Why is my effective rate higher than my advertised rate?

Your advertised rate usually covers only one card type (qualified). Real statements pile on non‑qualified surcharges, monthly fees, PCI fees, batch fees, and assessments. Divide your total monthly fees by your total card volume, that's your effective rate, and it's almost always 0.5-1.5% higher than the headline number.

Is Zero‑Fee processing legal in Florida?

Yes. Dual pricing, where you display a cash price and a card price and the customer chooses, is legal in all 50 states and approved by Visa and Mastercard. Surcharging is also legal in Florida with proper signage and capped at the cost of acceptance (typically 3-4%). We set up your POS, receipts, and signage to stay compliant.

What's the real difference between Interchange‑Plus and bundled?

Bundled (or tiered) pricing lumps card transactions into vague buckets, qualified, mid‑qualified, non‑qualified, and the processor decides which bucket each card lands in. Interchange‑Plus passes through the true card‑network cost plus a disclosed markup (transparent providers typically run 0.20-0.50%). Every fee is itemized. You can audit your statement in minutes.

How accurate is this estimate?

It's an estimate, not a quote. The calculator uses a 2.1% blended industry‑average assumption (true interchange of ~1.85% plus a market‑typical transparent markup), realistic for retail and restaurants. Your real Interchange‑Plus rate depends on your card mix (debit vs rewards vs business), average ticket, and whether you process card‑present or keyed/online, and your exact markup is set in your written quote. Send us a statement for the precise number. Full methodology: https://www.propersolutions.com/methodology/savings

How much could you save on credit card processing?

Plug in your monthly volume and current rate. We’ll show you a side‑by‑side estimate against Interchange‑Plus and Zero‑Fee, free, no signup.

Monthly card volume$25,000

Average ticket size$50

Current effective rate3.50%

Effective rate = total fees on your statement ÷ total card volume. Most bundled merchants run 2.9-4.2%.

Your current bill

$875.00 /mo

~500 transactions at 3.50%

With Interchange‑Plus

Estimated fee: $525.00 /mo · ~2.10% blended

Save $350 /mo

Annual: $4,200

With Zero‑Fee

Cardholder covers the processing fee, you net 100%.

Retain $875 /mo

Annual: $10,500

Get my real quote

Estimates based on industry averages, your real rate depends on card mix and ticket size.

How this works

The math behind every number on this page.

Your current bill

Monthly card volume multiplied by your effective rate. Effective rate captures every fee on your statement, not just the advertised swipe rate.

Interchange‑Plus estimate

Uses a 2.10% blended industry‑average assumption: ~1.85% true interchange plus a market‑typical transparent markup. It's an estimate of what merchants like you typically pay on this model, not a quote. Your exact markup is set in your written proposal and stays the same every month.

Zero‑Fee retained revenue

Cardholder covers the processing fee at checkout via a compliant dual‑pricing program. You net 100% of your list price, so previously paid fees become retained margin.

Questions about the math

Calculator estimates are a starting point. A real statement review pins down your exact savings.

Get a real statement review

Send us your latest processing statement. We’ll show a line‑by‑line breakdown and a real quote, no obligation.

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