Payment Processing Cost Review: Compare the Full Cost

Compare the costs for the same sales period and operating setup. A lower advertised percentage can still produce a higher total bill when fixed fees, transaction charges, software and equipment are excluded.

Request a free payments review

Collect one complete period

Use a full monthly statement and the matching card-sales total. Identify refunds, adjustments or unusual activity that make the month unrepresentative.
List software, gateway and equipment charges billed separately from the processing statement.
Identify annual or quarterly fees and the period they cover.
Keep one-time equipment purchases, setup work and termination costs separate from ongoing expenses.
Redact documents before any agreed sharing. The enquiry form needs only a summary of the issue.

Use two different measures

Processing effective rate = processing charges for the period ÷ card-sales volume for that period × 100. Define what is included in “processing charges” so comparisons use the same basis. This is a historical blended measure, not an interchange rate or a promised future price.

Operating cost includes processing plus the other expenses required to run the proposed setup. Keep software, equipment, gateway, support and one-time work visible instead of folding them into a headline rate.

A worked example, not a PaymentRite quote

Suppose a business has $25,000 in card sales and $650 in processing charges for a complete month. The historical processing effective rate is 2.60%. If separate monthly software costs $49, another required service costs $10, and an annual fee is $120, the planning total is $719 per month: $650 + $49 + $10 + $10 annual-fee allocation.

Twelve months at those example amounts is $8,628. A separate $300 setup charge would make that first-year example $8,928. Actual sales mix, fees and proposals vary. These numbers illustrate the method and are not an offer or savings estimate.

Ask where the difference comes from

Question	Why it matters
Same volume and transaction mix?	A proposal based on different ticket size, card mix or acceptance channel is not directly comparable.
Percentage and per-transaction charges?	Small-ticket businesses can be especially sensitive to fixed transaction charges.
Which fees are additional?	Software, gateway, annual fees and equipment may be billed outside the statement.
Any introductory or conditional terms?	Record the expiry date and the price or condition that applies afterward.
What does leaving cost?	Review processing, equipment and software agreements separately.

Turn the review into a decision

Ask each provider to explain the total using the same volume profile. Mark unknown items as unresolved; do not treat a blank fee as zero. Compare the first full statement after a change with the accepted terms. If the issue is a missing deposit rather than a fee, separate sales, refunds, batch timing and adjustments before concluding that a charge is incorrect.

Read a processing statement · Compare the provider’s complete proposal

Request a review of your requirements

Use the message to describe the issue and your current setup. Do not submit card numbers, passwords, bank credentials, customer records or unredacted statements. Arrange document sharing after contact.

PaymentRite reviews your requirements through the shared ProcessRite CRM. Product availability, approval, pricing, funding and implementation scope must be confirmed by the responsible provider. No savings or approval are guaranteed.