Calculate your effective processing rate

Effective rate = total fees ÷ settled card sales × 100

For example, $2,975 in total fees on $85,000 of settled card sales gives a 3.50% effective rate. Add percentage charges, transaction charges and recurring fees to get the total. Use settled card sales, not total business revenue. The figures below are an editable example, not a customer result.

Manual calculation or statement upload?

Use this calculator when you have the figures handy and want your entries to stay in your browser. Prefer to have the document read first? Use the free statement analysis. That upload tool sends BlueFinch your statements and quote for follow-up.

See the cost of the whole processing bill

Enter settled card volume and all processing charges for the same statement period. You'll see the all-in effective rate, monthly and annual costs, cost per transaction, fixed fees, volume-linked charges and processing's share of the profit margin you entered.

Compare a written proposal

Enter the proposed merchant credit rate and remaining monthly fees. Include any debit cost per transaction the proposal still charges, along with your debit share and average ticket. With BlueFinch dual pricing, debit customers pay the card price, just like credit customers, and the debit cost is $0. The comparison includes costs that remain despite a 0% card rate.

Your entries stay in your browser

The calculations run in your browser; BlueFinch does not receive your numbers. Download the report to keep the calculations and questions to ask a processor.

Useful next steps and sources.

• Free statement upload analysis

  Have a document read first, then verify every detected figure.

• 2026 processing cost report

  Inspect the 3.54% BlueFinch benchmark, calculation method and dated primary sources.

• BlueFinch costs and account charges

  See which costs must be confirmed in a complete written proposal.

Primary references

• Visa: cash discounts and card-acceptance rules

  Visa permits a cash discount as a reduction from the standard price. Its surcharge rules are a separate program; your acquirer agreement and local requirements also apply.

• Mastercard: credit-card surcharge rules

  Mastercard distinguishes credit-card surcharges from debit and prepaid transactions. Do not treat a surcharge and a posted cash/card price program as interchangeable.