Merchant Fee Calculator
Card processing costs per transaction and per year.
Enter your values
Enter the average transaction in $.
Enter the transactions per month you are working with.
Enter the percentage rate in %.
Enter the fixed fee per transaction in $.
Enter the monthly account fee in $.
Enter the alternative provider rate in %.
Enter the alternative fixed fee in $.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- Cost per transaction
- $1.69
- Monthly processing cost
- $2,393.80
- Annual cost
- $28,725.60
- Effective rate
- 3.56%
- Alternative provider monthly
- $1,777.80
- Annual saving by switching
- $7,392.00
- Surcharge needed to offset
- 3.56%
Quick answer
Processing cost = transaction value × percentage rate + fixed fee, so small tickets are hit hardest by the flat per-transaction charge.
Fee = amount × rate + fixed per transaction
At a glance
| What it does | Card processing costs per transaction and per year. |
|---|---|
| Category | Business |
| Inputs needed | Average transaction, Transactions per month, Percentage rate, Fixed fee per transaction, Monthly account fee, Alternative provider rate, Alternative fixed fee |
| Main output | Cost per transaction |
| Formula | Fee = amount × rate + fixed per transaction |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Merchant Fee Calculator
- 1Enter your average ticket and monthly transaction count.
- 2Enter the percentage and fixed fee from your statement.
- 3Add an alternative provider's pricing to compare.
Inputs explained
- Average transaction($)
- Enter the average transaction in $.
- Transactions per month
- Enter the transactions per month you are working with.
- Percentage rate(%)
- Enter the percentage rate in %.
- Fixed fee per transaction($)
- Enter the fixed fee per transaction in $.
- Monthly account fee($)
- Enter the monthly account fee in $.
- Alternative provider rate(%)
- Enter the alternative provider rate in %.
- Alternative fixed fee($)
- Enter the alternative fixed fee in $.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Average transaction48 $
- Transactions per month1400
- Percentage rate2.9 %
- Fixed fee per transaction0.30 $
- Monthly account fee25 $
- Alternative provider rate2.4 %
- Alternative fixed fee0.10 $
Results
- Cost per transaction$1.69
- Monthly processing cost$2,393.80
- Annual cost$28,725.60
- Effective rate3.56%
- Alternative provider monthly$1,777.80
- Annual saving by switching$7,392.00
- Surcharge needed to offset3.56%
Frequently asked questions
Why is my effective rate higher than quoted?
The fixed per-transaction fee. On a $10 sale, 30¢ alone is 3%, which is why low-ticket businesses need a low fixed fee more than a low percentage.
Is interchange-plus cheaper?
Usually for larger volumes, because you pay the true card-network cost plus a fixed markup rather than a blended rate that averages in the cheapest cards.
What do I need to enter into the Merchant Fee Calculator?
Just 7 values: average transaction, transactions per month, percentage rate, fixed fee per transaction, monthly account fee, alternative provider rate, alternative fixed fee. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the Merchant Fee Calculator work out the answer?
Processing cost = transaction value × percentage rate + fixed fee, so small tickets are hit hardest by the flat per-transaction charge. It applies the formula Fee = amount × rate + fixed per transaction and shows the working so you can check each step by hand.
Is the Merchant Fee Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.