Interchange
Issuer's fee
Paid to the cardholder's bank. The amount varies by card, merchant category and transaction type, including whether the card is present.
Credit Card Processing Fee Calculator
See what it costs to get paid by card. Choose a processor and enter your invoice amount to estimate your processing fee, net payout and effective rate. Add your monthly volume to project costs, or work backward from the amount you want to receive.
Compare the full cost. The effective rate includes monthly account fees spread across your transactions. Monthly and annual estimates assume every payment is the invoice amount entered, with the same volume and rate throughout the year.
Transaction fees only. Monthly subscriptions and additional product fees are excluded.
Stripe — ACH Direct Debit
| Processor & channel | Base rate | Fee | Net payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free — online / invoice | 3.3% + $0.30 | $49.80 | $1,450.20 |
| Square Free — in person | 2.6% + $0.15 | $39.15 | $1,460.85 |
| Square — manual / card on file | 3.5% + $0.15 | $52.65 | $1,447.35 |
| Stripe — online (Payments only) | 2.9% + $0.30 | $43.80 | $1,456.20 |
| Stripe — in person | 2.7% + $0.05 | $40.55 | $1,459.45 |
| Stripe — manually entered | 3.4% + $0.30 | $51.30 | $1,448.70 |
| PayPal — standard card payment | 2.99% + $0.49 | $45.34 | $1,454.66 |
| PayPal Checkout / Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $52.84 | $1,447.16 |
| Shopify Basic — standard online card | 2.9% + $0.30 | $43.80 | $1,456.20 |
| Stripe — ACH Direct Debit | 0.8% (cap $5) | $5.00 | $1,495.00 |
A highlighted row matches the selected preset. Custom rates are not included in this comparison.
What Are Credit Card Processing Fees?
Card acceptance involves three main cost layers. A flat-rate processor bundles them into the rate you see; interchange-plus pricing separates pass-through costs from the processor's markup.
Network fees
Card network
Fees for the payment network, such as Visa or Mastercard. These can include percentage charges and other transaction-related fees.
Processor Markup
Your provider
The processor's charge for accepting payments. It may be a percentage, a fixed transaction fee, a subscription or a combination.
With flat-rate pricing, do not add interchange again. A bundled rate such as 2.9% + $0.30 already includes the underlying card costs. This calculator models your combined rate; it does not predict card-by-card interchange charges.
How to Calculate Credit Card Processing Fees
Follow these three steps to estimate the full cost of a payment.
Apply the Percentage
Multiply the payment amount by your rate. On a $1,500 invoice at 2.9%, the percentage fee is $43.50.
Add the Fixed Fee
Add the per-transaction charge. With a $0.30 fixed fee, the total is $43.80. If your contract has a cap, apply it to the transaction fee.
Include Monthly Costs
Divide account and gateway costs by the monthly payment count. Add that allocation to the transaction fee, then divide by the invoice amount for the effective rate.
Fee = (amount × rate ÷ 100) + fixed fee
Capped fee = min(fee, transaction cap)
Monthly cost = (fee × transactions) + monthly fees
Effective rate = monthly cost ÷ monthly sales × 100
Quick Example
A $1,500 invoice at 2.9% + $0.30, with 40 identical payments a month and no monthly fees:
- Percentage fee: $43.50
- Total transaction fee: $43.80
- Net payout: $1,456.20
- Effective rate: 2.92%
- Monthly cost: $1,752.00
- Annual cost: $21,024.00
- To receive $1,500.00: invoice $1,545.11
Run the same $1,500 at 3.3% + $0.30 (Square's online/invoice rate) and the fee becomes $49.80 — a $6 difference per invoice, or $2,880 a year at 40 invoices a month.
Processor Rates Compared (2026)
Selected U.S. domestic rates, checked September 30, 2026. Choose the exact plan and payment channel that applies to your business.
| Processor | In person | Online / invoice | Monthly base cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free plan | 2.6% + $0.15 | 3.3% + $0.30 | $0 |
| Stripe Standard Payments | 2.7% + $0.05 | 2.9% + $0.30 Invoicing software is extra | $0 for Payments |
| PayPal | 2.29% + $0.09 PayPal POS | 2.99% + $0.49 standard cards 3.49% + $0.49 Checkout / Venmo | $0 for these base options |
| Shopify Payments Basic | 2.6% + $0.10 | 2.9% + $0.30 standard cards Premium cards: 3.5% + $0.30 | $39 monthly $29/mo billed yearly |
| Helcim $0–$50K monthly card volume | IC + 0.40% + $0.08 | IC + 0.50% + $0.25 | $0 base monthly fee |
| Stax Subscription | IC + $0.08 | IC + $0.15 | $99–$199+ Based on annual volume |
| Stripe ACH Direct Debit | — | 0.8%, capped at $5.00 No fixed base fee | $0 for base processing |
IC = interchange. Interchange-plus and subscription rates shown above are not all-in rates. Underlying card costs still apply. Stripe Invoicing Starter lists an additional 0.4% per paid invoice; its Payments preset here excludes that product fee. Source links are in the processor names.
