Skip to content
Card Fee Field Guide

Lowest fees

Lowest credit card processing fees: how to actually find them

The lowest credit card processing fees belong to whichever option gives the lowest effective rate on your own sales, not the lowest advertised rate.

Last updated: Published by Avendo

Who has the lowest credit card processing fees?

No single provider has the lowest fees for every business, because card mix, order size and volume change the math. The Card Fee Field Guide by Avendo shows how to compare quotes fairly, which costs you can cut, and how routing each sale across processors fits in.

Where savings can come from

Interchange
75% to 90%
Processor markup
10% to 25%
Monthly and extra fees
varies
Room to save
Markup + extras
Shares of total fees from Revolution Payments. Interchange is set by card networks; markup and extras are set by your provider.

Credit card processing with lowest fees: compare on the same terms

Card Fee Field Guide by Avendo: what to compare in every quote
What to compareWhy it mattersWhat to ask for
Effective rate on your salesFolds every fee into one numberA quote priced on your last 90 days
Percentage and fixed feeFixed fees weigh heavily on small ordersBoth numbers, in writing
Markup (if interchange-plus)The main part that varies by providerThe exact markup, such as 0.4% plus 8 cents
Monthly and extra feesCan quietly raise your effective rateA full fee schedule
Online vs in-person ratesOnline sales often carry higher interchangeRates for your actual channel
Contract termsExit fees can erase savingsTerm length and any early exit fee

Lowest fees for credit card processing, explained

Definition

What “lowest fees” really means

Lowest fees means the lowest total cost for your sales over a real period, usually expressed as your effective rate. A provider with a lower percentage but a higher fixed fee can cost more for a store with many small orders. A provider with no monthly fee can cost more for a high volume store than one with a membership fee and a small markup.

That is why lists of the cheapest processors only go so far. They are a starting point for quotes, not an answer.

Numbers

Published starting points

  • Rates from 2.3% plus 10 cents, per business.com (2026).
  • In-person: interchange plus 0.40% plus 8 cents, per the same roundup.
  • Some starter plans as low as $14.95, per the same roundup.
  • Example markup of 0.4% plus 8 cents, per NerdWallet (2026).
  • Cutting the effective rate by 0.20% on $1,000,000 a year saves $2,000, per Clearly Payments.

Lowest credit card processing fees for small business: a short plan

  1. Know your effective rate

    Use the fee calculator with 90 days of statements.

  2. Get two or three quotes

    Ask each provider to price the same 90 days, using the table above.

  3. Cut the extras

    Remove fees you do not use, and question any that rose without notice.

  4. Consider routing

    Avendo connects your existing checkout to multiple processors and routes each sale to the best available rate in real time.

Want the full list of tactics? Read seven ways to lower credit card processing costs.

Back to the credit card processing cost guide

How we chose

This comparison was written by Avendo, the business that publishes this guide. It is not independent. Every entry was judged on the same criteria, using the same kinds of published facts:

  • Comparison points are the fee parts every quote contains, so every provider can be judged the same way.
  • Published rates are quoted exactly as their sources state them, with any conditions such as in-person only.
  • No provider, including Avendo, is named as cheapest, because that depends on each business’s sales.

Third-party figures are quoted exactly as their sources published them. Read the full methodology.

Common questions

Short answers here. Every question is also on the full FAQ page.

Who has the cheapest credit card processing fees?

No single company is cheapest for every business. The lowest cost option depends on monthly volume, average ticket, card mix and your online versus in-person split. business.com's 2026 roundup lists published rates starting from 2.3% plus 10 cents, but always compare quotes against your own statement data.

See this answer in the FAQ: Who has the cheapest credit card processing fees?

Is there such a thing as no cost credit card processing?

Truly no cost credit card processing is rare, because interchange and network assessments apply to almost every card sale. Some "no cost" offers move the fee to customers through surcharges or cash discount programs. Avendo does not bill merchants directly, but processor fees still apply to each transaction.

See this answer in the FAQ: Is there such a thing as no cost credit card processing?

How do I avoid credit card processing fees?

You cannot avoid them entirely if you accept cards, but you can lower them. Audit your effective rate, cut avoidable monthly fees, negotiate markup and consider routing across processors. Clearly Payments shows that on $1,000,000 of annual card volume, cutting the effective rate by 0.20% saves $2,000 per year.

See this answer in the FAQ: How do I avoid credit card processing fees?

Are there monthly fees on top of transaction fees?

Sometimes. Some processors add monthly account, gateway, statement or compliance fees, and membership pricing charges a fixed monthly fee instead of a larger markup. Paystand gives $99 a month as an example membership fee. Ask every provider for a full written fee schedule before you sign.

See this answer in the FAQ: Are there monthly fees on top of transaction fees?

What credit cards do not have processing fees?

Almost every credit card transaction carries processing fees for the merchant, because interchange and network assessments apply. Fees vary by card type, and rewards or business cards often cost more. Debit transactions are frequently cheaper, but they still carry fees.

See this answer in the FAQ: What credit cards do not have processing fees?

Want a second look at your card fees?

Avendo connects your existing checkout to multiple payment processors and routes each sale to the best available rate. Tell the Avendo team about your store and ask how it would work for you.

Contact Avendo

Published by Avendo