Interchange
Card-network schedules govern transfers between acquiring and issuing banks. Your merchant price can bundle these costs with other services; ask how the proposal treats them for your payment mix.
Free statement reviewSaving in writingAccept or decline, no pressure
Credit card payment solutions for small business.
Accept payments at your counter, online, by invoice or on a recurring schedule. Our merchant-services review compares a processing partner's written proposal with the volume, payment mix and fees on your own statement. See the proposed costs, equipment and compatibility requirements before deciding whether to switch. If the comparison shows no saving, the review says so.
Four costs to check before comparing merchant services.
For the same statement period, divide total processing fees by card-sales volume and multiply by 100 to find your effective rate. Compare that cost alongside the payment tools and contract terms you need.
Network charges
Ask which network charges are passed through separately and which are included in the quoted price. Check the same period and transaction mix in both proposals.
Processor pricing
Compare the percentage, per-transaction charge and any disclosed markup. A lower percentage can still produce a higher bill when fixed charges or your average ticket differ.
Account and switching costs
Include monthly, gateway, PCI, batch, minimum, equipment and termination charges that apply to your account. Ask for each cost in writing before estimating a first-year saving.
The rate is not the price. The model is.
Every processor quotes a rate. What decides your bill is how that rate is applied to the hundreds of different card types your customers carry.
| Model | How it bills | Who it fits | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat rate | A quoted percentage and any per-transaction fee, with rates that may differ by payment channel | Businesses that value a predictable rate and straightforward billing | Compare the total at your own card mix, volume and average ticket. Volume alone does not establish which model costs less |
| Tiered | Transactions fall into pricing tiers under the provider's qualification rules | Businesses whose written proposal clearly explains each tier | Ask what moves a payment to a higher-priced tier and compare the actual statement, not only the lowest advertised rate |
| Interchange-plus | Interchange and network charges plus a separately disclosed processor markup | Businesses that want to separate underlying card costs from provider charges | Check the markup, monthly fees and gateway charges. This model does not automatically cost less than flat rate |
| Surcharge or dual pricing | A credit-card surcharge or separately displayed cash and card prices, depending on the arrangement | Businesses evaluating customer-facing prices with their acquiring provider | These arrangements have different requirements. Visa prohibits surcharges on debit and prepaid cards; network and applicable legal requirements must be checked |
Compare all fees using the same sales volume and payment mix. No pricing model guarantees savings. Confirm any surcharge or cash-discount setup with your acquirer before using it.
Prepare your merchant-services review
Read the statement before comparing the rate.
Use one complete month to build a baseline, then bring the last three monthly processing statements to your secure room. A bank deposit alone cannot tell you what card processing costs. Keep sales, fees and money temporarily held back separate.
Check the current review-program screen
The current merchant-services program screens for at least $120,000 in annualized card volume, equivalent to $10,000 a month when annualized. This is a program-fit screen, not a minimum for this educational worksheet, a pricing break-even point or a promise that switching saves money. If your volume is lower or seasonal, tell the desk before preparing a full file; do not inflate a peak month.
| Statement or payout item | Amount | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Gross card sales | $40,000 | 800 card sales give a $50 average sale ticket. Keep ACH and cash sales outside this card-only baseline. |
| Customer refunds | −$1,000 | Returned sale proceeds, not processing fees. Identify any separate refund fee in the fee total. |
| Disputed sale reversed | −$500 | The disputed sale amount is separate from any dispute-service fee. The example assumes no reversal recovery this month. |
| Processing and account fees | −$1,200 | Includes all applicable card-processing, gateway and account charges in this example, counted once. |
| New reserve withheld | −$2,000 | Unavailable cash pending the account's release terms, not automatically a processing fee. No prior reserve is released here. |
| Cash paid out | $35,300 | Assumes no opening balance, unsettled sales, other adjustments or separately billed charges. Actual reports may have all of these. |
The all-in card cost for this example is $1,200 ÷ $40,000 × 100 = 3.00% of gross card sales. The $4,700 gap between sales and payouts includes refunds, the disputed sale and reserve funds; it is not a $4,700 processing bill. If you use net sales instead, label that denominator and use the same basis for both providers.
Match the statement period to the payout reconciliation. Confirm whether fees are deducted from each batch or debited separately, and whether settlement cutoffs move sales into the next period. A reserve can restrict usable cash even when it is excluded from the processing-cost percentage; ask when and on what conditions it can be released.
Bring these details for a written comparison
Three statements and separate bills
Keep every page, including fee detail. Include any separately billed gateway, PCI, account-minimum, recurring-billing, equipment or other relevant costs. Identify annual charges and one-off items so an unusual month is not repeated twelve times.
Payment mix and transaction counts
Separate in-person, online checkout, invoices, keyed cards and recurring payments. Note gross card volume, sale count, average ticket, refunds, disputes and any separately priced card categories. Keep ACH fees and volume in their own comparison.
