Guides

• How to read a Fiserv, First Data or Clover statement

  Where to find card sales, the number of sales and your total fees on a Fiserv, First Data or Clover merchant statement.

• Square and Stripe fees: when a flat rate is fair, and when it is not

  How a published flat rate compares with interchange-plus at different sizes and sale amounts.

• Regulated vs exempt debit: why debit can cost 22 cents or 1.5%

  Why debit cards from large banks cost a capped amount and cards from smaller banks and credit unions cost more.

• Least-cost debit routing: what to ask your processor

  Debit cards can run on more than one network. Here is what federal debit rules say and what to ask.

• Credit card surcharges by state

  What the sources we checked report about state surcharge rules, and the card network rules as reported.

• Flat vs tiered vs interchange-plus pricing

  The three ways US processors price card payments, and how to compare a quote.