Free Merchant Account For Australian Businesses

Q: What is a merchant account?

A merchant account is a type of account that allows merchants to accept and process electronic payment card transactions. Merchant accounts provide a dedicated place to accept deposits and make payments from — enabling you to keep your business and personal finances separate. Merchant accounts require a business to partner with a merchant services provider to facilitate all communications in a transaction. The beauty of choosing a modern alternative to the big 4 banks is that you can unite your entire payments system under one roof. When you use the all-in-one Zeller system, transactions are settled into your online merchant account the same day — allowing you to speed up cash flow, and invest in growing your business sooner.

Q: What are the benefits of a merchant account?

A merchant account gives you a clear view of your business’ finances, which makes tracking expenditure, profit, tax, and the general financial health of your business simple and straightforward. When you use an online merchant account, all of the relevant transactions are stored in one place. A free merchant account, such as Zeller Transaction Account, also helps you stay in line with relevant government rules and regulations. Businesses operating as a company, partnership or trust must have a business account for tax compliance. And, while sole traders don’t face the same requirement, a free merchant account helps keep personal and professional funds separate while giving you better oversight of how your business is tracking.

Q: How do merchant accounts work?

Once your merchant account is open and your Zeller EFTPOS Terminal is set up, you can start transacting. Funds are deposited in your free merchant account nightly, 365 days a year. An online merchant account will enable you to see all of your incomings and outgoings in real-time, in one convenient location via a merchant account web app — so you can view recent activity and identify any potential areas for concern.

Q: How do I get a merchant account?

Generally, any business owner can open a merchant account. However, a bank will need to consider a number of factors including your credit history, operating history, recent chargebacks and credit risk. This can make opening a merchant account difficult for new business owners. Alternatively, sign up for a free Zeller Transaction Account online. Most businesses are up and running in 5 minutes, and our local team is on hand if you need any help getting your account up and running as soon as possible. Why do we make opening a merchant account infinitely easier than a bank does? Because we understand the importance of removing hurdles to help you get started; Zeller was born to help small Australian businesses grow.

Q: How much does a merchant account cost?

Different banks and alternative providers offer additional features and services, on top of their base offering, which usually come with extra costs. Merchant account fees including (but not limited to) monthly management fees, minimum deposit fees and statement fees are important to keep in mind. The more you’re paying in merchant account fees and charges, the less money for your business. When you use Zeller, there are no hidden merchant account fees to worry about. Zeller Transaction Account is included free with sign-up, is completely fee-free, and can be set up online in minutes.

Manage your finances online with a fee-free merchant account.

Zeller Transaction Account is included free when you sign up for Zeller. Your fee-free merchant account is instantly ready to use — no lengthy paperwork required.

Fast settlements

Customer payments are settled to your business merchant account the same day.

Complete online control

Get real-time visibility of settlements and card payments across every business location and terminal.

Organised finances

Set up separate Zeller Transaction Accounts to easily track and manage business spending.

A powerful merchant account.

Online set-up

Open your free Zeller Transaction Account in minutes, and without needing to visit a bank.

Manage cards

Activate Zeller Debit Card and order additional cards for employees right from your Zeller Dashboard.

Track expenses

Break down incoming and outgoing payments, and categorise transactions for greater spending visibility.

Online transfers

Transfer money between Zeller Transaction Accounts and third-party bank accounts quickly and securely.

Xero integration

Seamlessly feed Zeller transactions into your Xero account, for better bookkeeping.

Mobile account management

A mobile merchant account means goodbye to bank branches, and hello to easier cash flow.

How Zeller works

Zeller gives you a Payment Terminal, Merchant Account, and Business Debit Card, all in one box.

Accept payments

Give your customers choice by accepting more cards and payment types. Zeller Terminal works whether you’re selling at the counter or on-the-go.

Accept payments with Zeller

Get your money fast

Sweep funds to any existing bank account for next business day access, or get funds even faster by settling in to your free Zeller Transaction Account.

Settling funds with Zeller

Manage your spending

Track your spending and manage your money with a free merchant account, then put it to work with your free Zeller Debit Card.

The Zeller Debit Card

Only use the parts you need

Zeller’s products work just as powerfully together as they do alongside your existing financial services products, so you can choose which parts you need.

Clear pricing
with no surprises.

We’ll never surprise you with a long list of bank account fees — and will never ask you to sign a contract, either.

Learn more

Zeller Transaction
Account

Zeller Merchant Account is instantly ready to use after sign-up with no additional paperwork.

Monthly &
Transaction Fees

No account fees and no fees on domestic purchases. A margin is included in our low FX rates for international purchases.

Smarter contact and
customer management.

merchant-account-contacts-2209-v1

Zeller Contact Directory is your central hub to manage every business relationship with smarter contact and customer management tools, all within your Zeller Transaction Account.

See every payment, transactions and account transfers to or from a specific contact at a glance, in one location.
Store customer or contact details for people and businesses you regularly transfer funds to.
View rich details and information for businesses you've spent at with your Zeller Debit Card, for smarter spend management.

Learn more

Securing your merchant
account is our business.

We are committed to improving upon and exceeding industry-leading security standards to keep your business financial data safe — and never passing the cost of managing this on to you.

Your funds are held securely and can be accessed whenever you need. They’re never invested or lent to anyone else.
Zeller’s security and procedures are based on the highest international standards, including PCI Level 1 compliance.
Account data is protected behind multiple layers of encryption and authentication.
Two-factor authentication is enabled on all merchant accounts for added protection.

