Understand what you pay to accept cards.
Plain-language information on what it costs to accept cards. No jargon, no sales pitch. Want a partner to review your statement? We will put you in touch. They go through it line by line and explain each charge in plain English. What you do next is up to you.
Free. No obligation. We're a referral service, not a payment processor.
How the free review works
-
The basics
Two minutes, nine questions. No card number, nothing to sign, no credit check.
-
A partner calls you
One of our payment-processing partners, usually within a business day, at the time of day you picked.
-
You get a plain explanation
What each charge on your statement is, and what you pay in total. Any options they describe are yours to weigh. You decide.
The basics
The short version of the things merchants ask us about most.
Visa Interchange Rates in the US, Explained
What Visa's US rate sheet (April 18, 2026) lists for in-person, online, small-ticket and debit sales, with the program names you see on statements.
Accepting American Express in the US (OptBlue)
The two ways a US business takes American Express, who sets the price under OptBlue, and what Stripe, Square and Helcim publish for Amex sales in the US.
How Much Does It Cost to Accept Credit Cards in Canada?
What goes into the total cost of taking cards in Canada: interchange, network fees, processor markup, monthly fees and equipment, with published examples.
Payment Processor vs Merchant Account: What's the Difference?
Payment facilitator vs payment processor vs merchant account: who signs you up, who holds the money, and where Stripe, Helcim and TD fit, from their own terms.
Reading a US Merchant Statement
What a US card processing statement or report shows, with the US line names from Visa's rate sheet and what Stripe, Square and Helcim publish for US accounts.
Card Processing for Restaurants
Credit card processing fees for restaurants in Canada: tips, split bills, small sales, Interac tap and Visa's restaurant rates, from published rate sheets.
Free tools
Three free tools. Nothing to upload, nothing stored, no email required.
Why you can trust this
We tell you how we get paid
We're a referral service. If you use the free review, we may be paid by the partner you're introduced to. That's the whole business model, and it's on every page. The details.
We don't recommend providers
Provider pages describe how each company prices, bills and cancels, side by side, with sources. No rankings, no picks. You decide. How we research pages.
No made-up numbers
Every rate, fee or rule on this site has a source, or it's flagged as needing one. If we don't know, we say so rather than guessing.
Your statement stays yours
The tools run in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and we never sell your information. Privacy policy.
Want a partner to review your statement?
We will put you in touch. It takes about ten minutes, it costs nothing, and what you do next is up to you.