Contract, equipment and actual workflow
Bring the current term, renewal notice, cancellation charge and any separate equipment lease. List terminal model, POS, gateway, accounting edition and recurring-payment needs. The proposal must confirm support and all connector or migration costs in writing.
Settlement and reserve questions
Ask about the first payout, ongoing settlement, batch cutoffs, weekends, holds, reserves, refund funding and optional faster-payout fees. A cheaper fee schedule does not guarantee earlier cash or release a reserve at the current provider.
A lower headline percentage can still cost more.
At the same $40,000 in card sales and 800 sales, an illustrative 2.6% plus $0.20 per sale and $80 in other monthly costs totals $1,280. That is $80 more each month than the $1,200 baseline, despite the lower headline percentage. With a $400 one-time switching cost, the first year costs $1,360 more: $80 × 12 + $400. Assume unchanged activity, no other charges and that the quoted percentage includes underlying card costs; an interchange-plus markup alone cannot be used as the full rate. This is an example, not a partner quote.
Compare complete monthly totals first. If the proposal costs more, the review should say so. If it lacks fees, compatibility or settlement terms, resolve those gaps before deciding. With recurring savings, subtract one-time exit and setup costs once when evaluating the first year.
Start with contact details below. Share statements only through your separate secure room. This review does not need customer card numbers, security codes or account passwords; do not add them to the public form or send them by email. Ask the desk which statement identifiers it needs before sharing documents.
Request my statement reviewPrimary-source context: provider statement labels and terms vary. These sources explain fees, balances and payment-data handling; they do not establish support for a particular integration or endorse this review.
Run your own numbers before you send anything.
The starting values match the worksheet: $40,000 card volume, $50 average ticket and $1,200 all-in current fees, entered as 3% with no added current charges. The alternative costs more. Replace these assumptions with your statement and a complete quote; nothing is submitted by the calculator.
Today
Illustrative comparison
Enter the percentage, transaction fee and applicable other monthly costs. If using an all-in effective rate, set the transaction charge and other current costs to $0. Do not count a fee twice.
Illustrative comparison
Editable assumptions, not a quote or a markup over interchange. Include expected card costs in the percentage and add charges not already included: gateway, platform, PCI, equipment, minimums, recurring, refunds or disputes. Divide annual charges by 12. With an all-in effective rate, set transaction and other costs to $0. For one-time switching, include termination, migration, setup and account overlap.
What the comparison shows
- Estimated additional first-year cost
- $1,360
- Additional monthly cost
- $80
- Additional three-year cost
- $3,280
| Today | Illustrative | |
|---|---|---|
| Effective rate | 3% | 3.2% |
| Monthly fees | $1,200 | $1,280 |
| First-year cost including switching | $14,400 | $15,760 |
| Transactions / month | 800 | |
On these assumptions there is no first-year saving. Switching costs can outweigh a monthly saving. The review must show the unfavorable result in writing.
Get the written numberAssumes unchanged activity and fees. Switching is charged once in first-year and three-year totals; the monthly figure excludes it. Omitted costs change the result. Actual savings depend on your payment mix and written agreement. Not an offer.
Tell us how you take payments. The proposal is built for that mix.
List counter, online, invoice and recurring-payment needs. Ask the partner to confirm the exact tools, payment methods, pricing and compatibility in writing. Listing a workflow here does not establish that every proposal supports it.
Countertop terminals and point of sale
In-store card-present acceptance, tap and chip, with the terminal or POS software the proposal names. Hardware, if any, is listed with its cost.
Online checkout and ecommerce gateways
Card-not-present acceptance for a web store or ordering page. The proposal states the gateway, its monthly fee and the per-transaction charge.
Invoicing, payment links and virtual terminal
List the invoice, payment-link and keyed-card workflows you need. Confirm which are supported, their prices and how payments reconcile to your accounting edition.
ACH and recurring billing
Ask which bank-payment and subscription workflows the proposal supports. Compare account-specific rates, transaction fees, caps, return costs and settlement separately from card payments.
From contact details to a documented decision.
The entire review happens in your secure application room, the same room the lending desk uses, never over email.
- 01
Request the review
Use the contact-only form. Check the program screen and tell the desk if volume or seasonality needs clarification. Do not attach financial documents here.
- 02
Prepare three monthly statements
The existing secure room collects the last three processing statements. Bring all pages and identify separately billed costs, current contract terms and required payment workflows.
- 03
Check the complete written proposal
Compare the same card volume, ticket and payment mix. Include applicable monthly costs and first-year switching costs. Confirm integrations, equipment, settlement and reserves. A non-positive saving is flagged.
- 04
Accept or decline in the room
Review the partner's pricing and terms before deciding. Acceptance of a proposal does not establish that a new account is approved, ready or processing payments; confirm onboarding and cutover conditions with the partner.
A fee you stop paying is cash flow a lender can count.
