How guests pay, and how you get funded
One merchant account, a wide range of gateways — set up for you, not by you
Every card a guest enters into your QuillStay booking engine runs through a PCI-compliant path built on Fluid Pay as the gateway, with your merchant account set up through Host Merchant Services. Because Host Merchant Services powers the processing side, your property also has access to a broad lineup of other leading gateways under the same relationship. We configure everything during onboarding — free, and included with every property.
How a payment actually moves
Gateway and processor are two different jobs
It's a common mix-up, so here's the short version: the gateway is the secure pipe that carries the card data from your booking engine to the card networks. The processor is who actually moves the money and deposits it in your bank account. QuillStay connects both automatically.
Guest checks out
A guest enters their card on your QuillStay booking page, or your front desk keys it in at check-in.
Fluid Pay — the gateway
The card is securely authorized and tokenized, then passed to the card networks and your processor for approval.
Host Merchant Services — the processor
Your merchant account settles the transaction and deposits funds into your bank, typically the next business day.
The two providers, in plain terms
What each one does for your property
Fluid Pay
PCI DSS Level 1 · partner-only, never boards merchants directly
Fluid Pay is the secure connection between your QuillStay booking engine and the card networks — it authorizes, tokenizes, and routes every transaction without ever putting raw card data through your own systems. It's built specifically for software platforms like QuillStay, running on modern cloud infrastructure rather than legacy, on-premise gateway hardware.
- PCI DSS Level 1 service provider
- Card tokenization keeps guest card data out of QuillStay's own systems
- EMV, contactless, and card-not-present transactions all run through the same connection
- Built-in fraud detection tuned to the transaction, not generic rules
Host Merchant Services
Registered ISO of PNC Bank, Synovus Bank & Wells Fargo · founded 2010
Host Merchant Services sets up and manages the actual merchant account behind your property — the relationship with the banks that move money from a guest's card into your account. Our team works directly with Host Merchant Services to get every new QuillStay property boarded, so this is handled for you during setup, not something you have to arrange yourself.
- Merchant account setup, handled as part of your QuillStay onboarding
- Next-day funding to your existing business bank account
- Interchange-plus pricing — transparent, no hidden markups
- 24/7/365 US-based support, with a dedicated account manager
Not locked into one gateway
Host Merchant Services opens the door to a wide range of gateways
Fluid Pay is what QuillStay is built on today, and it's the default for every new property. But because Host Merchant Services holds the underlying merchant account, your property isn't tied to a single gateway — HMS supports a broad lineup of leading payment gateways under that same relationship, useful if a specific system, feature, or existing setup ever calls for a different one.
Beyond this lineup, Host Merchant Services supports dozens of additional gateways and platforms. If your property runs on something specific, ask us — there's a good chance it's already supported.
What's supported
Compatibility at a glance
| Capability | Support |
|---|---|
| Major card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) | Supported |
| Guest booking-engine payments (card-not-present) | Supported |
| Front-desk EMV / chip & contactless terminals | Supported |
| Card tokenization & secure vaulting | Supported |
| Next-day funding to your bank account | Supported |
| PCI DSS compliant processing path | Supported |
Exact terminal models and any property-specific requirements (high-risk categories, international cards, etc.) are confirmed with you directly during setup.
Getting set up
You don't manage any of this yourself
One onboarding conversation
We gather what Host Merchant Services needs to open your merchant account as part of your regular QuillStay setup — no separate application process to chase.
Fluid Pay connects automatically
Once your merchant account is active, your QuillStay booking engine is wired to Fluid Pay's gateway — nothing to configure on your end.
One team if something needs attention
Questions about a transaction, a payout, or your rate? Reach out to QuillStay support and we coordinate directly with Host Merchant Services on your behalf.
Have questions about your specific setup?
Book a demo and we'll walk through exactly how payments would work for your property.