Burst vs Truemed for Merchants (2026 Comparison)
Burst vs Truemed for merchants: self-serve in 30 minutes vs a partner application, published pricing vs a sales process, and who handles recurring billing.
6 minute read
TLDR;
Truemed: a sales call, a checkout integration on their card rails, and terms that typically include a rev share. Built for online brands.
Burst: self-serve, live in 30 minutes, free for merchants with no contract and no revenue share. Works for online stores, gyms, spas, studios, and in-person retail. Your customers pay you the way they do today. Burst handles the letters and the reimbursement, and refunds the one-time letter fee to the member if a letter isn't issued or a claim is denied.
(Shopping as a consumer, not a merchant? You can get a letter for any purchase directly from Burst, or see how Burst compares to Truemed and Flex for shoppers.)
Burst vs Truemed for merchants
Burst | Truemed | |
|---|---|---|
What it is | LMN and reimbursement platform, no checkout involvement | Card-rail HSA/FSA checkout, LMNs, partner marketplace |
Getting live | Self-serve, 30 minutes | Sales call, then integration, typically weeks |
Engineering required | None; checkout, POS, and billing untouched | Yes; their checkout in your stack |
Merchant pricing | Free for merchants, no revenue share | Not public; typically a rev share |
Built for | Every business: retail, gyms, spas, studios, online or in person | Online brands in their partner network |
Recurring billing | Your existing billing, untouched; no card rails | Limited support |
Member cost | One-time letter fee, paid by the member | Varies by partner program |
Customer protection | Automatic refund if no letter is issued or the claim is denied | None advertised |
What Truemed is for a merchant
Truemed puts an HSA/FSA card option in partner brands' checkouts, on card rails, with a health survey producing the Letter of Medical Necessity where one is needed, plus a marketplace of partner brands. Joining means entering their pipeline: a sales call, an integration project, a launch timeline set by their team, and terms that typically include a rev share. The product was designed around online checkout; the further your revenue is from one, the worse the fit. Functionally it's the same model as Flex.
What Burst is for a merchant
Burst never touches your checkout, which is why setup is measured in minutes instead of sprints. You sign up self-serve, and your customers keep paying you exactly the way they already do, on any card, through any billing system, online or at the front desk. Burst runs the medical necessity side: a licensed clinician reviews each member's case, letters arrive within 24 hours of approval, and Burst files the reimbursement claim for the member; their plan administrator pays the reimbursement out of their FSA, HSA, or HRA to them.
The terms are public and clear in the best way: Free for merchants, no contract, never a percentage of your revenue. Members pay a one-time letter fee. If a clinician doesn't approve a letter or a claim is denied, the fee refunds automatically, so putting your brand behind the offer carries no customer risk. Truemed doesn't advertise a comparable guarantee.
The differences that matter
Time to live
Burst: 30 minutes, self-serve, today. Truemed: an application, an integration, and their team's calendar, typically weeks.
Who the model was built for
Truemed's machinery assumes an online checkout it can plug into. Burst assumes nothing about how you get paid, which is why a med spa, a climbing gym, a studio with custom billing, and a Shopify store all onboard identically.
What it costs you
Burst is free for merchants. Truemed's merchant terms aren't public and typically include a rev share; you learn them inside the sales process. Burst is free for merchants.
Recurring billing
HSA and FSA cards only approve at businesses coded as medical providers, or at retailers checking every item against an eligibility list in real time. Recurring charges need that check on every renewal. That constraint is structural to card-rail models. Burst sits outside card rails entirely: members' dues keep flowing through your billing, and nothing changes in your process at all. For membership businesses this is usually the deciding difference.
Customer trust
Your brand sits next to whatever you recommend. Burst's automatic refund means no member ever pays for a letter and ends up with nothing. That guarantee protects you as much as them.
When Truemed makes sense
You're an online brand that can absorb the sales process, the integration, and a rev share.
When Burst makes sense
Every use case: you want HSA/FSA live now, you sell in person or bill memberships, you want pricing you can read in advance, and you don't want engineering anywhere near it.See how it works or go live now.
Frequently asked questions
What does Truemed cost merchants compared to Burst?
Truemed doesn't publish merchant pricing; terms come through their sales process (typically a rev share %). Burst is free for merchants, with no contract or revenue share. The one-time letter fee is paid by the member.
Do I need a developer to offer Burst?
No. There is no technical integration; your checkout, POS, and billing stay exactly as they are. Partners are live in 30 minutes.
Does Burst work for gyms and other membership businesses?
Yes, and better than card-rail models can. Members keep paying dues through your existing billing on their normal card; nothing changes in your process at all.
Can members get letters for past purchases?
No. IRS rules require the letter to be dated on or before the purchase, and that binds Burst, Truemed, and every other provider equally.
Related guides
Offer HSA/FSA savings this week
Self-serve setup in about 30 minutes. Free for merchants, no contract, no revenue share, no integration.Get started with Burst or see how it works.
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