Illustration: reducing annual processing costs from $14,000 to $11,000 would retain $250 a month before switching costs. That can matter when planning inventory or working capital. Any financing decision still depends on the actual cash flow and underwriting; a processing estimate is not an approval.
Free fee review
Request the statement review.
Contact details only. The desk opens the existing secure room for your last three monthly processing statements. Check the program screen above, then compare the partner's written pricing and terms before deciding.
Statements and financial information belong in your separate secure room, not this contact form.
Submitting this request is not a credit application, not a processing agreement and not an obligation to switch providers.
Prefer to open the full file now? Start your file with lower card processing rates as the goal.
Request the statement review.
A few contact details to begin the conversation.
Merchant processing questions.
How do I choose credit card payment solutions for my small business?
List how you get paid: counter, ecommerce checkout, invoice, phone or recurring billing. Compare total fees on the same monthly volume and average ticket, then check settlement timing, gateway support, equipment, contract length and cancellation costs. Request a written proposal that names the services you need.
Can I compare online merchant services while using QuickBooks?
Yes. Start with your processing statement and the accounting or checkout workflow you want to retain. Ask the proposed provider to confirm the exact QuickBooks version, integration, reconciliation steps and any extra fees in writing. Compatibility and savings depend on the proposal.
Is this a loan or a credit application?
No. The fee review is a comparison of what you pay to process cards against a written proposal. No credit is pulled and nothing is borrowed. It sits beside the lending desk because the saving improves the cash flow a lender reads.
Who actually processes the payments?
A processing partner prepares the proposal and, if you accept, handles the account and the switch. Qualified Commercial reads the statement, computes the saving from your figures, presents the proposal in your secure room and records your decision. We are not a payment processor.
What does the review cost, and what am I committing to?
Nothing, and nothing. You see the proposed pricing and the estimated annual saving in writing, then accept or decline. Declining changes nothing about your current setup.
How is the estimated saving calculated?
From the monthly volume and effective rate shown on your own statement, compared with the proposed effective rate. The system computes it; the partner's own stated figure is checked against that math, and a disagreement of more than ten percent is flagged rather than hidden. A non-positive saving is reported as exactly that.
Will I need new terminals or software?
Give the partner the exact terminal model, POS, gateway and accounting edition. Ask for written confirmation of compatibility, any equipment purchase or lease, connector costs and migration steps. Do not assume that existing hardware or stored payment details can transfer.
What about my current contract and early termination fee?
Read your current agreement for the term and any termination fee, and tell the desk. A fair comparison nets that cost against the first-year saving. The decision is still yours.
Do you handle online, ecommerce and invoiced payments?
The review starts with how you accept payments: in store, online, by invoice, recurring or all of them. The proposal is built for that mix and states the gateway and per-transaction charges for card-not-present volume.
I am already on interchange-plus. Is there anything to gain?
Compare your actual complete cost and required services. Interchange-plus does not automatically beat flat rate, and another proposal may cost more after transaction, monthly and switching charges. If the comparison does not show a saving, the review says so.
Which statements and card volume does the current review program need?
Prepare the last three monthly processing statements, including every page. The current program screens for at least $120,000 in annualized card volume, equivalent to $10,000 monthly when annualized. That screen is not a universal pricing threshold or a savings guarantee. Tell the desk about lower or seasonal volume before preparing a full file.
Can I use bank deposits to calculate my processing rate?
Use the fee report and corresponding card-sales volume. Deposits may reflect refunds, disputed-sale reversals, reserves and settlement timing as well as fees. Reconcile these items first; do not call the entire gap a processing charge. Label a gross- or net-sales denominator and keep it consistent between proposals.
Does a lower processing rate mean faster deposits?
No. Pricing, settlement and reserve terms are separate questions. Ask about first and ongoing payouts, cutoffs, holds, weekends and faster-payout charges. Switching does not guarantee the release of funds held by the current provider.
Related pages.
QuickBooks processing fees
What QuickBooks Payments charges and what the same volume costs elsewhere
Online merchant services and ecommerce payments
Compare online checkout, invoicing and virtual-terminal requirements
Supermarket and grocery financing
Review inventory, equipment and working-capital needs
Your statements. A complete written comparison. Your decision.
Check program fit, request the review and prepare three monthly processing statements for your secure room. Compare total cost and operating terms before deciding whether to switch.
Qualified Commercial is not a payment processor. Merchant processing proposals are prepared by a processing partner and presented in your secure application room. Estimated savings are computed from the volume and effective rate shown on your own statement compared with the proposed pricing, are estimates, and depend on card mix, sales channel, average ticket and the executed agreement. Requesting a review is not a credit application and creates no obligation to switch providers.
QuickBooks and Intuit are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. Square and Stripe are trademarks of their respective owners. Qualified Commercial is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of them. Third-party rates are those companies' published figures on the date shown and can change; verify current pricing with the provider.