Credit card processing fee calculator
See what you really pay to accept cards, and compare flat-rate with interchange-plus pricing in three steps.
Step 1: Your Statement Basics
Enter your average monthly card sales and ticket size to immediately compute wholesale interchange costs.
Gross credit & debit card revenue settled monthly
~2,000 transactions per month
Want a person to check your card fees?
Our estimate shows about $7,650 a year above our example rate. Ask for a free fee review. Our team looks at your numbers, and a payments partner may prepare a written quote. You decide whether to go ahead.
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How to use this calculator
This calculator works out what you really pay to accept cards, estimates a fair rate for a restaurant like yours, and shows how much you could save a year.
- Find last month’s card statement. Divide the total fees by your total card sales and multiply by 100. That is your effective rate.
- Enter your monthly card sales, your average ticket and how much is tapped, dipped or swiped in store (keyed-in and online payments cost more).
- Compare flat-rate and interchange-plus pricing on your own numbers in step 2.
- Use the savings plan in step 3, and the negotiation playbook, when you talk to your processor.
What’s a good number?
There is no single right rate, because it depends on your card mix and ticket size. For reference, published flat rates are: Square 2.6% + 15¢, Toast 2.49–3.09% + 15¢, Clover 2.3% + 10¢ (in person).
Monthly fees, per-transaction fees on small tickets, keyed-in payments and premium rewards cards all push your effective rate above the headline rate. If yours is well above the fair-rate estimate the calculator shows, it is worth asking for a quote.
Worked example
An example sit-down restaurant on a flat-rate plan. The figures are invented; the results are what this calculator gives for them.
| Card sales per month | $60,000 |
|---|---|
| Average ticket | $40 |
| Tapped, dipped or swiped in store | 90% |
| Effective rate today | 3.2% |
| Card fees per month today | $1,920 |
|---|---|
| Fair-rate estimate | 2.35% |
| Fees per month at that rate | $1,410 |
| Possible savings per year | $6,120 |
Moving from 3.2% to about 2.35% would keep about $6,120 a year, with no extra sales needed.
Common questions
What is an effective rate?
It is everything you paid to accept cards in a month, divided by your card sales, times 100. It includes monthly and per-transaction fees, so it is usually higher than the rate in your contract.
Is interchange-plus always cheaper than flat-rate pricing?
Not always. It depends on your volume, ticket size and card mix. Interchange-plus shows the real cost of each card plus a fixed markup, which makes it easier to check. Compare both on your own numbers before switching.
Why are my fees higher than the rate I was quoted?
Common reasons are monthly or PCI fees, a fixed fee on every small transaction, keyed-in or online payments, and premium rewards cards that carry higher interchange. Your statement lists each one.
Every formula and assumption is on How we calculate.
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Possible savings / year
$7,650
Fair card rate
2.35%