What do credit card processing fees actually cost?
Most US online merchants pay between 2.5% and 3.5% of each sale plus a fixed fee of $0.10 to $0.49. On $50,000 a month at a $75 average ticket, a flat 2.9% + $0.30 rate costs $1,650, a 3.3% effective rate. Add refunds and disputes and the real number is closer to 4%.
US merchants paid $198.25 billion in card processing fees in 2025, up from $187.2 billion in 2024, according to the Nilson Report. Credit cards drove 79% of that total, which is why the card mix matters as much as the headline rate.
$50k/month
$1,650
at 2.9% + $0.30, 667 transactions
Effective rate
3.30%
fees ÷ volume
With disputes
3.95%
3% refunds and 0.5% chargebacks added
Lost to disputes
$300
3.3 disputes × ($75 + $15 fee)
Where the fee goes
Every card payment has three layers. Only the last one is negotiable.
Interchange (to the issuing bank)1.5% to 2.3% Network assessment (Visa, Mastercard)0.13% to 0.15% Processor markup0.2% to 1.2% Interchange is set by Visa and Mastercard and depends on the card type: debit is cheapest, premium rewards and corporate cards cost the most. Flat-rate processors like Stripe and Square blend all of this into one number. Interchange-plus processors pass interchange through and add a fixed markup, which is usually cheaper above about $20,000 a month.
Flat rate vs interchange plus
Tarifa plana
- One rate for every card (e.g. 2.9% + $0.30)
- Easy to predict, no monthly fee
- You overpay on debit and underpay on Amex
- Best under $20k a month
Interchange plus
- Interchange + fixed markup (e.g. 0.3% + $0.10)
- Statement shows every component
- Debit-heavy businesses save the most
- Best above $20k a month, requires a merchant account
Tiered
- Qualified, mid-qualified, non-qualified buckets
- Lowest headline rate, highest real rate
- Most transactions downgrade to the expensive tier
- Avoid
Switch the calculator to Interchange plus and set your card mix. A 40% debit share can cut the blended rate by half a point compared with flat pricing.
Compare processors on your numbers
The Compare processors tab ranks nine processors on your volume and ticket. It counts more than the headline rate: Square charges no dispute fee, PayPal charges $15 per dispute ($30 on its high-volume tier), Authorize.net adds $25 a month. On $50,000 a month at a $75 ticket with average refund and dispute rates, the spread between the cheapest and most expensive option is about $600 a month.
| Procesador |
List rate |
Tasa de litigio |
Fee returned on refund |
| Stripe |
2.9% + $0.30 |
$15 received, +$15 if countered |
No |
| PayPal checkout |
3.49% + $0.49 |
$15 ($30 high volume) |
No |
| Square online (Free plan) |
3.3% + $0.30 |
Ninguno |
No, since April 2023 |
| Shopify Payments Basic |
2.9% + $0.30 |
$15 |
No |
| Shopify Payments Grow |
2.7% + $0.30 |
$15 |
No |
| Shopify Payments Advanced |
2.5% + $0.30 |
$15 |
No |
| Braintree |
2.59% + $0.49 |
$15 |
No |
| Adyen (interchange++) |
~1.8% + $0.13 |
$15 |
No |
| Authorize.net |
2.9% + $0.30 + $25/mo |
$25 |
No |
Shopify charges an extra 0.6% to 2% on orders processed through a third-party gateway instead of Shopify Payments, which usually makes Shopify Payments the cheapest option on Shopify.
None of the nine return the processing fee on a refund any more. Square was the last to stop, in April 2023. Stripe now splits its dispute fee: $15 when the dispute arrives, another $15 when you counter it, and only the second one comes back if you win.
What a dispute really costs by processor
A $75 order that is charged back and lost costs the sale, the processing fee you already paid, and the dispute fee. Here is the same lost dispute on each platform.
PayPal, high-volume tier$108.11 Stripe, countered and lost$107.48 PayPal, standard tier$93.11 The gap between Square and Stripe is $30 on a single order, about $100 a month at a 0.5% dispute rate on 667 orders.
Can you surcharge credit card fees?
Yes for credit cards in most US states, with conditions. The Surcharge tab shows what the customer pays and what you net.
3%
Maximum credit card surcharge under Visa and Mastercard rules
The surcharge cannot exceed 3% or your actual cost of acceptance, whichever is lower. Debit and prepaid cards cannot be surcharged. You must notify your acquirer and the networks 30 days ahead, and disclose the surcharge at checkout and on the receipt. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico ban surcharging. California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, New York, Oklahoma and Texas allow it with extra disclosure rules, and some cap it below 3%.
