Allopass is a global micropayment solutions company that offers a large variety payment methods in one package, including premium SMS payments. Originating from France, it operates in some 60 countries and handles 8 million transactions monthly for its 280,000 merchants – numbers that have lead it to claim to be the European leader in micropayments. With the spending power of the diverse European market and its customer base already familiar with SMS payments, even U.S. centric developers and content producers will do wisely not to overlook that area.
21 payment methods in one package
While premium SMS payments are an important part of the Allopass offering, they are just the beginning. Obviously serious about offering a one-stop solution for micropayments, Allopass has integrated a whopping 21 payment methods in its system, all available to its merchants in one neat package without setup or monthly fees.
In addition to premium text messages, available in most of Allopass’ 60 countries, payment can be made by regular landline phones in several areas. The user dials a premium (toll) number, and gets a password allowing access. In some countries, access can be allowed for the duration of the call only.
Other options include credit and debit cards, e-wallet systems, prepaid cards, fund transfers or direct debit, depending on what are popular payment methods in each market. Some of these are better suited for subscriptions and other recurring fees than SMS payments.
The sheer variety of micropayment options offered by Allopass eclipses its competitors focused on SMS payments only. This increases conversion rates, as virtually all potential customers will have at least one of the payment methods accepted at their disposal.
No setup or monthly fees, quick payouts
As already mentioned, Allopass does not charges setup fees or monthly fees. Also it requires no monthly minimums, making it an attractive choice for emerging developers.
The variety of price points available is satisfactory, especially for Europe. The premium SMS options are supplemented by the IVR gateway, so even users with no SMS capabilites may use phone payments.
You can compare Allopass’ payout ratios in our comparison.
Allopass claims to offer the quickest payments in the industry for its merchants, ranging from 7 to 10 days. This is a significant advantage compared to competitors, most of whom take anywhere from one to three months to pay their merchants.
Registration and verification process
For Allopass merchants, the registration process is somewhat complicated. Whereas popular competitors such as Fortumo have made it a point to keep the red tape to a bare minimum, Allopass does in fact let merchants get going with payments instantly, but requires more formalities before any earnings can be withdrawn. The requirements, they say, stem from the fact that as an accredited payment institution, Allopass is subject to regulation by the French central bank.
In addition to an official ID document, proof is required for place of residence and bank details. Companies are required to submit proof of registration and articles of association. The whole verification and validation process is clearly laid out, however, and the required documents can be provided electronically by uploading them in an encrypted environment. In turn, stricter control and government oversight should mean more reliability and safety to merchants than offered by fly-by-night operators.
Verdict
Allopass is a payment processor definitely worth of consideration, especially for Europe-centric marketers. For extremely high mobile transaction volumes, separate agreements with local providers on a country-by-country basis will be preferable and offer higher payouts , but the global reach, risk-free fee schedule, and variety of integrated payment options offered in one package by Allopass may just make it a winner for the small and middle size entrepreneur interested in accepting mobile payments.