Learn more

Trusted by over 20,000 Australian businesses.

I've learned that cash flow and people are critical for success. We're a company that believes in simplicity and timely management of our funds, so Zeller's fast settlement removes stress and keeps things straightforward.”

Aaron Taylor, Rush Escape Game, Melbourne

google reviews - v2

More Case Studies

We’re here to help.

Online Support Centre

Search our library of resources to find quick solutions to your questions.

Visit the Support Centre

Ask a question

Send a tweet, or post a question to Facebook to get answers in real-time.

Australia-based support

Phone, live chat or email us Monday to Friday, 9am to 1am Australian Eastern Time.

Speak to the Support Team

The Zeller Business Blog

Guides, tips and merchant success stories to help you navigate your business.

Read the Blog

Custom rates for
larger businesses.

If you process over $250K of card transactions annually, we can design a custom pricing solution that works for you. Call the Zeller sales team to speak about your business.

Phone 1800 935 537
Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm Australian Eastern Time

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Frequently
Asked
Questions

What is a merchant account?

What are the benefits of a merchant account?

How do merchant accounts work?

How do I get a merchant account?

How much does a merchant account cost?

Have a question which isn’t answered here? Contact us!

Learn How A Merchant Account Can Help Your Growing Businesses

Opening a merchant account to hold business funds is an important step in business growth. When it comes time to choose a merchant services provider to rely on for your transaction needs, there are a number of things to consider. An online merchant account should give you real-time visibility over your incomings and outgoings, and a simple way to spend the funds in your account — yet some come with hidden costs, and restrictive functionality that could hamper business growth.

Traditional vs Modern Merchant Accounts

Traditional merchant accounts offered by incumbent banks typically come with high merchant fees, and lots of paperwork. It can be a time-consuming process to get set up with a traditional merchant account. Once set up, you may realise your account lacks the features you’d expect; 61% of Australian businesses are looking to switch from traditional banks due to high costs, expensive fees, slow deposits and lack of access to local support. By then, it’s likely that you have signed a contract.

On the other hand, you can sign up for a modern, internet merchant account like Zeller in just minutes. Online merchant accounts are purpose-built for modern business, prioritising low (or no) fees, mobility, and the freedom to switch by not requiring you to sign a contract.

With Zeller’s free merchant account, you'll find it easier to:

track your business’s income
monitor business expenses
separate business finances from your personal finances
complete tax and other reporting paperwork

Sign up for Zeller’s Free Online Merchant Account

When you sign up for Zeller and purchase Zeller Kit, you receive a free business transaction account as well as a Zeller Mastercard in the same box as your Zeller Terminal — no trip to the bank or waiting in a phone queue necessary. It’s an all-in-one solution to ensure you can accept payments, manage funds, and spend your money in the most efficient way possible.

When you use the entire Zeller solution, you have all the tools to help grow your business.

Near-instant access to your takings

Payments processed through Zeller Terminal are settled nightly into your Zeller merchant account. Or, sweep funds to any existing bank account.

Real-time financial oversight

Get the whole picture with Zeller Dashboard. When you use your online merchant account, you’ll get real-time visibility of your takings and be able to track outgoing deposits. It’s the simplest way to keep on top of your business’ finances.

Customer relationship management features

Zeller Contact Directory is a free customer management tool built right into your free merchant account. Transactions and account transfers can be connected to customer or business contacts, enabling you to build better relationships with those who spend with you as well as those you spend with.

A business Mastercard

Spend the funds in your Zeller merchant account with your Zeller Mastercard, anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Cards can be issued to staff for easy expense management, and purchases tracked in Zeller Dashboard.

Sign up for Zeller today and receive your free merchant account in minutes. There are no account-keeping fees, hidden charges, or lock-in contracts.

Zeller Transaction Account

The business merchant account that’s smarter than a bank.

Manage your finances online with a fee-free merchant account.

Fast settlements

Complete online control

Organised finances

A powerful merchant account.

Online set-up

Manage cards

Track expenses

Online transfers

Xero integration

Mobile account management

How Zeller works

Zeller gives you a Payment Terminal, Merchant Account, and Business Debit Card, all in one box.

Accept payments

Get your money fast

Manage your spending

Only use the parts you need

Clear pricing with no surprises.

Smarter contact and customer management.

Securing your merchant account is our business.

Trusted by over 20,000 Australian businesses.

I've learned that cash flow and people are critical for success. We're a company that believes in simplicity and timely management of our funds, so Zeller's fast settlement removes stress and keeps things straightforward.”

We’re here to help.

Online Support Centre

Ask a question

Australia-based support

The Zeller Business Blog

Custom rates for larger businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a merchant account?

What are the benefits of a merchant account?

How do merchant accounts work?

How do I get a merchant account?

How much does a merchant account cost?

Learn How A Merchant Account Can Help Your Growing Businesses

Traditional vs Modern Merchant Accounts

Sign up for Zeller’s Free Online Merchant Account

Near-instant access to your takings

Real-time financial oversight

Customer relationship management features

A business Mastercard

Ready to get started?

Sign up for your free Zeller Transaction Account in minutes and you will instantly be ready to receive your settlements from your Zeller Terminal.

Clear pricing
with no surprises.

Smarter contact and
customer management.

Securing your merchant
account is our business.

Custom rates for
larger businesses.

Frequently
Asked
Questions