Payments and Invoicing for Painters Made Simple
Paint your way to better cash flow with payments that actually work for painting professionals
Trusted by 10,000+ industrial small businesses
Why Painters Are Switching to Nickel
Unlike traditional payment processors that treat you like a "high-risk" business, Nickel was built specifically for trade professionals who handle large invoice-based transactions. We understand that:
- $15,000 whole-house exterior painting jobs are normal business, not suspicious activity
- Spring and summer rushes create payment surges that banks often flag as unusual
- You need reliable processing during peak painting seasons when weather windows are critical
- Your cash flow depends on predictable payment timing, not arbitrary holds from nervous processors
Result: No surprise account holds, no "business verification" delays, no risk department calls.
Why Painters Are Switching to Nickel
Unlike traditional payment processors that treat you like a "high-risk" business, Nickel was built specifically for trade professionals who handle large invoice-based transactions. We understand that:
- $15,000 whole-house exterior painting jobs are normal business, not suspicious activity
- Spring and summer rushes create payment surges that banks often flag as unusual
- You need reliable processing during peak painting seasons when weather windows are critical
- Your cash flow depends on predictable payment timing, not arbitrary holds from nervous processors
Result: No surprise account holds, no "business verification" delays, no risk department calls.
Before Nickel vs. After Nickel
Multiple systems for invoicing, payments, and bookkeeping
Banks freeze accounts over routine $8,000 exterior painting jobs
Lose 1-3% on every transaction ($240-720 per typical residential job)
Banks don't understand seasonal painting business patterns
Hours spent matching payments to invoices in QuickBooks
Everything integrated: invoicing, payments, and QuickBooks sync
We understand large and variable transactions are normal for painters and our support team is highly responsive if you ever run into issues
Keep 100% of what customers pay you
Designed around how your business actually works
Your invoices and payments automatically sync to the right customer, project, and job, plus seamless AP and accounts payable integration
The Modern Painter's Cash Flow Nightmare
The painting industry faces unique financial challenges that generic payment processors simply don't understand. With over 242,000 painting professionals competing for work and customers increasingly demanding flexible payment options, painters are caught between rising material costs and shrinking margins.
Seasonal Revenue Concentration:
Painting businesses generate 60-70% of their annual revenue during just six months of peak season. Spring through early fall drives the majority of exterior work, while interior projects cluster around home-selling seasons and winter months when homeowners are stuck indoors. These revenue spikes trigger fraud alerts at traditional banks, leading to account freezes right when painters need cash flow most.
Material Cost Volatility:
Paint and coating prices have experienced significant fluctuations, with specialty paints seeing increases of 20-40% in recent years. Premium exterior paints now cost $50-80 per gallon, and a typical house exterior requires 10-15 gallons of paint plus primer. When painters purchase materials upfront for large projects, they're essentially financing their customers' jobs - sometimes for 30-60 days.
Project Size Variability:
A painting contractor's invoices range dramatically from $500 touch-ups to $25,000 commercial building exteriors. This inconsistent transaction pattern confuses automated fraud detection systems at traditional processors. What looks suspicious to an algorithm is actually normal business for painters managing diverse project types.
Weather-Dependent Scheduling:
Rain, wind, and temperature extremes force painters to reschedule constantly, creating unpredictable completion dates and payment timing. When a week of rain delays three exterior jobs, cash flow suffers immediately. Meanwhile, customers may delay payment further if weather caused project extensions, creating a compound cash flow problem.
The Modern Painter's Cash Flow Nightmare
The painting industry faces unique financial challenges that generic payment processors simply don't understand. With over 242,000 painting professionals competing for work and customers increasingly demanding flexible payment options, painters are caught between rising material costs and shrinking margins.
Seasonal Revenue Concentration:
Painting businesses generate 60-70% of their annual revenue during just six months of peak season. Spring through early fall drives the majority of exterior work, while interior projects cluster around home-selling seasons and winter months when homeowners are stuck indoors. These revenue spikes trigger fraud alerts at traditional banks, leading to account freezes right when painters need cash flow most.
Material Cost Volatility:
Paint and coating prices have experienced significant fluctuations, with specialty paints seeing increases of 20-40% in recent years. Premium exterior paints now cost $50-80 per gallon, and a typical house exterior requires 10-15 gallons of paint plus primer. When painters purchase materials upfront for large projects, they're essentially financing their customers' jobs - sometimes for 30-60 days.
Project Size Variability:
A painting contractor's invoices range dramatically from $500 touch-ups to $25,000 commercial building exteriors. This inconsistent transaction pattern confuses automated fraud detection systems at traditional processors. What looks suspicious to an algorithm is actually normal business for painters managing diverse project types.
