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Merchant services guides, in plain English.
These merchant services guides explain how card processing really works: what each fee on your statement means, how surcharging and cash discount programs follow card-brand rules, and what PCI compliance asks of you.
What the guides cover
| Pricing and fees | Interchange, markup, statements |
| Surcharging | Rules, disclosure, cash discount |
| Compliance | PCI, EMV, chargebacks |
| B2B and billing | Level II/III, ACH, invoicing |
| Hardware and switching | Terminals, POS, changing processors |
| By industry | Restaurants to schools |
Browse the guides
Pick a topic. Each guide starts with a short, direct answer, then explains the details in plain English first and the industry term second.
Hardware and switching
- How to Choose a Card Terminal: A Buyer’s ChecklistHow to choose a card terminal: the features that matter, the questions to ask about ownership and compatibility,…
- Countertop vs. Mobile vs. POS: Which Setup Fits You?Countertop vs. mobile vs. POS compared: what each payment setup does well, where it falls short, and how…
- Contactless Tap to Pay: How It Works for Your BusinessContactless tap to pay explained for merchants: how tap payments work, why they are secure, what equipment you…
- POS System Buying Guide: Questions to Ask Before You BuyA POS system buying guide for owners: features that matter, open vs. closed systems, the true monthly cost,…
- Switching Processors Checklist: What to Check FirstA switching processors checklist: what to gather, what to read in your contract, how to protect stored cards…
- What Happens When You Switch Processors, Step by StepWhat happens when you switch processors: the application, approval, equipment and gateway setup, test payments, first deposits and…
- Terminal Leasing Pitfalls: Read This Before You SignTerminal leasing pitfalls to know before you sign: non-cancellable terms, costs far above the device price, leases that…
- Payment Gateway vs. Merchant Account: What Each One DoesPayment gateway vs. merchant account: what each one does, why online businesses need both, how fees appear on…
B2B, billing and invoicing
- Level 2 and Level 3 Data: The Fields, Explained PlainlyWhat Level 2 and Level 3 data is, which fields each level sends with a card payment, which…
- Accepting Cards B2B: A Plain Guide for Business SellersAccepting cards B2B: why business buyers want to pay by card, what it costs, how to take card…
- Commercial Card Interchange: How Business Cards Are PricedCommercial card interchange explained: why business and purchasing cards cost more to accept, what moves the rate and…
- ACH vs. Credit Card for Invoices: Cost, Speed and RiskACH vs. credit card for invoices: how the two compare on cost, speed, disputes and customer preference, and…
- Recurring Billing: How to Set Up Automatic PaymentsRecurring billing explained: how stored cards and ACH debits work, the customer permission you need, how to handle…
- Payment Links and Invoicing: Get Paid From the InvoicePayment links and invoicing explained: how a pay-now link works, why hosted pages help with PCI, and how…
By industry
- Tableside Payments and Tip Adjust: How Each One WorksHow tableside payments and tip adjust work in a restaurant: what happens at authorization, why batch timing matters,…
- Pay at the Pump Payments: How Fuel Pre-Authorization WorksHow pay at the pump payments work: pre-authorization, completion, why customers see a temporary hold, plus fraud and…
- Government Convenience Fees: How Agencies Charge ThemHow government convenience fees work for agencies, courts and utilities: fee models, disclosure, card-brand rules and what to…
- Patient Payments for Medical Practices: A Practical GuideHow medical and dental practices can collect patient payments: at check-in, card on file, payment plans, online pay…
- Donation Processing for Nonprofits: How to Set It UpHow donation processing works for nonprofits: online forms, recurring gifts, events, donor-covered fees and card testing, with a…
- Tuition Payments for Schools: Cards, ACH and PlansHow schools, colleges and day cares can collect tuition payments: online portals, ACH, monthly plans, fees on card…
- High-Volume Checkout: How to Speed Up Card PaymentsHow to run a high-volume checkout: faster card acceptance, integrated lanes, debit and EBT, checks, and the statement…
- Hotel and Venue Payments: Holds, Deposits and MobileHow hotel and venue payments work: check-in holds, incremental authorizations, deposits, no-show policies and mobile terminals for stadiums…
- Multi-Location Payment Reporting: One View of Every StoreHow multi-location payment reporting works: one merchant ID per store, rolled-up reports, daily reconciliation and the setup choices…