A 3% surcharge on a $100 sale adds $3.00 and covers a 2.9% + $0.30 fee with 20 cents to spare. On a $20 sale it adds $0.60 against an $0.88 fee, so small tickets still lose money. A cash discount or dual pricing program avoids the credit-only rule, but the posted card price must be the higher one.
Surcharging recovers fees but raises dispute risk. Customers who did not notice the surcharge file "not as described" chargebacks. A visible disclosure at checkout and on the receipt is your evidence.
How to lower your effective rate
Measure the effective rate firstTotal fees ÷ total volume from your last statement. If it is above 3.2% on flat pricing, you have room.
Ask for interchange plus above $20k a monthMost processors will quote it. Target 0.2% to 0.4% markup plus $0.10.
Encourage debit and ACHRegulated debit interchange is capped at 0.05% + $0.21 (plus $0.01 for fraud) for banks over $10 billion in assets. ACH costs 0.8% capped at $5 at Stripe, 0.8% to 1% capped at $5 to $10 at PayPal, and 1% with a $1 minimum at Square.
Use Level 2 and 3 data on B2B cardsPassing tax and line-item data drops corporate card interchange by 0.5% to 1%.
Cut refunds and disputesBoth cost more than the processing fee. A 0.5% dispute rate on a $75 ticket costs about $0.45 per order across all orders.
Review the statement quarterlyWatch for PCI non-compliance fees, batch fees and "assessment" lines that were not in the quote.
Preguntas frecuentes
How do I calculate credit card processing fees?
Multiply the sale by the percentage rate and add the fixed fee. A $100 sale at 2.9% + $0.30 costs $3.20. For a month, multiply by the number of transactions and add any monthly fees, then divide by volume for the effective rate.
What is a good effective rate for credit card processing?
Under 2.5% is good for an online business with an average ticket above $50. Under 2% is possible with interchange plus and a debit-heavy mix. Above 3.5% means you are on a tiered plan or a small-ticket business with a high fixed fee.
Stripe vs PayPal: which has lower fees?
Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 with a $15 dispute fee, plus $15 more if you counter and lose. PayPal checkout: 3.49% + $0.49 with a $15 dispute fee ($30 on the high-volume tier). On a $100 sale Stripe costs $3.20 and PayPal $3.98. PayPal's card-only rate (2.99% + $0.49) narrows the gap.
How much is a normal credit card processing fee?
Between 1.5% and 3.5% of the sale plus a fixed fee. Most flat-rate online processors sit at 2.9% to 3.5% plus $0.30 to $0.49, and interchange-plus accounts land near 2% all-in. An effective rate below 2.5% is good for ecommerce.
How do I calculate a 3% processing fee?
Multiply the amount by 0.03. On $100 the fee is $3.00 and the customer pays $103.00. To net the full $100 after a 3% fee that comes out of the payment, divide by 0.97 instead: $103.09. The calculator's surcharge tab shows both figures.
Is it illegal to charge a 3% credit card fee?
No in most of the US, as long as it is credit only, capped at 3% or your cost of acceptance, and disclosed before payment and on the receipt. It is illegal in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico, and several states add wording rules. Surcharging debit cards breaks network rules everywhere.
What is interchange plus pricing?
The processor passes through the exact interchange and network fees for each card and adds a fixed markup, for example 0.3% + $0.10. It is more transparent and usually cheaper than flat rate once volume passes about $20,000 a month.
Can I charge customers a fee for using a credit card?
In most US states you can add a surcharge of up to 3% on credit cards only, after notifying your acquirer and the card networks and disclosing it clearly. Debit cards cannot be surcharged. Check your state's rules first.
Do processors refund fees when I refund a customer?
No. Stripe, PayPal, Shopify Payments, Braintree and Square all keep the processing fee on a refund; Square stopped returning it in April 2023. On a 3% refund rate that is about 0.1% of revenue lost, which is why a clear returns policy is a fee-control tool.
What is a chargeback fee?
A fee the processor charges when a customer disputes a payment: $15 at Stripe and Shopify Payments, $15 at PayPal ($30 high volume), $25 at Authorize.net, none at Square. Most apply whether or not you win. Stripe refunds its $15 counter fee on a win but keeps the $15 received fee.
Fuentes
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