One rate for all transactions — typically 2.6%–2.9% + a per-transaction fee. Simple, but you overpay on debit and basic credit cards that have lower underlying interchange. Best for very low volume or businesses that value simplicity above all.
You pay the actual interchange rate (set by Visa/Mastercard — varies by card type) plus a fixed processor markup. Fully transparent. Every line item visible. Usually the lowest cost for any store processing over $10K/month.
Three tiers: qualified, mid-qualified, non-qualified. The processor decides which tier each transaction lands in. Most transactions "downgrade" to higher tiers. The least transparent model — and the one most merchants are on when they're overpaying.
Post a cash price and a slightly higher card price. Customers who pay by card cover the processing fee themselves. Net processing cost approaches zero. Legal when set up correctly. Very effective for cash-heavy stores.
Send us your statement. We'll analyze your card mix and tell you exactly which pricing model saves you the most.