In this episode of Cents Chat, Kitty and Jason sit down with Jordan Thaeler, founder of POS+, to talk about one of the biggest tensions in embedded payments: the difference between a preferred payments partner and a payments prison. For years, ISVs have built real revenue streams by integrating payments into their platforms, and when done well, that model can create a better experience for everyone. The trouble starts when “preferred” quietly becomes “mandatory,” pricing drifts out of line, functionality lags, and merchants realize they are not choosing a payments provider so much as being cornered into one.

Jordan breaks down how POS+ is pushing back on that model by giving merchants more payment choice without forcing them to rip out the software they already use to run their business. The conversation gets into merchant frustration, ISV monetization, payment flow workarounds, AI-driven adaptability, and why the smartest platforms should stop treating friction like a moat. The takeaway for ISVs is simple: pick a great default payments partner, make the economics fair, keep the experience strong, and give merchants a reasonable path to alternatives. Most merchants will choose the preferred option if it actually earns the business. But nobody likes being trapped.