📍 Built in the Hammer

Credit card processing built in Hamilton.

Dough was founded in Hamilton in 2022 and we still live and work here. Hamilton businesses get lower processing rates, a real human you can actually meet, and a processor that gives back instead of just taking.

Hamilton-based · founded 2022 2-3 day switch Free Clover Flex if qualified
Get Your Quote

See what your Hamilton business would save

Send us your last statement. We'll review it, run the numbers, and tell you straight what you'd save with Dough. No commitment, no pressure.

Hamilton roots

A Hamilton company processing for Hamilton businesses. Not a Toronto outpost.

Dough was started in Hamilton in 2022 by a Hamiltonian who got tired of watching local shops, trades, and restaurants lose money to processors that didn't care. The big banks treat Hamilton like a satellite of Toronto. The big processors treat it like a row in a spreadsheet.

We treat it like home. Because it is.

Our founder lives here. Our team works here. When you call us, you get a real person — not a queue that bounces between time zones. And if your business is in Hamilton, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas, or anywhere in the surrounding area, we'll come to your shop or office to set you up. Face-to-face. The way it should be.

2022
Founded in Hamilton
3x
Canadian Choice Award winner

What you get as a Hamilton merchant

  • In-person setup at your shop or office
  • Hamilton-based founder you can actually call
  • Same-day terminal drop-off for area businesses
  • Real local references, not stock testimonials
  • Bilingual team — English and Italian (yes, really)
Industries we process for in Hamilton

If you run a business in the Hammer, we probably process for one like it.

Hamilton's economy runs on steel, services, and small business. We process for shops and offices across every neighbourhood — from West Hamilton to Stoney Creek to the Mountain.

A real Dough merchant

Ron's Transmission switched from Chase. Saves ~$800 a month.

Ron ran a transmission shop on a major Hamilton-area arterial. Chase had been quietly creeping his rates for years. Statements were a mess. He couldn't tell what he was actually paying.

"

We were with Chase for years. Statements were a mess, fees kept creeping up. Switched to Dough and within a month I was saving real money. Plus they built our website for free.

Ron Ron's Transmission · Auto repair

The switch

Previous processorChase
Monthly volume~$50,000
Old monthly fees~$1,500
Dough monthly fees~$700
Monthly savings~$800
Annual savings~$9,600
Boost perk earned5-page website
The Boost program

Hamilton businesses don't just save on fees. They get their margin back.

Every dollar of margin we make on your account gets reinvested into your business. Free websites, free social media content, free custom AI tools, free Google review cards. The bigger your volume, the bigger the perks.

Free website

A real, professional website — 1, 5, or 7 pages depending on your volume tier. Hosting included at Pro and Premium.

Monthly social content

8 to 12 posts a month for Facebook and Instagram. Real graphics, real copy, scheduled and ready to post.

Custom AI tool (GPT)

A business-specific AI assistant trained on your services, hours, FAQs. Handles your customer questions automatically.

Google review cards

Tap-to-review cards at every Boost tier. Customer taps their phone, leaves you a Google review in 10 seconds.

See the full Boost program →
vs the big banks

Hamilton businesses are switching to Dough from TD, RBC, BMO, and Chase.

The big banks built their merchant services for Bay Street, not Barton Street. Here's what changes when you switch to a real Canadian payment processor that's actually based here.

Big banks (TD, RBC, BMO, Chase)

What you get with the big four

  • 1-800 support that takes 40 minutes to reach a person
  • One pricing model — tiered — designed to hide markup
  • No flexibility to switch to surcharging or dual pricing
  • Junk fees pile up — PCI, statement, batch, network access
  • No perks. You give them your fees, you get nothing back.
  • "Account manager" who left two years ago and was never replaced

Dough

What you get with us

  • Hamilton-based founder you can text directly
  • Three pricing models — surcharge, IC+, flat — pick what fits
  • Surcharging or dual pricing built-in if it fits your business
  • Most monthly junk fees stripped out, what's left is honest
  • Boost program gives back free websites, social, GPTs
  • In-person setup and ongoing support across the Hamilton area
FAQ

Common questions from Hamilton business owners

Is Dough Payments actually based in Hamilton? +

Yes. Dough was founded in Hamilton in 2022 and is headquartered here. The founder lives and works in the Hammer. We're not a Toronto company with a satellite office — we're Hamilton through and through.

Can I get an in-person meeting in Hamilton? +

Yes. If you're in Hamilton, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown, or Grimsby, we'll come to your shop or office. No call centre, no Zoom-only sales pitch — actual face-to-face if that's what you want.

How fast can a Hamilton business get set up with Dough? +

Two to three days from start to installed. We can usually drop off the terminal in person for Hamilton-area merchants, which means we can also walk your team through the setup the same day. Your bank account doesn't change. Your bookkeeping doesn't change. Just the processor and the terminal.

Do you process for Hamilton restaurants, trades, and retail? +

Yes. We serve every industry across Hamilton — auto repair, trades, restaurants, salons, retail, professional services, health and wellness, dental, veterinary. The only verticals we don't underwrite are high-risk industries like CBD, firearms, gambling, and adult.

Why would I switch from a big bank like TD or RBC to a Hamilton company? +

Lower rates, more pricing flexibility, real human support, and the Boost program — free websites, free social media content, free custom AI tools based on your processing volume. Big banks give you a 1-800 number and nothing else. We give you a partner.

The pricing models matter too. Big banks lock you into tiered pricing where the markup hides in the non-qualified tier. We offer surcharging, dual pricing, Interchange Plus, or flat rate — pick what fits your business.

Do you offer surcharging for Hamilton businesses? +

Yes. Surcharging is legal in Ontario, which means Hamilton merchants can run a 2.4% credit card surcharge program and effectively pay $0 in processing fees on credit transactions. It's particularly good for auto repair shops, trades, and high-ticket service businesses across the area.

Read our full surcharging guide for the details on how it works, signage requirements, and where it fits best.

What if my business is in Burlington, Stoney Creek, or Ancaster — not Hamilton proper? +

Same deal. We serve the entire Greater Hamilton Area — Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown, Grimsby, Beamsville, Binbrook. If you're within reach of the QEW or the 403, we can come to you.

What terminals do you offer for Hamilton businesses? +

The full Clover lineup — Clover Flex (most popular), Clover Mini, Clover Station Duo, Clover Flex Pocket — plus the Newland N910 and Ingenico Desk 5000. For online or B2B businesses, we set up Authorize.Net or Converge. See all terminals.

Terminal pricing is determined on the sales call based on your contract structure. Free terminals are available for qualified Pro and Premium tier merchants.

Also serving

Nearby cities Dough serves

Hamilton businesses, let's make more dough.

Send us your last statement. We'll review it, run the numbers, and tell you straight what you'd save. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you that too. No commitment, no pressure, no spam.

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