In-person payments often have lower base rates than online payments. A subscription may save money at sufficient volume, but compare its monthly cost, transaction charges and underlying card costs using your actual payment mix.
Card Fees on Invoices: Protecting Your Margin
Large project invoices and small recurring bills feel processing fees differently. Look at the dollars you lose on each payment, as well as the percentage of revenue it represents.
Large Invoices: Focus on the Percentage
A $5,000 invoice at 2.9% + $0.30 costs $145.30. At this size, the percentage drives most of the cost. Reducing the rate from 3.3% to 2.9%, with the same fixed fee, saves $20.00 on one payment.
Small Invoices: Watch the Fixed Fee
At 2.9% + $0.30, a $60 invoice costs $2.04, or 3.40%. A $20 invoice costs $0.88, or 4.40%. One $300 payment costs $9.00; three $100 payments cost $9.60. Consolidating payments saves fixed fees when the percentage rate stays the same.
Consider ACH for Larger Invoices
Under Stripe's base ACH Direct Debit pricing, a $5,000 payment costs $5.00 instead of the $145.30 base card fee — a $140.30 difference. Other ACH providers have different caps and minimums. Compare settlement timing, verification, return fees and customer preference before choosing a method.
How to Lower Your Processing Costs
Three practical ways to compare and reduce what you pay.
Ask for a Better Pricing Model
Request a custom or interchange-plus quote and compare the full monthly bill. Savings depend on card mix, volume and all account fees; no single volume threshold guarantees a better deal.
Choose the
Right Channel
Offer bank transfer where it suits your customers. Use a card-present method for in-person sales when available. Compare the fee with settlement time, convenience and payment reliability.
Consolidate Small
Payments
Combine related charges or agree on a billing schedule that reduces transaction count. Fewer payments can reduce fixed fees. Keep payment terms workable for both your business and your customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average credit card processing fee?
There is no single rate for every business. The selected U.S. base card presets here range from 2.6% + $0.15 to 3.5% + $0.15. Your effective rate also depends on payment size, monthly account costs and any additional charges.
How do I calculate a processing fee?
Multiply the payment amount by the percentage rate, then add the fixed transaction fee. Apply any contractual cap. For the effective rate including monthly costs, divide total monthly costs by total monthly payment volume and multiply by 100.
What's the difference between flat-rate and interchange-plus?
Flat-rate pricing bundles card costs into one rate. Interchange-plus pricing passes through underlying card costs and adds a processor markup. Enter the combined rate in Custom for a simplified estimate; the calculator does not determine interchange for individual cards.
Why is my effective rate higher than the advertised rate?
Fixed transaction fees and monthly account costs raise the effective percentage. A $50 payment at 2.9% + $0.30 costs $1.75, or 3.50%, even before allocating any monthly fees.
How much should I invoice to receive a specific amount?
Without a cap, the starting formula is (target payout + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate ÷ 100). To receive $1,000.00 at 2.9% +
$0.30, the calculator gives $1,030.17. It finds the smallest cent-denominated amount that meets your target under its
fee-rounding model. Monthly account costs are excluded.
Is ACH or bank transfer cheaper than a card payment?
It can be, particularly for larger payments with a fee cap. Under Stripe's base ACH Direct Debit rate, a $5,000 payment costs $5.00 compared with $145.30 for its base online card rate. Check the exact provider, settlement times, verification costs and return fees.
Can I pass processing fees to my customers?
This calculator does not authorize a surcharge. Applicable law, card-network rules, disclosure requirements and your processor contract determine whether and how one can be charged. U.S. Visa debit and prepaid cards cannot be surcharged, and Visa credit surcharges are limited by cost of acceptance and a 3% maximum.
Are processing fees tax deductible?
Business payment-processing fees are generally treated as business expenses in the U.S. Deductibility depends on the ordinary-and-necessary expense rules and your circumstances. Keep processor statements and confirm treatment with your tax adviser. IRS business expense guidance explains the general rules.