VitaPay and Stripe: two ways to price a card payment.
Stripe 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.
How Stripe prices, from its own pages.
Stripe’s standard pricing is a flat percentage plus a fixed amount per successful card payment, with separate published rates for online and in-person payments and additions for manually entered cards, international cards and currency conversion. Its pricing page says there are no setup fees or monthly fees on that standard pricing.
Published standard US rates
- 2.9% + 30¢Online card payments, domestic cardsStripe pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 2.7% + 5¢In-person card payments, domestic cardsStripe pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- + 0.5%Added for manually entered cardsStripe pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- + 1.5%Added for international cardsStripe pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- + 1%Added when currency conversion is requiredStripe pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- + 10¢Added per authorization for Tap to Pay, in personStripe Terminal page, checked September 21, 2026
Stripe lists custom packages, including IC+ pricing and volume discounts, for businesses with large payments volume or unique business models. It does not publish a volume threshold for them. Stripe pricing page.
Where each model tends to fit.
Who Stripe suits
Online businesses and software platforms that want to start taking payments on published, pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee, and that want to build checkout directly on Stripe’s tools.
Where interchange-plus is typically clearer
For a business with steady or growing card volume, interchange-plus usually makes the statement easier to audit: interchange and network assessments are passed through at cost and the processor margin is one stated line on top. When costs move, you can see whether it was the card mix or the processor.
Whether it costs less depends on your card mix, your average sale and the margin you are quoted, which is why VitaPay quotes in writing against your own statement rather than publishing a headline rate.
VitaPay and Stripe, point by point.
| Compared | VitaPay | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Interchange and card-network assessments passed through at cost, plus a VitaPay margin as low as 0.05% + $0.05 per transaction, depending on monthly volume and average ticket size. Or a flat 2.7% + $0.10 per transaction. | Flat rate per transaction, published; custom packages for large volume |
| Published standard rates | Interchange + as low as 0.05% + $0.05, depending on monthly volume and average ticket size; or a flat 2.7% + $0.10. Exact pricing confirmed in a written quote. | 2.9% + 30¢ Online card payments, domestic cards 2.7% + 5¢ In-person card payments, domestic cards + 0.5% Added for manually entered cards + 1.5% Added for international cards + 1% Added when currency conversion is required + 10¢ Added per authorization for Tap to Pay, in person |
| Contract terms, as publicly stated | No long-term contract and no early termination penalty. | Pay-as-you-go pricing with no setup fees or monthly fees, as stated on its pricing page. No contract term is stated there. Source: Stripe pricing page |
| Hardware, as publicly stated | Terminals are sold rather than leased. A phone or tablet you already own can also be used. | Card readers are sold outright. Stripe’s Terminal page says in-person payments can be taken on devices made by Stripe or by third-party providers. Source: Stripe Terminal page |
| Statement transparency | Interchange and assessments appear on the statement at cost, with the VitaPay margin shown as its own line. | On standard pricing, one flat rate per transaction, with interchange and network costs included in it rather than shown separately. |
When Stripe may be the better fit.
If your card volume is modest or hard to predict, you sell mainly online, or you want to start today without a sales conversation, Stripe’s published rate may be the simpler choice. One known price per transaction is worth something when your card mix is difficult to forecast, and Stripe also lists custom packages, including IC+, for businesses whose volume grows.
Common questions.
What does Stripe charge for a card payment in the US?
On September 21, 2026, Stripe’s pricing page listed 2.9% + 30¢ for online payments and 2.7% + 5¢ for in-person payments with domestic cards, with additions for manually entered cards, international cards and currency conversion. Check Stripe’s pricing page for the current figures.
Does Stripe offer interchange-plus pricing?
Stripe lists IC+ pricing among the custom packages it offers businesses with large payments volume or unique business models. Its standard, published pricing is a flat rate.
Sources and date checked.
Every statement about Stripe on this page was read on its own website. Prices and terms change; check the source before relying on them.
- Stripe pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
- Stripe Terminal page Checked September 21, 2026
Other comparisons: VitaPay and Square, VitaPay and Toast, VitaPay and Shift4
Compare against your own statement.
Send us a recent statement and we will separate interchange and network costs from the processor’s share, then quote you in writing. No long-term contract and no early termination penalty.
