Credit card processing fees can be confusing—but they don’t have to be. At Beacon Payments, we believe in complete transparency. That’s why we offer interchange-plus pricing, which ensures you always pay the true wholesale cost set by the card networks, plus a small, consistent markup. No surprises, no inflated flat-rate bundles, and no hidden fees.

What Goes Into a Credit Card Processing Fee?

All credit card transactions include several components:

1. Interchange Fees
These are paid to the cardholder’s bank and vary based on the type of card and how the transaction is processed. This is the largest portion of the processing fee.

2. Card Brand Fees (Dues & Assessments)
Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express charge small network fees on every transaction.

3. Processor Markup
This is the portion added by your payment processor. At Beacon Payments, we keep this flat, fair, and fully disclosed.

Updated Interchange Rate Table (2025)

Here are current average wholesale interchange rates for common card types and transaction methods:

The Problem with Flat-Rate Processing

Flat-rate pricing may sound simple, but it often costs more. Providers who advertise rates like 1.59% + $0.25 for all transactions are charging far above wholesale—especially for regulated debit or in-person chip transactions that cost much less. Flat-rate models average out all the risk, which means your business could end up overpaying, especially on low-risk, low-cost card types.

Why Interchange-Plus Pricing Saves You More

With Beacon Payments, you only pay:

• The true interchange cost of the transaction
• A card brand fee
• A simple, flat processor markup

This model ensures that:

• You never overpay for debit or chip transactions
• You see exactly where your money is going
• You remain compliant and optimized for the lowest possible rate

Want to Eliminate Processing Costs Altogether?

Beacon Payments also offers a Dual Pricing program—a powerful solution that allows you to offset credit card processing fees entirely.

With dual pricing, your business displays two prices: a lower price for cash-paying customers and a slightly higher price for customers who choose to pay by credit card. This method is fully compliant, transparent to your customers, and can eliminate nearly 100% of your processing fees.

Learn more about how dual pricing works by visiting our Dual Pricing Program page.

Real Business Impact

Let’s say your business runs mostly chip-based transactions using consumer credit and debit cards. With interchange-plus pricing, you’ll benefit from lower rates on those card types without subsidizing higher-risk transactions. And with dual pricing, you could dramatically reduce or even eliminate those fees entirely.

The result? Lower costs, higher profit margins, and better clarity on your financials.

Get a Free Statement Review

Already processing credit cards? Send us your recent merchant statement. We’ll do a free side-by-side comparison to show you where you can save—whether through traditional processing or by switching to our dual pricing model.

Why Choose Beacon Payments?

• Fair, transparent pricing with no hidden fees
• Modern terminals for chip, contactless, and mobile payments
• 24/7 U.S.-based customer support
• Dual pricing and traditional processing options tailored to your business

Contact us today to learn how much you could be saving with Beacon Payments—and choose the pricing model that works best for your business.