Ask every provider for
- A written quote based on your actual statement
- Pricing model (interchange-plus, flat, tiered) and every monthly or annual fee
- Contract length, auto-renewal and early-termination fees
- Equipment: buy, lease or provided — and who owns it
- Software integrations you need, confirmed for your version
- Funding timing and settlement type (gross or net)
- Chargeback process and support hours
- PCI compliance help and any non-compliance fees
Compare apples to apples
Use the same month's volume, transaction count and card mix for every quote. Calculate projected effective rate and annual cost for each.
Red flags
- Guaranteed-savings claims without seeing your statement
- Non-cancellable equipment leases
- Vague "rate" quotes with no fee schedule
Run the numbers
Blue = you enterGreen = calculatedGray = assumptionAmber/red = check this
$
Total card sales on your statement.
$
Add every fee line: discount, interchange, assessments, monthly, PCI, gateway.
Your effective rate
3.25%
Fees per year
$23,400
Avg. fee / sale
$4.88
Avg. ticket
$150.00
Effective rate is a diagnostic, not a savings quote. Card mix, card-present vs. keyed, and network rules change what any provider can offer.
Questions to ask your processor
- • Is my pricing interchange-plus, tiered or flat-rate?
- • What is your markup above interchange, in % and per item?
- • Which monthly, PCI, statement or gateway fees apply?
- • Is there an early-termination fee or equipment lease?
Request a payment reviewOptional. No statement upload needed here.
Estimates only. Results vary. No guarantee of approval, rates or savings.
Talk with a payments specialistCommon questions
How often should we review processing?
Annually, and whenever volume, software or ownership changes.