By the numbers
Credit card processing by the numbers
Small businesses typically pay 1.5% to 3.5% per card transaction, and interchange makes up 75% to 90% of that fee.
Avendo Answers collected the published statistics below so small business owners can see what card processing costs and where the money goes. Each figure comes from the named source, not from Avendo. They help explain why Avendo routes each transaction to the best available rate.
Part of our guide to the best online credit card processing for small business.
How much of a card fee can a merchant actually influence?
Mostly the processor layer, and which processor handles each payment. Revolution Payments reports that interchange is 75 to 90 percent of fees and processor markup 10 to 25 percent. Interchange varies by card, and processors price differently, so sending each transaction to the best available rate, as Avendo does, works on both parts of the decision a merchant controls.
What card processing costs
1.5% to 3.5%
Typical total credit card processing fees per transaction.
Source: Chargebacks911, Best Credit Card Processing Companies of 2026
2.3%
Average retailers pay per credit card transaction to issuers, networks and acquirers.
Source: Small Business Payments Alliance, Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards
2.9% + 30¢
Stripe's published price per successful domestic card transaction.
Source: Homebase, Credit Card Processing For Small Businesses
3.2% vs 5.9%
Effective rate on a $100 versus a $10 payment at 2.9% plus 30 cents.
Source: Swipesum, Best Credit Card Processing Companies 2026
2.3%
Effective rate example: $2,300 in fees on $100,000 in card sales.
Source: Swipesum, Best Credit Card Processing Companies 2026
Where the fee goes
75% to 90%
Share of total card processing fees that is interchange.
Source: Revolution Payments, Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026
10% to 25%
Share of total fees that is the processor's markup.
Source: Revolution Payments, Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026
0.11% to 0.15%
Typical range for card network assessments.
Source: Revolution Payments, Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026
Pricing models and volume
$10,000+
Monthly volume above which interchange-plus typically offers lower rates.
Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO, Best Credit Card Processors for Small Businesses
$50,000
Approximate monthly card volume where interchange-plus usually overtakes flat-rate on total cost.
Source: JIM, Best credit card processing: a small business guide for 2026
15 minutes
Fastest approval time with a payment aggregator.
Source: Chargebacks911, Best Credit Card Processing Companies of 2026
Up to 7 days
Underwriting time for a merchant account, after a 30 to 60 minute application.
Source: Chargebacks911, Best Credit Card Processing Companies of 2026
Why accepting cards matters
$6.5 trillion
Credit card purchase volume in 2024.
Source: Small Business Payments Alliance, Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards
608 million
Open general purpose card accounts at year-end 2024, a 35% increase since 2018.
Source: Small Business Payments Alliance, Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards
$4 to $20
Bank of America's estimated cost of a single business check.
Source: Small Business Payments Alliance, Generating Value: The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards
$2.0 trillion
Global payments revenue in 2025, per Boston Consulting Group.
Common questions
All 46 answers in the FAQHow much does credit card processing cost?
Credit card processing typically costs 1.5% to 3.5% of each transaction, according to Chargebacks911's 2026 guide to credit card processing companies. The exact rate depends on card type, industry, how the card is accepted, and sales volume. Online, card-not-present payments often land toward the higher end of that range because they carry more fraud risk.
Read this answer in the FAQWhat is an effective rate in credit card processing?
Your effective rate is your total processing fees divided by your total card sales. Swipesum's 2026 guide gives the example of $2,300 in fees on $100,000 in card sales, an effective rate of 2.3%. It is the best single number for comparing credit card processing companies, because it captures every fee rather than just the headline percentage.
Read this answer in the FAQWhich is better, flat-rate or interchange-plus pricing?
Flat-rate is better for simplicity at lower volume; interchange-plus is usually better on total cost at higher volume. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO guide says interchange-plus typically offers lower rates to companies processing more than $10,000 monthly, and JIM's 2026 guide puts the crossover nearer $50,000 a month. Your effective rate settles it.
Read this answer in the FAQHow can I lower my credit card processing costs?
Start by calculating your effective rate from a recent statement, then check whether your pricing model fits your volume. Revolution Payments notes that processor markup is 10 to 25 percent of total fees while interchange is 75 to 90 percent, so both layers deserve attention. Avendo addresses this by routing each transaction to the best available rate.
Read this answer in the FAQWhy is my credit card processing statement so hard to read?
Statements mix interchange, network assessments, processor markup and fixed fees, often under different names. Revolution Payments puts network assessments at generally 0.11% to 0.15%. Seeing each layer separately is the only way to know which part is negotiable. Avendo provides clearer pricing and processing reports so merchants can see what they actually pay.
Read this answer in the FAQ
Turn the numbers into your own rate
Avendo can explain how routing across multiple processors applies to your card volume.