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How to Lower Your Credit Card Processing Fees
To save money on card processing, start by working out what you actually pay: your total monthly fees divided by your total card sales. Then cut out the junk fees, move to a transparent pricing model such as Interchange+, or use Dual Pricing / Cash Discount so the posted card price covers the cost of taking cards. Empire Payment Solutions will review your statement for free, give you clear, straightforward answers, and show you which option fits your business.
How card processing fees work
Every card sale carries three layers of cost.
- Interchange. This is the wholesale cost set by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express) and paid to the bank that issued the card. It varies by card type and by how the card is taken. Debit usually costs less than rewards credit, and a tapped or dipped card usually costs less than one typed in by hand. Interchange is the same no matter which processor you use.
- Network assessments. These are small fees the card brands charge on every sale. They are also the same at every processor.
- Processor markup. This is what your processor adds on top. It is the only part that really differs from one provider to the next, and it is where most overpaying happens.
On top of that, many statements carry extra monthly line items: PCI fees, statement fees, batch fees, “account maintenance,” gateway fees, monthly minimums, and annual fees. Some are legitimate. Many are padding.
Checklist: are you overpaying?
Pull your last one to three statements and check them for the following.
- You can't tell what you pay. Divide total fees by total card sales. If you can't find either number easily, the statement is working against you.
- "Qualified / mid-qualified / non-qualified" tiers. Tiered pricing lets the processor decide which bucket each sale lands in, and the expensive buckets tend to fill up.
- A long list of monthly fees. Statement, PCI non-compliance, batch, maintenance, gateway, and minimum-volume fees all add up.
- Your rate has crept up. Compare a statement from a year or two ago to the latest one. Quiet increases are common.
- Your debit sales aren't getting cheaper pricing. If many of your customers pay with debit, your cost should reflect that.
- You're leasing a terminal. Long equipment leases often cost far more than the device is worth.
- There's an early termination fee or an auto-renewing contract. Check for one before you assume you're stuck.
- Nobody has reviewed your account with you. If your rep never calls, nobody is looking out for your costs.
If two or more of these apply, a free statement review is worth the call.
Ways to lower your processing costs
1. Switch to a transparent pricing model
With Interchange+, you pay the networks' wholesale interchange cost plus one clear processor margin, itemized on your statement. You can see exactly what you pay, and the processor can't hide a markup inside tiers. Ask us for a custom interchange-plus quote.
2. Use Dual Pricing / Cash Discount
Dual Pricing posts two prices for every item: a card price and a cash price. Customers who pay by card pay the posted card price, and the cash price is lower. Both are shown before checkout, so nobody is surprised at the register. Done correctly, the card price covers the cost of taking cards. Dual Pricing is offered only where your state allows it, and rules vary. In New York, both the card and cash price are posted before checkout. Empire sets up each program the compliant way for your state. How Dual Pricing works
3. Remove junk fees
Ask your processor to remove statement, maintenance, batch, and other non-processing fees. Complete your PCI questionnaire so you aren't charged non-compliance penalties.
4. Fix your equipment and how you take cards
Tap or dip cards rather than typing them in. Settle your batch every day so sales aren't downgraded to more expensive categories. Stop paying a monthly lease on a terminal you could have for free.
5. Switch processors if yours won't fix it
If your processor won't remove fees or move you to transparent pricing, switching is usually simple. Check your contract for termination terms, set up the new account, test it, and only then cancel the old one. A good provider will walk you through each step.
How Empire helps
- A free statement review. We go through your statement line by line and give you clear, straightforward answers about what you are actually paying.
- Two clear ways to pay less. We offer a transparent custom interchange-plus quote or Dual Pricing / Cash Discount. Dual Pricing is available for qualifying businesses where state law allows it, and details vary by state.
- A free terminal that best suits your business needs, for qualifying merchants.
- Rates that stay put. We don't raise your rates, use gimmicks, or bait and switch.
- Real, personal support. You get one dedicated specialist who knows your account and free phone tech support, not a call center or an AI chat. Empire Remote Support for our POS systems is available 24/7.
- POS systems and free cloud apps. We offer retail and liquor POS, NCC Reflection restaurant POS, and free cloud apps for qualifying Empire merchants.
- Nationwide and owner-operated. We're based in Gouverneur, NY and serve brick-and-mortar businesses across the United States.
Frequently asked questions
How can I save money on credit card processing?
Work out what you pay (total fees divided by total card sales), remove junk fees, and move to transparent Interchange+ pricing or Dual Pricing / Cash Discount. A free statement review will show which option saves your business the most.
Am I overpaying for credit card processing?
Common signs are tiered "qualified / non-qualified" pricing, a growing list of monthly fees, rates that crept up over time, and a leased terminal. If you can't easily tell what you pay overall, that is a warning sign in itself.
What is the best way to reduce processing fees?
For many businesses, the biggest gain comes from changing the pricing model, either to Interchange+ or to Dual Pricing, rather than haggling over a single rate. Removing non-processing fees and taking cards by tap or chip help too.
Can my business avoid paying credit card fees?
With a compliant Dual Pricing / Cash Discount program, the posted card price covers the cost of taking cards. State rules vary, and Empire sets the program up to match your state's requirements.
What is the cheapest way to take cards for a small business?
It depends on your sales volume, average ticket, and card mix. A flat-rate plan can be simple for very small sellers, but established businesses often pay less with Interchange+ or Dual Pricing. Ask for a quote based on your own statement.
Do you offer a free merchant statement review?
Yes. Call (888) 991-7729 or request a call, and we'll walk through your statement with clear, straightforward answers at no cost.
How hard is it to switch credit card processors?
Usually it's straightforward. Review your current contract's termination terms, set up and test the new account, then cancel the old one. Empire handles the setup and gives you a free terminal for qualifying accounts.
Do I need to buy a new terminal?
Usually not. Qualifying Empire merchants get a free terminal that best suits their business needs, provided with processing.
General information only, not legal advice. Cash discount and dual pricing details may vary by location / state laws.
Schedule a free phone consultation
Send us a recent processing statement, or just leave your name and number. We'll show you what you're paying today and how Interchange+ or Dual Pricing would work for your business. There's no hard sell and no obligation.