Repair payment mix comparison
Compare two fictional offers across counter and invoice channels using identical volume.
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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 |
|---|---|
Counter card sales Gross captured sales in the comparison month. | $20,000.00 |
Counter payments Number of captured payments. | 40 |
Invoice card sales Gross captured remote invoice sales. | $10,000.00 |
Invoice payments Count invoice collections once. | 20 |
Offer A counter percentage Enter the written percentage as a number. For 2%, enter 2. | 2 |
Offer A counter per-payment fee Written fixed fee per counter payment. | $0.10 |
Offer A invoice percentage Enter the written percentage as a number. For 2%, enter 2. | 3 |
Offer A invoice per-payment fee Written fixed fee per invoice payment. | $0.20 |
Offer A monthly services Include required account and software services. | $30.00 |
Offer B counter percentage Enter the written percentage as a number. For 2%, enter 2. | 2.1 |
Offer B counter per-payment fee Written fee. | $0.10 |
Offer B invoice percentage Enter the written percentage as a number. For 2%, enter 2. | 2.9 |
Offer B invoice per-payment fee Written fee. | $0.20 |
Offer B monthly services Required monthly services. | $20.00 |
Example results
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
Offer A modeled cost 404 counter + 304 invoice + 30 fixed in the fictional example. | $738.00 |
Offer B modeled cost Same sales and payment count. | $738.00 |
A minus B cost A negative result means A costs less in this model. | $0.00 |
Calculation detail
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| A counter charges | $404.00 |
| A invoice charges | $304.00 |
| A monthly services | $30.00 |
| B counter charges | $424.00 |
| B invoice charges | $294.00 |
| B monthly services | $20.00 |
Model assumptions
- All starting values are fictional examples, not quoted prices or industry averages.
- Use one consistent period and actual written terms. Unknown costs are unresolved, not zero.
- Only aggregate amounts belong in this public tool. No card, bank, customer or health information.
Read alongside these results
- These are hypothetical offers, not current Square or BlueFinch prices.
- Stored-card, keyed, tax, tips and other channels need their own matching comparison when applicable.
Download this worked example (CSV). Use the interactive version to export your own inputs and results.
Compare Square alternatives for an auto repair shop with the payments your advisors take, not one advertised rate. A driver paying at pickup, a fleet office paying an online invoice and a customer using a stored card follow different channels. Price each channel using your current account terms, then ask the alternative provider to price the same activity.
To get the most up-to-date rate information for your location, log into your account, go to the account pages for Pricing and subscriptions, and click on the link for the current plans in effect at your location. Note that rates for in-person payments, invoice or online payments, and manually entered versus stored card payments all vary. In addition, the rates for the current plans in effect differ from those of the older plans that are no longer available for sign-up.
Use with this guide
repair-shop integration tests
Run the repair-shop integration tests instead of assuming a replacement terminal preserves invoice references.
changeover reconciliation guide
Use the changeover reconciliation guide to keep old-account refunds and payouts visible.
Browse the complete auto repair guides and worksheets.
Price the payment channels you use
For the comparison, you will need to pull a complete statement month from your shop. This can include sales amounts and transaction counts for each channel (in-person payments, online payments via invoice, etc.). You will also want to include refunds and disputed transactions in a separate list or calculation. Fixed costs such as software and the shop’s account should also be included in the calculation outside of transactional charges. Large ticket repair shops will want to ensure that they are using the correct dollar volume for their transactions, whereas a shop that processes many small deposits will want to include transaction counts in their calculation as the fixed per transaction charge can add up quickly.
The payment mix model compares two written offers (or pricing proposals) against the costs of counter sales and remote invoice sales. You need to enter the $ volume and the number of transactions for each channel, the % rate and the per payment charge for each offer. Then you add in the fixed monthly charge for software and account. The model then calculates and displays the total monthly cost for each offer, and the difference between the two offers. Run the repair-shop integration tests instead of assuming a replacement terminal preserves invoice references.
Compare the same month under two offers
For an illustrative month, counter sales total $20,000 across 40 transactions. Remote invoice sales total $10,000 across 20 transactions. At a hypothetical 2% plus $0.10 for counter payments and 3% plus $0.20 for invoices, those channels cost $404 and $304. A $30 fixed monthly charge produces $738 overall. These inputs are an arithmetic example, not a current Square or BlueFinch quote.
Keep stored-card activity separate when it carries another rate. The two-channel example does not cover your entire account if advisors use stored cards, manually entered payments or another payment service. Run a separate channel calculation or expand the comparison with the actual charges. Never put a stored-card amount into a card-present category merely because the customer once visited the shop.
Sources for this section: Square: current payment fees and plan differences · Square: payment terms, settlement and reserves
Trace payment records and refunds
Consider what you will give up in the shop. Look at your templates, customer records, gift cards, and recurring payments. Determine which of these will export from your advisors’ current services, which will continue as paid services, and which will require the processing provider to support the migration of the customer’s stored payment information. A simple customer contact export is not a transfer of card tokens. Get the providers to describe the process you can tell your staff that the way they pay will remain the same.
Next, test a deposit and final balance on the same repair order. Ask your bookkeeper to trace both payments into the settlement report. Review a partial refund against the original transaction. If the replacement terminal works beside your shop software without a connection, account for the manual entry. Record who resolves an invoice mismatch when different companies supply the software and processing.
Keep checkout prices and account terms clear
A dual-pricing proposal would need to detail which transactions would be processed at the proposed merchant rate and how such would be reflected to the customer for the various payment methods offered by your shop. You would also need to establish the remaining charges that you would be responsible for in such a program. Most importantly, you must ensure that debit and prepaid card customers are not subject to a credit-card surcharge in a surcharge program. Counter and online payment arrangements need to be confirmed for payment links and online invoicing as well.
BlueFinch reviews alternative arrangements with owner-run repair shops. Bring the same payment mix and dependency list you use for Square. Ask for a dated written offer covering every channel you intend to keep. The calculator estimates the entered transaction costs. It does not promise account approval, a native shop-management integration or a particular saving. Use the changeover reconciliation guide to keep old-account refunds and payouts visible.
Sources for this section: Square: current payment fees and plan differences · Square: payment terms, settlement and reserves
Verify the first month after switching
Assign someone to maintain the old reports for outstanding refunds and disputes. In your first review of the new provider’s settlement reports, compare them against the saved calculator model’s completed arithmetic for the same period. Look for any unexpected debits and trace back to determine if there was an unanticipated change in volume, an un-priced channel, etc.
Your comparison is ready when the monthly arithmetic and the operational test tell the same story. A cheaper hypothetical total is insufficient when a necessary invoice workflow is unpriced. Save the completed model with its source statements, written rates and unresolved questions. The next advisor and bookkeeper should understand both what changes and what remains manual.
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 4, 2026. Payment rules and state requirements can change.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.