Card fee calculator

How to use

Every card sale arrives smaller than the customer paid. The terminal or the platform keeps a percentage and often a fixed fee per transaction. This calculator shows the three numbers that decide whether the sale is worth it: how much is taken, how much is left and what the effective rate is — always higher than the advertised rate when a fixed fee applies.

• Check that the amount credited matches the day's sales.
• Compare two card terminals with different percentages and fixed fees.
• Find the effective rate before passing the cost into the price.

1. Enter the sale value.
2. Enter the contracted percentage fee.
3. If there is a fixed fee per transaction, enter it.
4. The result shows the amount taken, the net amount and the effective rate on the sale.

Formula

Fee = value × percent ÷ 100 + fixed fee · Net = value − fee

Example

A sale of 100 with a 3.5% fee and a fixed fee of 0.50 is charged 4.00 and nets 96.00. The effective rate is 4%, not the 3.5% advertised.

Limitations

• No fee is assumed: rates vary by acquirer, settlement period and card type, and are set in your contract.
• The settlement period is not considered; early payout usually adds its own cost.
• If the fixed fee exceeds the sale value the net becomes negative — which is what would really happen.

Frequently asked questions