Weather-Dependent Scheduling:
Rain, wind, and temperature extremes force painters to reschedule constantly, creating unpredictable completion dates and payment timing. When a week of rain delays three exterior jobs, cash flow suffers immediately. Meanwhile, customers may delay payment further if weather caused project extensions, creating a compound cash flow problem.
Simplified Modern Workflow
Send invoice (or use your existing invoicing)
Customer pays instantly via secure link
Payment auto-syncs to QuickBooks
Money hits your account in 2 business days
Built-in QuickBooks Integration
Your payments automatically sync to the right invoice, customer, and job. No more:
Compare: Nickel vs. Other Payment Platforms
What This Means for Your Painting Business
Save Money
Zero ACH fees: Save $4,000-8,000 per year on a typical painting business No hidden costs: No setup fees, monthly fees, or surprise charges Early payment discounts: Pay and get paid faster, capture supplier discounts
Save Time
Automated reconciliation: 3+ hours per week saved on bookkeeping Instant invoicing: Send payment links directly from job sites One system: Stop switching between payment apps, banking apps, and QuickBooks
Reduce Risk
Process large payments worry-free: We understand large and variable transactions are normal for painters and our support team is highly responsive if you ever run into issues Predictable processing: Money hits your account in 2 business days Secure payments: Bank-level security without the bank headaches
Painting Industry Payment Breakdown
The $24.2 billion U.S. house painting and decorating industry faces unique financial pressures that traditional payment processors weren't designed to handle.
Market Fragmentation:
With over 242,000 people employed in house painting and decorating as of 2023, the industry remains highly fragmented. According to industry data, 88% of painting companies generate revenue with fewer than a dozen employees, and 74.9% of companies have just one to four employees. These smaller operations lack the leverage to negotiate better payment terms with banks or processors, often getting stuck with high fees and restrictive policies designed for larger enterprises.
Seasonal Employment Patterns:
The painting industry experiences dramatic seasonal swings that confuse traditional financial institutions. Spring preparation and summer execution create peak demand periods where painters may complete 3-4x their winter volume. Employment often fluctuates 40-50% between peak and off-seasons, creating income patterns that trigger fraud alerts at traditional processors.
Project Economics:
According to industry statistics, the average painting project varies dramatically by scope. Interior rooms range from $1,200-3,500, while exterior house painting typically costs $8,000-15,000. Commercial projects can exceed $50,000. When customers pay by credit card, processors typically charge 2.9-3.5% plus transaction fees, eating directly into already thin margins.
Material and Labor Cost Structure:
Labor represents 70-80% of painting costs, making cash flow critical for meeting payroll. Paint and materials account for 20-30%, but premium products require significant upfront investment. When projects are delayed by weather or customer changes, painters often carry material costs for weeks while waiting for completion and payment. The ACH network's reliability becomes crucial for maintaining steady cash flow during these extended project cycles.
Painting Industry Payment Breakdown
The $24.2 billion U.S. house painting and decorating industry faces unique financial pressures that traditional payment processors weren't designed to handle.
Market Fragmentation:
With over 242,000 people employed in house painting and decorating as of 2023, the industry remains highly fragmented. According to industry data, 88% of painting companies generate revenue with fewer than a dozen employees, and 74.9% of companies have just one to four employees. These smaller operations lack the leverage to negotiate better payment terms with banks or processors, often getting stuck with high fees and restrictive policies designed for larger enterprises.
Seasonal Employment Patterns:
The painting industry experiences dramatic seasonal swings that confuse traditional financial institutions. Spring preparation and summer execution create peak demand periods where painters may complete 3-4x their winter volume. Employment often fluctuates 40-50% between peak and off-seasons, creating income patterns that trigger fraud alerts at traditional processors.
Project Economics:
According to industry statistics, the average painting project varies dramatically by scope. Interior rooms range from $1,200-3,500, while exterior house painting typically costs $8,000-15,000. Commercial projects can exceed $50,000. When customers pay by credit card, processors typically charge 2.9-3.5% plus transaction fees, eating directly into already thin margins.
Material and Labor Cost Structure:
Labor represents 70-80% of painting costs, making cash flow critical for meeting payroll. Paint and materials account for 20-30%, but premium products require significant upfront investment. When projects are delayed by weather or customer changes, painters often carry material costs for weeks while waiting for completion and payment. The ACH network's reliability becomes crucial for maintaining steady cash flow during these extended project cycles.
Ranked #1 Easiest to Use Payment Solution by G2
See why Nickel outranks every major competitor, including Forwardly, Melio, and Square
Get Started in Minutes
No contracts. No setup fees. No risk.
Sign Up (2 minutes)
Connect QuickBooks (1 click)
Start Getting Paid (immediately)
Ready to Fix Your Payment Problems?
Stop losing money to fees and time to complicated workflows. Join thousands of contractors who've already made the switch.
