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Seller & payment fees / Credit Card Processing Fee Calculator

Credit Card Processing Fee Calculator

US rates · checked 20 Oct 2026
$

Enter a number of at least 0

Enter a whole number

%

Enter a number from 0 to 20%

From your processor's statement. 2.9% is Stripe's standard US online card rate.

$

Enter a number from 0 to 5

$0.30 is Stripe's standard US online card fee.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

Flat-rate processors often charge none; interchange-plus plans usually do.

Processing fees per month
$700.00
3.50%effective rate
$8,400per year
$50.00average sale
$0card sales $20,000
  • Percentage fees
  • Per-transaction fees
  • You keep
Card sales$20,000.00
Percentage fees · 2.9% of sales−$580.00
Per-transaction fees · 400 × $0.30−$120.00
Monthly fees$0.00
You keep$19,300.00

Compare quotes on the effective rate (3.50% here), not the headline percentage.

See breakdown

How the credit card processing fee calculation works

What card processing costs you each month and the effective rate you pay, from your sales, transaction count and processor's fees.

  1. Percentage fees scale with sales

    Multiply monthly card sales by the rate. $20,000 at 2.9% is $580.

  2. Per-transaction fees scale with the number of sales

    Multiply the transaction count by the fixed fee. 400 sales at $0.30 is $120, which matters most when tickets are small.

  3. Add flat monthly charges

    Statement, gateway, PCI compliance and minimum-volume fees come on top. They appear on the statement and are left out of the advertised rate.

  4. Divide total fees by sales for the effective rate

    $700 in fees on $20,000 of sales is a 3.5% effective rate. Use this number to compare processors.

Worked example. A shop takes $20,000 a month in 400 card sales at 2.9% + $0.30 with no monthly fee. Percentage fees are $580 and per-transaction fees $120, so it pays $700 a month, $8,400 a year, an effective rate of 3.50%.

Credit Card Processing Fee FAQ

How do I calculate credit card processing fees?

Multiply card sales by the percentage rate, add the transaction count times the per-transaction fee, then add any monthly fees. $20,000 at 2.9% plus 400 × $0.30 is $700.

What is an effective rate?

Total processing fees divided by card sales. It folds every charge into one percentage so you can compare processors on equal terms.

How much are credit card processing fees for a small business?

Flat-rate processors list their US rates publicly. Square charges 2.6% + 15¢ in person and 3.3% + 30¢ online on its Free plan, Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ for online cards, and PayPal Checkout 3.49% + 49¢. On $20,000 of sales in 400 transactions that is $580 (2.90%) with Square in person, $700 (3.50%) with Stripe, $780 (3.90%) with Square online and $894 (4.47%) with PayPal Checkout.

Why is my effective rate higher than my quoted rate?

Because of the fixed fee per transaction and monthly charges. On a $10 sale, a $0.30 fee alone adds 3 percentage points.

What are interchange fees?

Interchange is the fee the card-issuing bank receives on each card sale. Visa and Mastercard set the rates. Merchants do not pay it directly; it is built into the rate their processor charges. In Visa's US table effective 18 April 2026, an in-store retail sale on a Visa Traditional credit card is 1.43% to 1.51% + $0.10, on a Visa Infinite card (spend qualified) 2.30% + $0.10, and on a regulated debit card 0.05% + $0.21. Non-qualified consumer credit sales are 3.15% + $0.10.

Is interchange-plus cheaper than flat-rate pricing?

Often, for businesses with steady volume and larger tickets. On interchange-plus you pay the actual interchange and card network fees for each sale plus the processor's fixed markup, so cheap debit sales cost you less. Flat rates are simpler and can be cheaper at low volume. Compare both on the effective rate.

Can I pass credit card fees on to customers with a surcharge?

Under Visa's rules, US merchants may surcharge credit cards only, not debit or prepaid cards. The surcharge cannot exceed your merchant discount rate for that card or 3%, whichever is lower. You must tell your acquirer at least 30 days before you start, and show the surcharge at the point of entry, at checkout and on every receipt. Some states ban or limit surcharges: Visa's surcharging Q&A (version of 15 Feb 2024) lists Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico as prohibiting them and Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York as having extra requirements. Check your state's law before you start.

Sources: Visa: Interchange and surcharging for merchants · Visa USA Interchange Reimbursement Fees, effective 18 April 2026 (PDF) · Visa: U.S. Merchant Surcharge Q and A, version 15 Feb 2024 (PDF) · Stripe: Pricing (US) · Square: Pricing · PayPal: Business fees (US)

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