Your existing system is essential
Keep an integration that genuinely earns its place. If your practice, shop, restaurant or ecommerce system requires a particular processor, confirm compatibility in writing before changing anything.
A standalone terminal is not the same as integrated invoices, reconciliation, recurring billing or a restaurant's order flow.
Your complete cost is already lower
A low-volume business may prefer a simple pay-as-you-go arrangement. Fixed account fees matter more when spread across fewer sales. An unusually strong existing agreement may also be worth keeping.
Use your complete fee bill and actual transaction mix. Do not compare an advertised rate with another provider's all-in total.
The checkout does not suit your customers
Dual pricing is not a fit for every customer experience. If your business needs one price across payment methods, discuss a suitable alternative rather than assuming the advertised 0% program applies.
Debit-heavy, online-first and international businesses need a comparison built around those transactions, not an in-person credit-card illustration.
Your industry or requested feature is unsupported
Account approval is not automatic. Confirm underwriting eligibility and the services you need before planning a move.
Do not move patient records, payroll, specialized inventory or other critical work into a general business tool merely because it is included. Verify the relevant workflow and suitability first.
What to bring to a review
Bring one complete statement, your must-have software's name and the payment methods you use. Ask for a written comparison showing what would improve and what you would give up.
Useful next steps and sources.
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.