What is ConvergePay and how does it work with vacation rentals?

ConvergePay (also known as Converge by Elavon) is a payment gateway and virtual terminal solution that allows businesses to accept credit and debit card payments online, by phone, and in person. For vacation rentals and hotels, ConvergePay provides the payment infrastructure — ChargeAutomation connects to it to automate deposit collection, balance charges, pre-authorization holds, and guest payment flows without any manual intervention.

How does ChargeAutomation integrate with ConvergePay?

ChargeAutomation integrates with ConvergePay as one of its 120+ supported payment gateways. Once connected, ChargeAutomation uses ConvergePay to process all automated guest payments — reservation deposits, balance charges, security deposit pre-authorizations, and upsell payments — based on the payment schedules configured by the operator. No manual card entry or gateway login required per transaction.

What are the benefits of using ConvergePay with ChargeAutomation for hotels?

Combining ConvergePay with ChargeAutomation gives hotels and vacation rentals: fully automated payment scheduling (deposit, balance, security hold), biometric guest ID verification before payment, PCI-compliant tokenization via ConvergePay, failed payment retry logic, OTA virtual card processing, and 100% chargeback protection — all in one integrated flow.

Can ChargeAutomation process security deposit pre-authorizations through ConvergePay?

Yes. ChargeAutomation can place pre-authorization holds on guest cards through ConvergePay — reserving the deposit amount without charging the guest. The hold is released automatically after check-out, or converted to a charge if damage occurs. This avoids 3% processing fees from charge-and-refund and is the preferred deposit method for most operators.

ChargeAutomation – Vacation rental payment automation, online check-in, and guest experience software for property managers

March 27, 2026

ConvergePay + ChargeAutomation

The Integration Guide

Payments · Integration

ConvergePay + ChargeAutomation:
The Integration Guide

Using Elavon Converge to process payments? Connect it to ChargeAutomation and automate guest payments, security deposits, and check-in — without changing your merchant account.

3 min read Updated March 2026 Elavon Converge · Virtual Merchant

Connect ConvergePay free →

What is ConvergePay

ConvergePay (Elavon Converge) explained

ConvergePay is an omnichannel payment gateway by Elavon, a U.S. Bank subsidiary. It handles in-person, online, mobile, and MOTO payments from one platform. You may see it listed as Virtual Merchant or VirtualMerchant in legacy documentation — same product, different name.

Payment gateway

Card payments online, in-person, and by phone via hosted pages, virtual terminal, or direct API.

Pay by link

Secure payment link by email. Guests pay on a hosted page — no card data in your hands.

Recurring billing

Card-on-file and account updater for repeat guests and long-stay bookings.

Same product, three names: ConvergePay, Elavon Converge, and Virtual Merchant all refer to the same gateway. The name varies by documentation source and integration.

Why Elavon Converge

Why property managers choose Elavon Converge

ConvergePay (Elavon Converge) is one of the most widely used payment gateways in hospitality — and for good reason.

Hospitality-first gateway

Built for hotels, vacation rentals, and property managers. Elavon Converge supports the specific payment flows that hospitality operations need.

Omnichannel payments

Accept payments online, in-person, by phone, and via pay-by-link — all from one account and one dashboard.

Backed by U.S. Bank

Elavon is a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, one of the largest banks in the United States. Reliable infrastructure and enterprise-grade security.

Card-on-file and recurring

Store cards securely and charge guests automatically. Account Updater keeps card data current without any manual effort.

Ready to connect? Free to start, no contract.

Connect ConvergePay →

The integration

What ChargeAutomation adds to ConvergePay

ChargeAutomation connects to your existing ConvergePay account and builds an automated guest workflow on top of it. No new merchant account needed.

Automated payment collection

Pre-arrival payment links sent automatically. Guests pay through a branded page powered by your ConvergePay account.

Security deposit automation

Pre-authorisations and deposit releases handled automatically. No manual steps, no missed releases.

Card Verification

Card details verified automatically before arrival and stored securely with the booking record.

Upsells and add-ons

Early check-in, late check-out, and extras offered pre-arrival and collected automatically via ConvergePay.

What you get

The full ConvergePay + ChargeAutomation stack

Everything runs through your existing ConvergePay merchant account.

Pre-arrival payment links Security deposit automation Contactless check-in Card verification Upsells and add-ons Digital welcome guide Multi-property support PMS sync

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FAQ

Common questions

Is ConvergePay the same as Elavon Converge or Virtual Merchant? +

Yes, all three names refer to the same gateway operated by Elavon, a U.S. Bank subsidiary. The name varies depending on the documentation source or integration you are using.

Do I need a new merchant account? +

No. ChargeAutomation connects to your existing ConvergePay account. All payments continue to process and settle through your current merchant account exactly as before.

Where do I find my Account ID and PIN? +

Log into your ConvergePay portal and go to Terminals or Employees. Your Account ID (ssl_merchant_id) and PIN are listed there. Account ID and Merchant ID are different fields — use the Account ID when connecting to ChargeAutomation.

Does ChargeAutomation handle security deposits through ConvergePay? +

Yes. ChargeAutomation automates the full deposit lifecycle — pre-authorisation, hold, and release — through your ConvergePay account. Rules are configurable per property.

Is ChargeAutomation free to start? +

Yes. Create an account and connect ConvergePay for free at app.chargeautomation.com. No contract, no setup fee.

Ready to automate payments with ConvergePay?

Connect your ConvergePay account to ChargeAutomation and start automating guest payments, deposits, and check-in today.

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ConvergePay + ChargeAutomation:The Integration Guide