Payment Processing Cost Calculator
Enter your monthly card volume, your transaction count and the two pricing components you were quoted — a percentage fee and a fixed fee per transaction. The calculator returns the monthly and annual cost, the effective rate on your volume and the average cost per payment.
Estimate your processing cost
Enter your volume, transaction count and both fee components to see the estimate.
The formulas
percentage cost = volume × (percent ÷ 100)
transaction fees = transactions × fixed fee
monthly total = percentage cost + transaction fees
annual total = monthly total × 12
effective rate % = (monthly total ÷ volume) × 100
cost per transaction = monthly total ÷ transactions
Everything above is arithmetic on your own figures. The calculator does not look up provider pricing, does not convert currencies and does not assume any component you did not type.
How processing fees are usually structured
Card pricing is most often quoted as two components: a percentage of the transaction value and a fixed amount per transaction. The percentage scales with what you sell; the fixed amount is charged per payment regardless of its size. Both are billed on the same transaction, which is why the two have to be modelled together rather than compared separately.
That is also why the effective rate — total cost divided by volume — usually sits above the advertised percentage. The gap is the fixed fee expressed as a share of volume, and it widens as your average transaction value falls. Two merchants on identical pricing can therefore pay noticeably different effective rates: the one selling small baskets pays more per euro processed.
Some pricing is quoted as a single blended percentage, and some is quoted as interchange or scheme cost plus a margin. In either case, working out your own effective rate on real volume is the only way to compare two offers on the same basis.
What this calculator includes — and what it does not
Included
- The percentage fee applied to the volume you entered.
- The fixed fee applied to the transaction count you entered.
- Monthly and annual totals, the effective rate and the cost per transaction.
Not included
Actual provider pricing can contain further components. Whether any of them applies to you depends entirely on the agreement you sign — we do not assume that every provider charges the same things:
- Rolling reserves — not a fee, but they withhold working capital.
- Chargeback and dispute costs, which follow from your chargeback ratio.
- Currency conversion and FX margin on cross-border settlement.
- Gateway, platform, authorisation and monthly account fees.
- Scheme and network fees, and other provider-specific charges.
Common questions
Why is my effective rate higher than the percentage fee I was quoted?
Because the fixed fee per transaction is charged on every payment regardless of its value. Expressed as a share of volume, that fixed component adds to the percentage fee, so the effective rate is always at or above the quoted percentage whenever a fixed fee applies.
How does average transaction size change the cost?
A fixed fee weighs far more on small payments. The same 0.20 per transaction is 2% of a 10 order and 0.02% of a 1,000 order, so businesses with low average order values are more sensitive to the fixed component than to the percentage.
Is this a quote?
No. It is arithmetic on the numbers you type. Real pricing is set in a provider agreement and can contain components this calculator does not model.
Which fees are not included?
Anything you do not enter: rolling reserves, chargeback and dispute costs, currency conversion, gateway or platform fees, scheme and network fees, and provider-specific charges such as monthly minimums or account fees.
For the wider comparison — acceptance, settlement and risk terms alongside price — read how to choose a payment processor.
Want to see which payment routes may fit your full business profile?
Cost is one factor, and it follows from acceptance. The assessment reviews your industry, company country, target markets, volume, currencies and history together before we approach providers on your behalf.
Check my payment optionsNothing is shared with a provider until you submit your onboarding pack. Approval is always the provider's decision.