What you really pay per card sale
Your processor’s headline rate is not what you pay. The number that matters is on your statement, and it is easy to find in two minutes.
Find your effective rate
Open last month’s processing statement. Divide the total fees, every line, by the total card sales. That is your effective rate. If you paid $640 in fees on $20,000 of card sales, you are at 3.2%, even if the quote said 2.6%.
Monthly fees, statement fees and the charge for keying in a card all land in that total, which is exactly why it is the honest number.
Why small sales cost more
A fixed fee per sale hurts small tickets. At 2.6% + 15¢ in person, the effective rate changes with the size of the sale.
| Average sale | Effective rate at 2.6% + 15¢ |
|---|---|
| $10 | 4.1% |
| $20 | 3.35% |
| $50 | 2.9% |
| $100 | 2.75% |
The sale where two rates cross
Compare 2.6% + 15¢ with a flat 2.95%. The two cost the same at an average sale of about $43. Under that, the flat rate is cheaper. Over it, the percentage-plus-fixed rate wins. Coming soon in the US, VoVi Payments is a flat 2.95%, or we match the effective rate on your statement, your choice. AMEX is 3.5%.
Three things to check on a quote
Ask for the rate and the fixed fee, in person and online. Ask about monthly minimums and statement fees. Ask how American Express is priced, since it is often higher. Then put the answers in the cost lab and read the monthly total.
Official pages
Prices checked October 11, 2026.