- Online Store Payments: How to Accept Cards on Your SiteHow online store payments work: merchant account, gateway and cart, what card-not-present costs, fraud tools, PCI scope and…
Basics and buying
- What Is a Merchant Account? How It Works for OwnersA merchant account is the business account that lets you accept card payments and get paid. Here's how…
- How Credit Card Processing Works: A Step-by-Step GuideHow credit card processing works, from the tap or swipe to the deposit: authorization, batching, settlement and funding,…
- Who Sets Interchange Rates? Networks, Banks and RulesWho sets interchange rates: the card networks publish them, issuers collect them and federal rules cap some debit.…
- Accepting American Express: A Small Business GuideAccepting American Express as a small business: how it works through your processor, what it costs, how it…
- Check Verification and Guarantee: How Each One WorksCheck verification vs. check guarantee: what each service does, who carries the risk of a bounced check, typical…
- Gift Card Programs for Small Business: How to StartHow gift card programs work for small businesses: physical vs. digital cards, costs, POS integration, the rules to…
- Customer Loyalty Programs: A Guide for Small BusinessHow customer loyalty programs work for small businesses: points, visits, tiers and cash back, what they cost, how…
- How to Compare Credit Card Processing Quotes FairlyHow to compare credit card processing quotes side by side: put every offer on the same pricing basis,…
- Questions to Ask a Credit Card Processor Before You SignThe questions to ask a credit card processor before you sign: pricing, rate increases, exit and compliance fees,…
- When Do Card Payments Deposit? Batching and FundingWhen do card payments deposit into your bank? How batching, settlement and funding work, what speeds or slows…
Pricing and fees
- What Is Interchange? The Fee Behind Every Card SaleWhat is interchange? It's the fee the card-issuing bank earns on each card sale. Learn who sets it,…
- Interchange-Plus vs. Flat Rate vs. Tiered Pricing GuideInterchange-plus vs. flat rate vs. tiered pricing, compared in plain English: what each model bundles, what it hides…
- How to Read a Merchant Statement, Section by SectionHow to read a merchant statement: find your total fees, separate interchange from processor markup and spot the…
- Processor Markup Explained: What Your Processor KeepsProcessor markup explained: the part of your card fees a processor keeps above interchange, how it is quoted,…
- Effective Rate Explained: Your True Card Processing CostEffective rate explained: divide total processing fees by total card sales to see your true cost. How to…
- PCI Non-Compliance Fees Explained, and How to Stop ThemPCI non-compliance fees explained: why processors charge them, how to tell if you are paying one, and the…
- Early Termination Fees Explained for Merchant AccountsEarly termination fees explained: how processors charge to close an account early, where the terms hide in your…
- Why Did My Processing Fees Go Up? 7 Common Causes ExplainedWhy did my processing fees go up? The usual causes: card mix, network changes, downgrades, new fees and…
- Card Network Assessment Fees: What the Card Brands ChargeCard network assessment fees are what Visa, Mastercard, Discover and Amex charge to use their networks. What they…
- Debit vs. Credit Processing Costs: Why Debit Costs LessDebit vs. credit processing costs compared: why debit usually costs less, when it does not, and how your…
- Regulated vs. Exempt Debit: What the Durbin Rules MeanRegulated vs. exempt debit explained: how the Durbin Amendment caps debit interchange for large banks, why smaller-bank cards…
- Card Present vs. Card Not Present Rates, ExplainedCard present vs. card not present rates: why online, phone and keyed sales cost more than chip or…
- Monthly Minimum Fees: How They Work and When They HitMonthly minimum fees explained: how processors bill the gap when your fees fall short, who gets hit hardest,…
- Common Merchant Statement Fees, Explained Line by LineCommon merchant statement fees decoded: which lines are card-network costs, which are your processor's, and which ones are…
- How to Lower Credit Card Processing Fees: 10 Real StepsHow to lower credit card processing fees with steps that work: check your effective rate, cut downgrades, remove…
- Merchant Account vs. Payment Facilitator: Key DifferencesMerchant account vs. payment facilitator: how each one works, what you pay, how fund holds and support differ,…
Compliance and security
