Resources
Understand your fees. Keep more of your money.
The payment processing industry runs on confusing statements and hidden markups. These plain-English guides cover what businesses actually pay, how the rules work, and what you can change - plus a free calculator that shows your real rate in seconds.
Free tool
Effective rate calculator
Enter your monthly card volume and total fees to see what you really pay, how it compares for your business type, and what an uncompetitive rate costs you a year. Runs in your browser - nothing is sent anywhere.
Rate benchmarks
Average processing fees in 2026
Published rates from Square, Stripe, Shopify, Clover, PayPal and Helcim side by side - and the providers who won't publish any.
Read the guideLowering costs
How to lower your processing fees
Eight steps in the order that works, from killing junk fees to Level 2 data for B2B. Most don't require switching processors.
Read the guideCompliance
Surcharging rules by state
Can you pass the fee to customers? Which states restrict it, the 3% cap, and why debit can never be surcharged.
Read the guideIndustry news
The Visa/Mastercard settlement, translated
A $38B headline and what it's actually worth to a business your size - plus whether the saving reaches you at all.
Read the guideFees explained
How payment processing fees actually work
Interchange, assessments, and processor markup - the three layers of every swipe, and which one you can actually negotiate.
Read the guideStatements
How to read your merchant statement
A line-by-line walkthrough of the fees buried in your monthly statement, and the junk charges to watch for.
Read the guidePricing models
Interchange-plus vs. flat-rate vs. tiered
The three ways processors price your account - which is most transparent, and which quietly costs you the most.
Read the guidePOS systems
Best POS systems for small business in 2026
Clover, Square, Union, Shopify POS and SumUp compared on the question that matters most: who controls what you pay to process?
Read the guidePOS cost
How much does a POS system cost?
Hardware, software and processing fees compared - and why the third category dwarfs the other two for any business doing real volume.
Read the guideSwitching processors
How to switch payment processors
Eight steps in the right order - starting with what to check before you agree to anything new, and ending with verifying the first statement.
Read the guideWant us to check your statement for you?
Our free rate review reads your statement line-by-line and shows you exactly where you may be overpaying. No cost, no obligation.
Get My Free Rate Review