Payment Processor Fee Analyzer

This is the simplest pricing model. The processor charges a single, fixed percentage plus a per-transaction fee (e.g., 2.9% + $0.30) for all card types and transaction volumes. While easy to understand, it can be more expensive for businesses with lower-risk transactions or high volume, as you don't benefit from lower underlying interchange rates.

This is a more transparent model where the processor passes the true cost of the transaction to you and adds a fixed markup. The cost is broken into three parts: the Interchange Fee (goes to the card-issuing bank), the Assessment Fee (goes to the card brand like Visa/Mastercard), and the Processor's Markup (their profit). Your total cost varies with each transaction depending on the card used. This model is often cheaper for high-volume businesses.

With this model, you pay a monthly subscription fee to the processor. In return, you get access to direct interchange rates with a very small, fixed per-transaction fee (e.g., Interchange + $0.08) and no percentage markup from the processor. This can be very cost-effective for businesses with high sales volume and a high average transaction value, as the savings on percentage fees can far outweigh the monthly subscription cost.