns: bad phone only.
Chad Buchanan · Founder, MerchantCardLeads · (248) 686-6955
What else do payments reps ask?
Should an ISO divide its lead budget equally among representatives?
Not automatically. We recommend allocating budget by available outreach time, territory fit and queue discipline. Equal spending can overload a rep who is busy supporting accounts while leaving another rep short of suitable opportunities.
Should a solo agent stop buying during a week of installations?
If you cannot protect time for new outreach and existing follow-ups, we recommend pausing. You can pause anytime; keeping your queue manageable is more important than maintaining a fixed buying rhythm.
Can a small ISO use the same buying approach as an independent agent?
Yes. If one person handles most outreach, we recommend sizing purchases around that person’s capacity. An ISO label does not justify team-sized volume without team-sized coverage.
Who can help us discuss buying for several territories?
You can contact our founder, Chad Buchanan, at (248) 686-6955. Bring your territory plan, rep coverage, processor focus and spending ceiling so the discussion stays tied to how you will work the purchases.