How we calculate
Rates dataset date: October 17, 2026. Every number below is used by the calculator. Each one is marked primary (published by the card network), secondary (published by someone else) or assumption (our expert estimate). Secondary and assumed numbers are labelled estimate.
Why we compare against the top of the range
We build a fair cost range for a business like yours. The low end uses typical card mixes and the lowest rates you could get. The top of the range is a credible upper bound, not a worst case: a somewhat richer card mix, your primary card programs and a full processor markup. It is normally not below what you would pay at a published interchange-plus price. The one exception is a flat price set at or above published flat rates (an assumption we state): if that is lower, it caps the top of the range. Possible savings are measured only against the top of that range and rounded down, so we never overstate what you could save.
The steps
- We take your total fees and remove chargeback and dispute fees, the PCI non-compliance fee (shown on its own as avoidable), and terminal rental (compared on its own line). Annual or one-time fees are spread over 12 months. If Amex bills you directly, Amex is left out of both sides.
- Interac is kept apart and priced per transaction. If we only know your Interac count, we subtract the top of the fair Interac range from your fees, which can only make savings smaller.
- We pick the rate table by your statement end date. A month that spans a rate change uses the older rates for the high end and the newer rates for the low end.
- We estimate whether you qualify for small-merchant rates. Within 25% of a limit, we treat you as borderline: small-merchant rates at the low end, your regular program at the high end. If you enter your Visa credit or Mastercard sales from the statement, we use them and the band narrows to 10%.
- We blend card network rates using the card mix for your type of business, with a blended rate for the premium cards in each tier.
- We add Amex at its wholesale rates when Amex is on your statement.
- We add card network fees. The high end adds 13% sales tax (Ontario HST) because processors usually pass these on with tax included.
- We add a fair processor markup for your monthly volume and fixed monthly fees. Amex carries only the per-transaction part.
- The top of the range is the higher of that build and a published interchange-plus price, but never more than a flat price set at or above published flat rates (an assumption we state).
- Possible savings are your cost minus the top of the range, rounded down to the nearest CA$5 a month and CA$50 a year. The yearly figure is the monthly figure times 12, scaled down if you tell us your typical yearly card sales are lower than twelve times this month, and it is hidden when it comes to under CA$100. A result within the fair range shows no dollar figure. Terminal rental is compared on its own line.
Visa consumer credit rates
Until October 23, 2026
| Program | Classic, Gold, Platinum | Infinite | Infinite+ | Infinite Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In person (electronic) | 1.25% | 1.57% | 1.60% | 2.08% |
| Online (card not present) | 1.40% | 1.65% | 2.30% | 2.40% |
| Small merchant, in person | 0.77% | 0.99% | 1.05% | 1.80% |
| Small merchant, online | 1.30% | 1.55% | 2.20% | 2.30% |
| Standard (keyed) | 1.45% | 1.70% | 2.35% | 2.45% |
| Everyday Needs | 1.10% | 1.20% | 1.35% | 1.95% |
| Grocery | 0.95% | 1.15% | 1.30% | 1.95% |
Source: Visa Canada interchange rates (PDF). Rows marked estimate are secondary sources or carried forward until the network publishes them.
From October 24, 2026
| Program | Classic, Gold, Platinum | Infinite | Infinite+ | Infinite Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small merchant, in person | 0.70%estimate | 0.89%estimate | 1.05%estimate | 1.70%estimate |
| Small merchant, online | 1.20%estimate | 1.45%estimate | 2.05%estimate | 2.20%estimate |
| Standard (keyed) | 1.45%estimate | 1.70%estimate | 2.20%estimate | 2.45%estimate |
| Everyday Needs | 1.10%estimate | 1.10%estimate | 1.35%estimate | 1.85%estimate |
| Grocery | 0.95%estimate | 1.05%estimate | 1.30%estimate | 1.85%estimate |
| In person (electronic) | 1.25%estimate | 1.57%estimate | 1.60%estimate | 2.08%estimate |
| Online (card not present) | 1.40%estimate | 1.65%estimate | 2.30%estimate | 2.40%estimate |
Source: a Canadian acquirer's upcoming interchange sheet (PDF). Rows marked estimate are secondary sources or carried forward until the network publishes them.
Small-merchant limit: yearly Visa credit volume under CA$300,000 until October 23, 2026, and CA$750,000 from October 24, 2026.
Mastercard consumer credit rates
| Program | Core | World | World Elite | World Legend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In person (electronic) | 0.92% | 1.22% | 1.56% | 1.95% |
| Small merchant, in person | 0.70% | 0.93% | 1.19% | 1.25% |
| Online (card not present) | 1.67% | 1.90% | 2.13% | 2.23% |
| Small merchant, online | 1.57% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.13% |
| Standard (keyed) | 1.96% | 2.19% | 2.42% | 2.53% |
Source: Mastercard Canada interchange rates, April 2026 (PDF). Rows marked estimate are secondary sources or carried forward until the network publishes them.
Small business limit: yearly Mastercard volume under CA$175,000.
