Credit card processing cost
Credit card processing cost for small business
Published by AvendoLast updated:
Small businesses typically pay between 1.5% and 3.5% per card transaction, depending on card type, industry, and how the card is accepted.
That range comes from JIM’s 2026 small business guide (opens in a new tab). This page, published by Avendo, breaks the cost into its parts, lists published rates for credit card processing, and includes a calculator for your own effective rate. For how options rank overall, see the best credit card processing for small business online guide.
How much does credit card processing cost?
Expect roughly 1.5% to 3.5% of each sale, plus a fixed fee per transaction on most online plans. Published online flat rates in 2026 include 2.9% + $0.30, 3.3% + $0.30, and 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction, per Zapier (opens in a new tab). Your real cost is your effective rate: total fees divided by total card sales. Small average sales push it higher, because the fixed fee is a bigger share of each one.
What makes up a credit card processing rate?
The three parts of every card fee
Every card transaction fee has three parts. Interchange goes to the customer’s bank and is 75 to 90 percent of the total, per Revolution Payments (opens in a new tab). Assessments go to the card networks, generally 0.11% to 0.15% and non-negotiable. The processor markup is the remaining 10 to 25 percent. Because interchange varies by card and sale, Avendo routes each transaction among multiple processors to find the best available rate.
Rates for credit card processing in 2026
| Rate or range | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5% to 3.5% | Typical small business range per transaction | JIM (opens in a new tab) |
| 2.9% + $0.30 | Online credit card transaction | Zapier (opens in a new tab) |
| 3.3% + $0.30 | Online credit card transaction | Zapier (opens in a new tab) |
| 3.49% + $0.49 | U.S. transaction; varies by type and currency | Zapier (opens in a new tab) |
| From 2.3% + 10 cents | Listed starting rate | business.com (opens in a new tab) |
| Interchange + 0.40% + 8 cents | In-person interchange-plus | business.com (opens in a new tab) |
| 2.36% | Average Visa and Mastercard credit rate, 2025 | Beast Insights (opens in a new tab) |
What raises or lowers your processing cost?
- Average sale size: at 2.9% + 30 cents, a $10 sale costs 5.9% effective and a $100 sale 3.2% (Swipesum (opens in a new tab)).
- Monthly volume: above $10,000 a month, interchange-plus may cost less (U.S. Chamber CO (opens in a new tab)); JIM puts the usual crossover near $50,000.
- Card mix: premium and business cards carry higher interchange than basic debit cards.
- Large tickets: Mastercard charges higher assessments on transactions over $1,000 (Revolution Payments (opens in a new tab)).
- Which processor handles the sale: with one processor, every sale gets the same schedule; Avendo routes each sale to the best available rate among several.
Credit card processing cost calculator
Enter one month of figures to estimate your fees and effective rate. Commas and a dollar sign are fine. All four fields are required.
How much does Avendo cost?
Avendo does not publish a merchant price. It says it does not bill or charge merchants directly; its compensation is handled between Avendo and the payment processors. The rate on each sale comes from the processor Avendo routes it to, chosen for the best available rate. Merchants get clearer pricing and processing reports. Compare approaches in the cheapest credit card processing guide.
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.
What is an effective rate?
Your effective rate is total processing fees divided by total card sales. Swipesum's example: $2,300 in processing fees on $100,000 in card sales equals a 2.3% effective rate. It is the best single number for comparing processors, because it includes every percentage, fixed per-transaction fee, and additional charge you actually paid.
Why do small transactions cost more to process?
Fixed per-transaction fees weigh more on small sales. Swipesum shows that at 2.9% plus 30 cents, a $100 payment costs $3.20, an effective 3.2%, while a $10 payment costs 59 cents, an effective 5.9%. Stores with a low average sale should look closely at the fixed fee, not just the percentage.
What is interchange-plus pricing?
Interchange-plus passes the card network's interchange cost through at its actual rate and adds a fixed processor markup, such as business.com's in-person example of interchange + 0.40% + 8 cents. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO notes that companies processing over $10,000 monthly may pay lower fees with this structure than with flat rates.
What is a card network assessment fee?
An assessment is a fee the card networks charge on each transaction, separate from interchange and the processor markup. Revolution Payments puts assessments at generally 0.11% to 0.15% and non-negotiable, and notes that Mastercard charges higher assessments on transactions over $1,000. Assessments appear as a line item on detailed statements.
Why are my processing fees higher than the advertised rate?
Advertised rates rarely include everything. Fixed per-transaction fees, premium and business cards with higher interchange, card network assessments, and add-on charges all raise your effective rate. Revolution Payments notes most businesses negotiate the processor markup, only 10 to 25 percent of total fees, while interchange makes up most of the bill.
How do I calculate my credit card processing cost?
Multiply your monthly card sales by the percentage rate, then add the fixed fee multiplied by your number of transactions. Divide total fees by card sales for your effective rate. The calculator on this guide's credit card processing cost page does this for you and validates each figure before showing an estimate.