Know what makes up your rate.
Understand the costs behind each payment, then ask us for a written quote for your business. We separate interchange, card-network assessments and the VitaPay margin so you can compare like for like.
Square · Stripe · VitaPay
Compare the whole bill.
Start with the published processing fees. Then compare your card mix, hardware, software and monthly charges against a written VitaPay quote.
| Provider | In person | Online | What to compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free | 2.6% + 15¢$2.75 on a $100 sale | 3.3% + 30¢$3.60 on a $100 sale | Online/invoices shown. Online API is 2.9% + 30¢. Paid plans and custom rates differ. |
| Stripe standard | 2.7% + 5¢$2.75 on a $100 sale | 2.9% + 30¢$3.20 on a $100 sale | Domestic cards. Tap to Pay, international cards and optional services may add fees. |
| VitaPay | Interchange + network costs + your agreed marginYour quote identifies the percentage, per-transaction amount and monthly charges. | Compare my statement →See your actual costs side by side before deciding. | |
Sources: Square’s published fees and Stripe’s published fees. Examples cover the listed processing charge only, not hardware, software, subscriptions, disputes or other charges. Both providers offer custom pricing. Savings depend on your quote and actual transaction mix.
Most of what you pay is not ours.
On a card sale, the largest share goes to the bank that issued your customer's card, and a small slice to the card network. Neither of those is negotiable by anyone. What a processor actually competes on is the third piece.
Illustrative processing costs. Your written quote shows your actual rate.
Made up of three parts
To the bank that issued the card.
To the card network.
The part set by your processor.
The bar shows the split of processing costs, not the full $100 sale.
The fees we do not charge.
These are the lines that turn an advertised rate into a real one. They are named here so you can check them against whatever you are on now.
Why a lower headline rate is usually worse.
Tiered or bundled pricing
You are quoted one attractive rate for a "qualified" transaction. Then cards get sorted into mid and non-qualified tiers by rules you do not control, and most of your volume ends up outside the rate you were sold. The processor's margin moves with the sorting, and nothing on the statement tells you by how much.
A rewards card, a corporate card or a keyed-in sale can all quietly leave the qualified tier.
Interchange-plus, which is what we do
Interchange and assessments appear on your statement at cost, exactly as the networks set them. Our margin is one number added on top, and it is the same on every transaction regardless of card type.
It means you can audit us. If interchange rises because your customer mix changed, you can see that it was interchange and not us.
Terminals, bought outright.
We sell terminals rather than leasing them. A four-year terminal lease is one of the most expensive things a small business can sign, and it usually cannot be cancelled even if you leave the processor.
Countertop
Ask for pricingTap, chip, swipe and PIN debit for a fixed till.
Handheld
Ask for pricingPay at the table, on the van or at the job site.
Phone or tablet
$0Use hardware you already own, with a reader if you need one.
Do not take our word for it. Check your own statement.
Send us the last statement from your current processor and we will show you, line by line, what is interchange and what is margin.
