Cost of a processing-rate change
Apply both rate schedules to the same card volume. Separate percentage points, relative fee growth and the profit effect.
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Illustrative example inputs
These starting values show how the math works. They are not industry averages, customer results or a quote.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
Unchanged period revenue Same accounting period as the card sales and reported profit. | $100,000.00 |
Same settled card volume in both cases Hold card mix, transaction count and channel mix constant to isolate pricing. | $80,000.00 |
Profit after the previous processing cost The prior expense is already deducted. This scenario subtracts only the incremental expense. | $7,000.00 |
Previous percentage component Variable percentage only. Exclude charges entered separately below. | 2.5% |
Proposed percentage component Comparable pricing basis for the same volume, card mix and channels. | 3.5% |
Previous separately counted charges Complete period charges outside the percentage component. Never add a fee already included in that rate. | $60.00 |
Proposed separately counted charges Matched-volume transaction charges and other costs outside the proposed percentage. | $85.00 |
Example results
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
Additional period processing expense New complete cost minus old complete cost. A negative amount is a reduction. | $825.00 |
Profit after the rate change | $6,175.00 |
Rate change in percentage points 3.5% minus 2.5% is one percentage point. | 1 |
Variable fee change relative to its old amount At unchanged positive volume, the 2.5% to 3.5% example increases variable fees by 40%. | 40% |
Calculation detail
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Previous complete processing cost | $2,060.00 |
| Proposed complete processing cost | $2,885.00 |
| Variable-dollar change | $800.00 |
| Change in separately counted charges | $25.00 |
| New modeled net margin | 6.18% |
| Net margin change in percentage points | -0.83 |
Model assumptions
- Starting figures are fictional planning examples, not a quote, verified outcome or small-business margin benchmark.
- Use matched periods and definitions. Align card sales with revenue before using a card-share comparison; deposits and unrelated collections are not revenue.
- This is a matched-volume price scenario, not evidence of why an observed effective rate changed.
- Quoted percentages must use comparable definitions. If using all-in effective rates instead, the separate-cost fields must exclude every cost already in those rates.
- Reported profit already includes the existing processing expense. The scenario adds the supported expense difference once; it does not subtract the existing fee again.
- Replacement scenarios hold revenue and other expenses unchanged, exclude further tax effects and do not predict customer behavior.
- Enter remaining or proposed charges only after checking written terms. Blank unknowns are not zero; all fields must be completed before calculation.
Read alongside these results
- Negative differences remain visible. A negative profit denominator gives a signed mathematical ratio, not a share of positive profit. Zero denominators are unavailable.
Download this worked example (CSV). Use the interactive version to export your own inputs and results.
Moving from 2.5% to 3.5% adds one percentage point to your processing rate. On $80,000 in card sales, the percentage-based cost jumps from $2,000 to $2,800. That’s $800 more, a 40% increase in that part of the bill. Calling it a one-percent increase hides how big the difference really is.
This calculator answers one narrow question: what would two pricing schedules cost for the same work? It can't tell you whether your processor changed a rate without notice. Before you enter the percentages, use the statement change log to find out why your bill went up. Once the terms are comparable, the dollar math is straightforward.
Use with this guide
statement change log
Continue with statement change log.
merchant statement analyzer
Continue with merchant statement analyzer.
BlueFinch advisor review
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Repair processing fees: track statement price changes
Track repair-shop processing fee changes by notice, fee code and effective date. Use the change log to separate new pricing from a changed payment mix.
Check your own costs: calculate your effective processing rate or upload a merchant statement for analysis.
Apply both prices to the same card volume
Start with settled card sales from one full period. Keep transaction count, card mix, and payment channels the same in both cases. If a machine shop accepts more corporate cards, or a tint shop collects more remote deposits, the underlying activity has changed. Compare two different months without accounting for those differences, and you won’t isolate a price change.
Stripe describes transaction fees with percentage and per-transaction components, along with monthly and other charges. Split those costs before using this tool. The two rate fields cover comparable percentage charges. Put fees outside those percentages in the other-cost fields. If your rates already include every fee, don’t enter those charges again below.
Sources for this section: Stripe: credit-card payment processing fee components
One percentage point is not one percent of the old bill
Subtract the old percentage from the proposed one to get percentage points. Here, 3.5 minus 2.5 equals one point. To find relative growth in the variable fee, divide the $800 increase by its previous $2,000 amount. That gives 40%. Both statements are right. They answer different questions and use different denominators.
Now add the other charges. Say the previous period had $60 in costs outside the percentage, and the proposed period would have $85. That makes the full comparison $2,060 versus $2,885, with $825 in added expense. Keep the extra $25 on its own line. It has nothing to do with the one-point percentage change. These are fictional inputs, not advertised account terms.
Sources for this section: Stripe: credit-card payment processing fee components
Subtract the additional expense once
The shop brings in $100,000 and keeps $7,000 after its previous processing costs. Hold sales and every other expense steady, then subtract the extra $825. That leaves $6,175, and the modeled margin drops to 6.175%, down 0.825 percentage points from 7%. The old $2,060 is already in the accounts, so it must not be deducted a second time.
The IRS says income statements cover income and expenses over a specific period. Use the profit figure for that same period in this comparison. A bank balance isn’t a substitute, and neither is the owner’s personal withdrawal. If reported profit is negative, show the loss. The math still gives you the incremental expense, but a ratio against a loss isn’t positive-profit growth.
Sources for this section: IRS: why businesses should keep records
Decide which change deserves a written explanation
Start with the merchant statement analyzer and get the actual fee total before you review a proposed schedule. Record the percentage change, any separately counted charge change, and the effective date. Ask whether a new monthly charge replaces an old line or gets added to it. Keep one-time adjustments separate from recurring costs, so a credit doesn’t hide what next month will cost.
Run the same terms against lower and higher card volumes. An $800 variable increase at $80,000 drops to $300 at $30,000. The entered $25 change in other charges stays separate, so update it too if those charges vary with transaction count. Take the scenario to your BlueFinch advisor review. What matters is whether the full written offer cuts your actual cost, not whether the headline number looks smaller.
Sources for this section: Stripe: credit-card payment processing fee components
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 23, 2026. Check the linked sources for current requirements and product details.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.