Debit on credit rails and business cards
- Visa visa debit (cp): 0.00% + CA$0.03 primary
- Visa visa debit (cnp): 1.15% primary
- Mastercard debit mastercard contactless (cp): 0.00% + CA$0.03 primary
- Mastercard debit mastercard electronic (cp): 0.25% + CA$0.05 primary
- Mastercard debit mastercard (cnp): 1.15% assumptionestimate
- Visa visa business (any): 2.00% primary
- Visa visa infinite business (any): 2.35% primary
- Visa visa business (any): 2.15% secondaryestimate
- Visa visa infinite business (any): 2.35% assumptionestimate
- Mastercard mastercard commercial (any): 2.00% primary
- Mastercard world elite for business (any): 2.35% primary
Card network fees
- Visa acquirer service fee: 0.09% primary Visa Canada acquiring network assessment fees (PDF)
- Visa digital commerce fee: 0.015% (online only) primary Visa Canada acquiring network assessment fees (PDF)
- Visa card-present token fee: 0.0113% (in person only) primary Visa Canada acquiring network assessment fees (PDF)
- Mastercard acquirer volume assessment: 0.09% primary Mastercard network assessment fees as of July 20, 2026 (PDF)Rate in effect from 2026-07-20, also used for earlier periods.
- Mastercard licence fee: 0.0051% primary Mastercard network assessment fees as of July 20, 2026 (PDF)
- Mastercard digital enablement fee: 0.0226% primary Mastercard network assessment fees as of July 20, 2026 (PDF)
- Mastercard per-transaction network fee (US dollars): US$0.018 to US$0.0195 per transaction, from October 19, 2026 secondaryestimate a Canadian acquirer's card network fee noticeUnreconciled: CFIB says US$0.018, two processor fee notices say US$0.0195. The range covers both.
- Amex network assessment: 0.12% secondaryestimate a published Canadian processing fee survey (Amex OptBlue rates)
US dollar fees use a fixed CA$1.38 per US dollar assumptionestimate. Foreign cards in the high case are priced at 3.00% all in assumptionestimate.
Amex
1.60% for small tickets, 2.00% otherwise, 2.40% at the high end secondaryestimate a published Canadian processing fee survey (Amex OptBlue rates). We give no advice on Amex; it is modelled so it never makes savings look bigger.
Card mix by type of business
No public Canadian data exists for premium card share, so these are assumptions. In the calculator you can change your own card mix: the Amex share, the in-person share, the premium card tiers, and your Visa credit and Mastercard sales. The markup bands and allowances below are not editable in this version.
| Business | Visa / Mastercard / Amex (typical) | Amex (high) | Debit on credit rails | Business cards | Basic / mid / top premium (typical, high) | In person | Visa program |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| restaurant | 52 / 33 / 15% | 18% | 4% / 3% | 6% / 8% | 20/40/40, 15/40/45 | 95% | Regular or small merchant |
| retail | 57 / 33 / 10% | 13% | 5% / 4% | 4% / 6% | 25/40/35, 20/40/40 | 95% | Regular or small merchant |
| grocery | 60 / 36 / 4% | 7% | 6% / 5% | 2% / 4% | 35/40/25, 30/40/30 | 100% | Visa Grocery |
| convenience | 58 / 36 / 6% | 9% | 6% / 5% | 4% / 6% | 35/40/25, 30/40/30 | 100% | Visa Everyday Needs |
| services | 55 / 35 / 10% | 13% | 4% / 3% | 12% / 16% | 25/40/35, 20/40/40 | 80% | Regular or small merchant |
| ecommerce | 55 / 33 / 12% | 15% | 15% / 12% | 6% / 8% | 25/40/35, 20/40/40 | 0% | Regular or small merchant |
Fair processor markup
Over interchange and network fees, by monthly card volume. assumptionestimate
| Monthly card volume | In person | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Under CA$10,000 | 0.25% + CA$0.08 to 0.50% + CA$0.10 | 0.30% + CA$0.15 to 0.60% + CA$0.30 |
| CA$10,000 to CA$50,000 | 0.20% + CA$0.07 to 0.40% + CA$0.10 | 0.25% + CA$0.15 to 0.50% + CA$0.25 |
| Over CA$50,000 to CA$150,000 | 0.15% + CA$0.05 to 0.35% + CA$0.08 | 0.20% + CA$0.10 to 0.45% + CA$0.20 |
| Over CA$150,000 | 0.10% + CA$0.05 to 0.25% + CA$0.08 | 0.15% + CA$0.10 to 0.35% + CA$0.20 |
Published prices that anchor the top of the range
The floor of the top of the range is what the same card mix would cost at a published interchange-plus price: network costs at cost, plus a fixed markup by monthly volume, plus CA$10 a month. The price list we used is a published Canadian interchange-plus price list, dated April 1, 2026 secondaryestimate. We cite it only to set the floor. It is not a recommendation of any provider.
The cap is a flat price set at or above published flat rates (an assumption we state): 2.65% in person, 2.90% + CA$0.30 online assumptionestimate. It is not used when you have more Interac transactions than card transactions.
Fixed fees, terminals and Interac
- Monthly account, statement, PCI program and reporting fees: CA$10 to CA$35, plus up to CA$25 for an online gateway when more than 20% of sales are online. assumptionestimate
- Terminal rental: CA$15 to CA$39 per terminal per month, including warranty and swaps. CA$0 if you own it.
- Interac: CA$0.07 to CA$0.13 per transaction, all in. assumptionestimate
- If your fees include sales tax, we add 15% to fixed fees and terminal allowances.
Verdicts
- Within the fair range: at or below the top of the range, or under CA$25 a month, or under 0.10 percentage points of your card sales.
- Above the fair range: 0.10 to 0.50 points.
- Well above the fair range: over 0.50 points and at least CA$75 a month.
- If your fees are more than 20% below the low end, we ask you to check for fees billed elsewhere.