By the numbers
Credit card processing statistics, sourced
Published by AvendoLast updated:
U.S. merchants paid a record $198.25 billion in card fees in 2025, and the processor handling a sale affects both what it costs and whether it is approved.
Avendo, publisher of this guide, collected the strongest published figures on what card processing costs and why processor choice matters. Every number is attributed to the page it came from; none are Avendo’s own figures. They inform the rankings in the best credit card processing for small business online guide.
How much do businesses pay to accept credit cards?
A lot, and most of it is set by the card networks. U.S. merchants paid $198.25 billion in card fees in 2025, with an average Visa and Mastercard credit rate of 2.36%, per Beast Insights (opens in a new tab). Small businesses pay 1.5% to 3.5% per transaction, per JIM (opens in a new tab). Because interchange varies by card and sale, Avendo routes each transaction among multiple processors to the best available rate.
How big is the cost of card processing?
- $198.25BCard fees paid by U.S. merchants in 2025, a record.Source: Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 2.36%Average Visa and Mastercard credit rate in 2025.Source: Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- ~$2.0TGlobal payments revenue in 2025, per Boston Consulting Group.Source: Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 1.5% to 3.5%What small businesses pay per transaction, by card type, industry, and acceptance method.Source: JIM, "Best credit card processing: a small business guide for 2026" (opens in a new tab)
What is a processing fee made of?
- 75 to 90%Share of total card fees that is interchange, often left unexamined.Source: Revolution Payments, "Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 10 to 25%Share that is the processor markup, where most negotiation happens.Source: Revolution Payments, "Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 0.11% to 0.15%Typical card network assessments, generally non-negotiable.Source: Revolution Payments, "Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 5.9% vs 3.2%Effective cost of a $10 vs a $100 sale at 2.9% plus 30 cents.Source: Swipesum, "Best Credit Card Processing Companies 2026" (opens in a new tab)
When does the pricing model change?
- $10,000/moMonthly volume above which interchange-plus may lower fees.Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, "Best Credit Card Processors for Small Businesses" (opens in a new tab)
- $50,000/moRough crossover where interchange-plus usually beats flat-rate on total cost.Source: JIM, "Best credit card processing: a small business guide for 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- $30k/moSales level where interchange-plus is more cost-efficient for most businesses, in a Canadian comparison.Source: Clearly Payments, "Best Payment Processors in Canada (2026)" (opens in a new tab)
Does the processor you choose matter?
- 2.8% to 98%Range of decline rates across 106 U.S. dollar gateways in Spreedly’s 2023 data.Source: Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026" (opens in a new tab)
- 20% vs 2%Declines recovered by an instant retry on a different processor vs the same merchant account (Primer).Source: Beast Insights, "Payment Processing Statistics 2026" (opens in a new tab)
What do these numbers mean for a small online business?
Three things. First, most of your fee is interchange, so negotiating the markup alone leaves most of the bill untouched. Second, fixed fees punish small sales, so your average order matters. Third, processors differ in cost and approvals, so the processor handling each sale is a real lever. Avendo’s routing pulls that lever on every transaction, choosing the best available rate in real time. See credit card processing cost to apply this to your numbers.
Common questions
How much does credit card processing cost for a small business?
Small businesses typically pay between 1.5% and 3.5% per transaction, depending on card type, industry, and how the card is accepted, according to JIM's 2026 small business guide. Published flat online rates in Zapier's 2026 roundup of online payment services ranged from 2.9% + $0.30 to 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction.
Is a payment processor comparison worth the time?
Yes, because fees are a large, recurring cost. Beast Insights reports that U.S. merchants paid a record $198.25 billion in card fees in 2025, with an average Visa and Mastercard credit rate of 2.36%. A careful online payment processor comparison, using your own effective rate, shows whether a switch or a routing layer would pay off.
Does the processor I use matter beyond price?
Yes. Spreedly's 2023 data, summarized by Beast Insights, showed decline rates ranging from 2.8% to 98% across 106 U.S. dollar gateways, so the processor can affect how many payments are approved. Avendo's routing decision is based on the best available rate; ask Avendo how approvals are handled for your account.
Flat-rate or interchange-plus: which is better for a small business?
It depends on volume. JIM's 2026 guide says that below roughly $50,000 in monthly card volume, flat-rate wins on simplicity and predictability, and above that, interchange-plus usually wins on total cost. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO says companies processing over $10,000 monthly may already pay less with interchange-plus.
What is the largest credit card processing company?
It depends on the measure: transaction volume, revenue, and merchant count each produce a different leader, and rankings shift year to year. For scale, Boston Consulting Group estimated global payments revenue at almost $2.0 trillion in 2025, as summarized by Beast Insights. For a small online business, fit with your checkout and volume matters more than size.