Calculator
Effective Rate Calculator
Turn your card processing costs into one effective rate so you can tell whether your current pricing is competitive.
Current annual fees
$6,419
Effective rate
3.57%
Monthly transactions
333
Lowest estimate in this model
Helcim
Helcim starter estimate
$2,499
estimated annual savings
| Provider estimate | Model | Effective rate | Annual cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Helcim Helcim starter estimate | Interchange-plus | 2.18% | $3,920 | $2,499 |
Stax Stax subscription estimate | Subscription | 2.68% | $4,828 | $1,591 |
Square Square in-person payments | Flat rate | 2.93% | $5,279 | $1,139 |
Stripe Stripe online card payments | Flat rate | 3.57% | $6,419 | $0 |
Assumptions
These are educational estimates using public rate assumptions stored in the site data file. Your real pricing may vary by card mix, volume, risk profile, hardware, software plan, and custom quotes.
Restaurant preset context: typical needs include tips, kitchen workflows, tables, offline mode.
Effective rate formula
These formulas turn a processor statement into a comparable monthly and annual cost estimate.
Monthly processing fees
Monthly card sales x percentage fee + transactions x per-transaction fee + monthly fixed fees
Effective processing rate
Total monthly processing fees / monthly card sales
Enter monthly card sales
Use card volume, not total revenue, if part of your sales are cash, ACH, or check.
Estimate transaction count
Average ticket size helps estimate how often the per-transaction fee applies.
Compare modeled costs
Use the provider table as a directional model, then verify current rates and terms.
Rate assumptions used
The comparison table uses public rate assumptions stored in the site data files. These are not custom quotes and may not include every possible software, hardware, chargeback, or industry-specific fee.
| Provider estimate | Model | Percent | Per transaction | Monthly fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square in-person payments | Flat rate | 2.60% | $0.15 | $0 | Pricing page Verified 2026-05-13 |
| Stripe online card payments | Flat rate | 2.90% | $0.30 | $0 | Pricing page Verified 2026-05-13 |
| Helcim starter estimate | Interchange-plus | 2.00% | $0.08 | $0 | Pricing page Verified 2026-05-13 |
| Stax subscription estimate | Subscription | 1.80% | $0.10 | $99 | Pricing page Verified 2026-05-13 |
Compare provider pricing
Use the calculator result as a starting point, then verify current pricing and contract terms directly with each provider.
Helcim
Partner status pending
- growing businesses
- in-person merchants
- lower-fee quotes
Square
Partner status pending
- new businesses
- restaurants
- food trucks
Stax
Partner details unverified
- higher-volume merchants
- subscription pricing comparisons
Provider links may be official links or affiliate links. Pricing can change; verify current rates, monthly fees, hardware costs, and contract terms before signing up.
Effective rate questions
What is a good effective rate for credit card processing?
A good effective rate depends on business type, transaction channel, card mix, and volume. The useful first step is to compare your total monthly fees against monthly card sales, then quote alternatives if the result looks high for your situation.
Why does average ticket size matter?
Per-transaction fees become more expensive when average tickets are small. A business with many $10 tickets can pay a higher effective rate than a business with fewer $100 tickets, even when the advertised percentage rate is the same.
Are these provider estimates guaranteed quotes?
No. They are educational estimates based on public pricing assumptions. Real costs can vary by negotiated pricing, card mix, keyed versus swiped transactions, chargebacks, hardware, software plans, and industry risk.
What should I do after using the calculator?
Compare your effective rate with at least two current provider quotes, ask which fees are included, and confirm whether the pricing model is flat-rate, interchange-plus, tiered, or subscription-based.
For more background, read the credit card processing fees guide and the methodology.