Merchant fee guides
- Credit card processing effective rate: how to calculate it and what's normal: Effective rate = total processing fees ÷ total card sales. How to find both numbers on your statement and how to judge the result.
- PCI non-compliance fee: what it is and how to stop paying it: A PCI non-compliance fee is a processor penalty for not validating PCI compliance. Usually it stops after you file the questionnaire (SAQ).
- Interchange-plus vs flat rate vs tiered pricing: How the three common credit card pricing models work, how to tell which one you're on, and when each makes sense.
- How to read a Fiserv (First Data) / Clover merchant statement: Where to find total submitted, fees and the swiped/non-swiped discount on a Fiserv or Clover processing statement.
- How to read a TSYS merchant statement: TSYS statements split fees into Processing, Authorization and Other. Here's where to find volume, fees and common add-ons.
- How to read an Elavon merchant statement: Elavon statements show a transactions summary, card fees (MSC), activity fees and other fees. Here's what each means.
- How to read a Worldpay statement and fees report: Worldpay fees = Worldpay fees + pass-through (interchange) fees. Where to find them in iQ and what add-on fees to look for.
- How to read a Heartland merchant statement: Heartland statements show total deposits and total fees on the cover page, then a fee summary. What to check on IC+ and flat-rate plans.
- Square fees explained: where to see them and when they make sense: Square charges flat per-payment rates (e.g., 2.6% + 15¢ in person on Square Free). Where to find your fees and how to compare.