Compare payment processors by how they price.
A headline rate tells you less than the model behind it. Here is how several well-known providers publish their standard US pricing, how VitaPay prices, and where each approach tends to suit a business better.
Flat rate, interchange-plus or a cash discount program.
Flat-rate, blended pricing
One published percentage plus a fixed amount per sale, the same whichever card the customer uses. Interchange and card-network costs are inside that number rather than shown separately. It is simple to predict, and the provider carries the difference between a cheap debit card and an expensive rewards card.
How VitaPay prices
Restaurants start on a cash discount program by default: posted prices are card prices, and customers who pay cash get a discount. Larger groups can choose a cash discount program or transparent interchange-plus, with interchange and card-network assessments passed through at cost plus a stated VitaPay margin. Pricing is quoted in writing.
On interchange-plus, because the processor margin is a separate line, a change in cost can be traced to interchange, to the networks or to the margin. For a business with steady volume that clarity is usually the point.
What each provider publishes.
Each provider's standard US pricing as described on its own website, read on the date shown. Custom pricing, plans and add-on services can change it. Select a provider for the full comparison and its sources.
| Provider | Pricing model | Published standard rates | Contract terms, as publicly stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| VitaPay | Cash discount program (restaurant default), or a cash discount program or interchange-plus for larger groups | Not published. Quoted in writing after a statement review. | No long-term contract and no early termination penalty. |
| Stripe | Published flat rates for online and in-person payments, with listed additions, on Stripe's pricing and Terminal pages. | Published flat rates for online and in-person domestic card payments, listed on Stripe's pricing page | Pay-as-you-go pricing with no setup fees or monthly fees, as stated on its pricing page. No contract term is stated there. |
| Square | Published flat rates per payment type and plan, listed on Square's pricing page. | Published flat rates for in-person, online and keyed-in payments, by plan, listed on Square's pricing page | No locked-in contracts, and plans can be cancelled or switched at any time, as stated on its pricing page. |
| Toast | Quoted per business; not published | No processing rate published on its own pricing page. Quoted per business. | Not stated on its pricing page. |
| Shift4 | Quoted per business; not published | No processing rate published on its own pricing page. Quoted per business. | Not stated on its pricing page, which notes that terms and conditions apply and advertised pricing is for new customers. |
- VitaPay and StripeStripe publishes a flat, pay-as-you-go rate for online and in-person card payments, with custom packages, including interchange-plus, for businesses with large volume.
- VitaPay and SquareSquare publishes flat rates that depend on the plan: a free plan and two paid monthly plans with lower in-person and online rates, and custom pricing for larger businesses.
- VitaPay and ToastToast sells restaurant point-of-sale software and hardware with payments, and sets the processing rate for each business rather than publishing one.
- VitaPay and Shift4Shift4’s restaurant point of sale, Shift4 Dine, is sold for a monthly fee that includes hardware, with card processing built in and no published rate.
What people ask when they compare.
What is the difference between flat-rate and interchange-plus pricing?
A flat rate charges the same percentage and per-transaction amount on every sale of a given type, with interchange and card-network costs bundled inside it. Interchange-plus passes interchange and network assessments through at cost and adds a stated processor margin on top, so each part can be read separately on the statement.
Does VitaPay publish a standard processing rate?
No. VitaPay quotes each business in writing after a statement review: a cash discount program by default for restaurants, and for larger groups a cash discount program or interchange-plus. Send a recent statement and the quote can be set line by line against what you pay now.
Is interchange-plus always cheaper than a flat rate?
Not always. It depends on your card mix, your average sale, your volume and the margin you are quoted. A flat rate can suit a business that values one predictable number. The reliable way to know is to compare a written quote against your own statement.
Is there a contract or a cancellation fee with VitaPay?
No long-term contract and no early termination penalty. If we stop being the right fit for your business, you should be able to leave.
Sources and date checked.
Every figure about another provider on this page was read on that provider’s own website. Prices change; check the source before relying on a figure.
- Stripe: Stripe pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
- Stripe: Stripe Terminal page Checked September 21, 2026
- Square: Square pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
- Square: Square hardware page Checked September 21, 2026
- Toast: Toast payments page Checked September 21, 2026
- Toast: Toast pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
- Shift4: Shift4 Dine pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
Compare against your own statement.
Send us a recent statement from your current provider and we will separate interchange and network costs from the processor’s share, then quote you in writing.
