Who Dan Price Is and Why His Payment Company Matters to Your Bills

Dan Price built Gravity Payments to change how businesses handle payroll and bill payments

Dan Price is the founder and CEO of Gravity Payments, a payment processing company that handles payroll, invoicing, and bill payments for small and medium-sized businesses. He started the company in 2010 and became widely known in 2015 when he announced he was raising the company's minimum wage to $70,000 per year—a move that drew national attention and criticism. If you're paying bills through a business account or if your employer uses Gravity for payroll, understanding who runs the company and what it does can help you know who to contact if something goes wrong with your payment.

Gravity Payments processes transactions—moving money from one account to another on behalf of businesses. The company doesn't lend money, set your bills, or decide what you owe. It's the middleman that makes the transfer happen. Knowing this distinction matters because it tells you what Gravity can and cannot do if you have a problem with a payment.

Key Takeaways

• Dan Price founded Gravity Payments in 2010 and remains its CEO; the company processes payroll and bill payments for businesses, not consumers directly.
• Gravity is a payment processor, meaning it moves money between accounts but does not set billing amounts, issue invoices, or make lending decisions.
• If a payment fails or goes missing, you need to contact the business that sent the payment through Gravity, not Gravity itself—Gravity is the tool they used.
• Price's 2015 wage announcement made Gravity a recognizable name, but the company's role in your bills depends entirely on whether your employer or service provider chose to use it.

What Gravity Payments actually does

Gravity Payments is a payment processor and merchant services company. That means it provides the technology and infrastructure that allows businesses to send and receive payments. When a business uses Gravity, they're using Gravity's software to process credit card transactions, handle payroll deposits, or send bill payments to vendors and service providers.

The company does not bill you directly, set your rates, or decide what you owe. If you receive a bill from your utility company, your landlord, or your internet provider, that organization decided the amount and sent you the bill. If they then used Gravity to process the payment you made, Gravity was simply the tool they chose to move the money. This is an important distinction because it affects who you contact when something goes wrong.

Why Dan Price became a public figure

In April 2015, Price announced that Gravity Payments would raise its company-wide minimum wage to $70,000 per year, effective immediately. At the time, this was unusual—most companies paid entry-level workers significantly less. Price funded the raise partly by cutting his own salary from $1.1 million to $70,000 and by taking a smaller share of company profits.

The announcement generated national headlines and sparked debate about wages, business sustainability, and corporate responsibility. Some praised the move as a model for fair pay; others questioned whether it was sustainable or whether it was a publicity stunt. Regardless of the debate, the announcement made Price and Gravity Payments recognizable names outside the payment processing industry. That visibility does not change what the company does—it still processes payments for businesses—but it does mean you may have heard of the company or its CEO before encountering them in your own bill payments.

How Gravity fits into your bill payments

You encounter Gravity Payments only if a business you work with or pay chooses to use it. Your employer might use Gravity to process payroll. Your utility company might use Gravity to process online bill payments. Your landlord might use Gravity to collect rent. In each case, you see Gravity's name or logo only if you look for it—usually in the payment portal or on a receipt.

The business relationship is between you and the organization billing you. Gravity is the payment processor they hired to handle the transaction. If your payment is late, if money is deducted twice, or if a payment fails, the first step is always to contact the business that billed you, not Gravity. They can see the transaction in their own system and can often resolve the problem faster than Gravity can.

What to do if a payment processed through Gravity goes wrong

If you paid a bill through a business that uses Gravity and something went wrong—the payment didn't arrive, was processed twice, or was for the wrong amount—start by contacting the business directly. Give them the date you made the payment, the amount, and any confirmation number or receipt you received. They can look up the transaction on their end and tell you its status.

If the business cannot resolve it or if they tell you to contact Gravity directly, you can reach out to Gravity's customer support. However, Gravity will likely direct you back to the business, because Gravity processes the payment but does not manage the billing relationship. Keep records of all communication—dates, names, confirmation numbers, and what each party told you. If the problem involves a large amount or a recurring error, you may also file a dispute with your bank or credit card company, which has its own process for investigating payment problems.

The difference between Gravity and your actual service provider

It's easy to confuse the payment processor with the company providing the service. Your electric bill comes from your utility company, not from Gravity. Your rent is owed to your landlord, not to Gravity. Your paycheck is issued by your employer, not by Gravity. Gravity is the technology that moves the money, but it does not own the money, set the amount, or decide whether you owe it.

This matters for disputes. If you believe your utility bill is wrong, you contact the utility company, not Gravity. If you think your paycheck is short, you contact your employer's payroll department, not Gravity. Gravity can only confirm that the transaction went through; it cannot change the amount, reverse a charge without the business's approval, or override a billing decision. Knowing who to contact saves you time and gets your problem solved faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gravity Payments a bank?

No. Gravity is a payment processor and merchant services company. It moves money between accounts but does not hold deposits, issue loans, or provide banking services. Your bank is the institution where your account lives.

Can Gravity Payments reverse a charge or refund my money?

Gravity can process a refund only if the business that charged you requests it. Gravity does not make refund decisions—the business does. Contact the business first; if they approve a refund, they will ask Gravity to process it.

Why does my receipt say Gravity Payments instead of the company I paid?

The receipt shows Gravity because that's the processor the business uses. It's like seeing a Visa or Mastercard logo on a receipt—it tells you the payment method, not the company you paid. The business name should also appear on the receipt.

What if I need to dispute a payment?

Contact the business that charged you first. If they cannot resolve it, you can file a dispute with your bank or credit card company. Provide them with the transaction date, amount, and any communication from the business about the charge.

Does Dan Price still run Gravity Payments?

Yes, Dan Price remains the CEO and founder of Gravity Payments. His 2015 wage announcement made him a public figure, but he continues to lead the company's operations and strategy.