How Much Do Card Machines Charge Per Transaction?
Card machine fees are the costs your business pays each time you accept a card payment. They typically fall into a few categories: transaction fees (a percentage of each sale, usually between 0.3% and 3% depending on card type and provider), monthly rental or subscription costs for the terminal itself, and sometimes a one-off setup fee.
Rates can also vary depending on whether the card is present (in-person) or not present (online/phone), with card-present transactions generally cheaper due to lower fraud risk. When comparing providers, it's worth looking beyond the headline transaction rate to check for hidden costs like PCI compliance fees, early termination charges, or minimum monthly spend requirements, as these can add up and affect the true cost of accepting card payments.