- What Is PCI Compliance? A Plain Guide for Business OwnersWhat is PCI compliance? A plain-English guide to the card security standard, who it applies to, what merchants…
- PCI SAQ Types Explained: Which Questionnaire Is Yours?PCI SAQ types explained in plain English: what SAQ A, A-EP, B, B-IP, C, C-VT, P2PE and D…
- PCI Checklist for Small Business: A Yearly Walk-ThroughA PCI checklist for small business owners: map how you take cards, pick your SAQ, lock down devices…
- EMV Chip Cards: How They Work and Why They Matter to YouEMV chip cards explained: how the chip protects each payment, what the liability shift means for merchants, how…
- Tokenization and Encryption: How Card Data Stays ProtectedTokenization and encryption in plain English: how each protects card data, how they differ, how P2PE and stored-card…
- Chargebacks Explained: How Card Disputes Work for MerchantsChargebacks explained for merchants: what a card dispute is, how the process works step by step, common reasons…
- How to Prevent Chargebacks: A Practical Merchant PlaybookHow to prevent chargebacks: clear billing names, honest policies, fraud checks, fast refunds, delivery proof and good records,…
- Card Fraud Prevention for Merchants: In Store and OnlineCard fraud prevention for merchants: the common scams in store, online and by phone, the warning signs to…
Surcharging and cash discount
- What Is Surcharging? A Plain-English Guide for MerchantsWhat is surcharging? A plain-English look at how a credit card surcharge works, what card-brand rules require, and…
- Surcharging Rules: What Card Brands Expect From MerchantsSurcharging rules in plain English: credit cards only, a 3% cap or your cost if lower, advance notice,…
- Surcharge vs. Cash Discount vs. Dual Pricing ComparedSurcharge vs. cash discount vs. dual pricing: how each one works, which cards it touches, what customers see…
- Can You Surcharge Debit Cards? The Short Answer Is NoCan you surcharge debit cards? No. Card-brand rules bar surcharges on debit and prepaid cards, even run as…
- Convenience Fees Explained: How They Differ From SurchargesConvenience fees explained: a flat fee for paying through an alternative channel, how card-brand rules treat it, and…
- How to Set Up Surcharging in 7 Steps, Within the RulesHow to set up surcharging step by step: find your real cost, check current rules, give notice, configure…
- Cash Discount Program Explained: How It Works, Who It FitsA cash discount program explained: the posted price is the card price, cash earns a discount, and clear…
- Surcharge Disclosure and Receipts: Signs, Wording, PlacementSurcharge disclosure and receipts done right: where to post notices, what they should say, and how the surcharge…
Not only did PayZoom lower our costs, they analyzed our internal processes and made recommendations to improve workflow and provided new equipment so we could capture electronic payments at all points in the hospital and at off-site locations.
Jim Bishop, CPA, Controller, Jennie Stuart Medical Center
Since 2006, a person who knows your account.
| Founded | 2006, Daphne, Alabama |
| Clients in | Nearly every U.S. state |
| Support | Never outsourced |
| Registered partner of | Cygnus Payments and Evolv Payment Solutions |
Questions merchants ask us
Straight answers. If yours is not here, call us and a real person will answer it.
Who writes these guides?
The guides come from PayZoom, a card processing company founded in 2006 in Daphne, Alabama. They are written to explain what we see on merchant statements every day. They are general information, not legal or tax advice, so check current rules for your own business.
Where should I start if my fees seem too high?
Start with how to read a merchant statement, then the guide on processor markup. Together they show you which costs are set by the card networks and which come from your processor. Or skip ahead and send us a statement for a free analysis.
Do card-brand rules change?
Yes. Visa, Mastercard and the other card brands update their rules, and some states have their own rules on surcharging. Our guides avoid exact figures where rules shift, and we recommend checking current rules before you change how you charge customers.
Can PayZoom answer a question the guides don’t cover?
Yes. Call 866.242.4325 and a real person answers. Our support is never outsourced, and we are happy to explain a line on your statement even if you are not a PayZoom client yet. If you want a full review, send a statement for a free analysis.
Send us one statement. We’ll tell you exactly what you’re paying.
No cost and no pressure. If your current rate is fair, we’ll say so. We typically reply the same business day.
| Call toll-free | 866.242.4325 |
| Local | 251.626.8100 |
| nate@bizpayzoom.com |