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Am I Overpaying for Credit Card Processing?
You may be overpaying if your statement uses "qualified / non-qualified" tiers, carries a growing list of monthly fees, or makes it hard to tell what you pay in total. The quickest check is to divide your total monthly fees by your total card sales and compare that number over time and against a written quote. Empire Payment Solutions will review your statement for free and give you clear, straightforward answers about what you're paying and why.
How to check your statement in five minutes
- Find your total fees for the month. Look for a line labeled "total fees," "total charges," or "amount deducted."
- Find your total card sales for the same month, using gross sales rather than net deposits.
- Divide fees by sales. That gives you your all-in cost of taking cards. Write it down and track it each month.
- Compare months. If the number climbs while your business stays the same, your pricing is drifting up.
- Compare it to a written quote based on your own statement, not a "starting at" rate from an ad.
Seven signs you're overpaying
- Tiered pricing. "Qualified," "mid-qualified," and "non-qualified" buckets let the processor decide what each sale costs.
- Junk fees. Statement, maintenance, batch, PCI non-compliance, and minimum-volume fees all count.
- Quiet increases. Fees appear or go up without anyone calling you.
- No debit advantage. Your debit sales are priced like credit.
- A leased terminal. You pay every month for equipment you could have for free.
- A long contract with a termination fee. It makes switching feel risky.
- No one reviews your account. You have no dedicated contact and no one explaining your statement.
What is the cheapest card processing?
There isn't one cheapest processor for every business. The lowest cost depends on your sales volume, average ticket, card mix, and how you take cards.
- Flat-rate plans are simple and can suit very small or occasional sellers, but you pay the same markup on every card, including low-cost debit.
- Interchange+ passes through the card networks' wholesale cost plus one clear processor margin. It is usually the most transparent choice for established businesses.
- Dual Pricing / Cash Discount posts a card price and a cash price, so the posted card price covers the cost of taking cards. It's available for qualifying businesses, and state rules vary.
The cheapest option for you is the one that holds up when it's compared against your actual statement. That's what a free review shows. For more ways to cut costs, see How to lower your processing fees.
How Empire helps
- A free statement review with clear, straightforward answers.
- Two clear ways to pay less: transparent Interchange+ or Dual Pricing / Cash Discount.
- A free terminal for qualifying merchants (Dejavoo Z8 or Valor VL550).
- We don't raise your rates. No gimmicks and no bait and switch.
- One dedicated specialist, free phone support, and 24/7 Empire Remote Support for our POS systems.
- Owner-operated from Gouverneur, NY, serving businesses nationwide.
Find out if you're overpaying
Send us a recent statement or just call. We'll show you what you're paying today and what your options are. There's no hard sell and no obligation. Start a free statement review.
Related: How to lower your processing fees · Am I overpaying? · Free statement review
FAQ
Am I overpaying for credit card processing?
Common signs are tiered qualified / non-qualified pricing, a growing list of monthly fees, rates that rise without notice, and a leased terminal. If you can't easily tell what you pay in total, have your statement reviewed.
How do I calculate what I pay for card processing?
Divide your total monthly processing fees by your total card sales for the same month. Track that number over time and compare it against a written quote based on your statement.
What is the cheapest credit card processing for a small business?
It depends on your volume, average ticket, and card mix. Flat-rate plans are simple, but established businesses often pay less with transparent Interchange+ or a compliant Dual Pricing / Cash Discount program.
What are junk fees on a merchant statement?
Junk fees are non-processing charges such as statement, maintenance, batch, PCI non-compliance, and minimum-volume fees. Many can be removed or avoided.
Is tiered pricing bad?
Tiered pricing makes costs hard to predict because the processor decides which bucket each sale falls into. Interchange+ shows the actual wholesale cost and one clear margin.
Is Dual Pricing cheaper than Interchange+?
With Dual Pricing, the posted card price covers the cost of taking cards, so many businesses prefer it. Interchange+ suits businesses that want one price for everyone. A free review shows which fits you best.
Will Empire raise my rates later?
No. We don't raise your rates, and we don't use gimmicks or bait and switch.
Schedule a free phone consultation
Leave your name and number and we'll call you to explain how Dual Pricing works for your business. It takes about 5 minutes, there's nothing to send beforehand, and if you'd like, we'll compare your current statement when we talk.