Merchant Account Fees

What Fees are Associated with Merchant Accounts?

Fees for a Merchant Account typically fall into three buckets: one-time setup fees, monthly fees, and per-transaction processing fees. The exact fees and amounts depend on your business type, processing setup, and the terms set by the acquiring bank and processor.

One-time fees

  • One-time setup fee: Some Merchant Accounts include an initial setup or onboarding fee, depending on the configuration and services required. 

Monthly fees

  • Monthly Gateway fees: If your setup includes The Easy Pay Direct Gateway, you may see a monthly Gateway fee for access to the Gateway and related transaction connectivity. 
  • Optional advanced tool fees: Some businesses add tools like advanced fraud prevention or enhanced risk controls, which can add a monthly fee when enabled.

Per-transaction fees

  • Per-transaction fees apply only when a payment is processed and are typically charged as a percentage of the transaction amount, a flat amount per transaction, or both.

Fee waivers based on processing volume

In some setups, certain fees may be waived when you process over a specified monthly volume. Whether a fee can be waived, and the volume needed, depends on the acquiring bank and processor’s policies and the terms of your account.

What are PCI fees, and Why Do They Apply?

PCI fees are charges associated with meeting PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) requirements, which are designed to protect cardholder data. Any business that accepts card payments is expected to follow PCI DSS, even if card data is not stored directly by the business.

PCI-related fees may be used to cover items such as:

  • Compliance programs and validation (for example, annual attestations or questionnaires)

  • Security tools or scanning (when applicable)

  • Administrative or support costs tied to managing PCI requirements through the acquiring bank, processor, or designated compliance provider

PCI DSS is an industry security standard supported by the major card brands, and compliance is typically treated as an ongoing requirement. If PCI compliance is not validated, additional fees or restrictions may apply depending on the policies of the acquiring bank and processor.

How do Chargeback and Refund Fees Work?

Chargeback and refund fees are different types of costs that can apply at different points in the payment lifecycle.

Chargeback fees

A chargeback fee is typically assessed when a customer disputes a transaction through their issuing bank and the dispute enters the card network process. This fee is generally charged per dispute and is often assessed regardless of the dispute outcome, because it covers dispute handling and administration.

Refund fees

A refund is initiated by you (the merchant). Depending on the acquiring bank, processor, and card network rules, you may still see some fees even when a transaction is refunded. In many setups, interchange and certain network fees are not returned once the original transaction has been processed, so a refund may not reverse every cost tied to the original payment.

Advanced chargeback tools and per-case fees

Some merchants choose advanced chargeback tools. These tools commonly have a fee per chargeback or per alert. The purpose is to reduce the total cost of disputes by preventing avoidable chargebacks, improving response speed, and streamlining evidence collection. Results vary based on your business model, policies, and the reasons disputes occur.

How does Easy Pay Direct Handle Rate Reviews Over Time?

 Easy Pay Direct supports merchants by reviewing account performance, processing patterns, and structural changes over time to determine whether a rate review may be appropriate.

Rate adjustments depend on many factors, including volume, risk profile, Chargebacks trends, and processor criteria. Easy Pay Direct does not guarantee rate reductions and does not unilaterally change pricing.

All rate changes are subject to bank and processor approval.

How do Cash Discounting and Surcharging Programs Work?

Cash discounting and surcharging are two different pricing programs that businesses may use to recover some card acceptance costs, but they work in different ways and have different rules.

Cash discounting

Cash discounting means you offer a lower price to customers who pay with non-card methods (often cash, and in some setups certain debit or ACH methods), and customers who pay by card pay the standard, non-discounted price. The discount must be clearly disclosed so customers understand the difference in price based on payment method.

Surcharging

Surcharging means adding a separate fee to an eligible card transaction to help offset card acceptance costs. Surcharging is typically subject to card network rules about:

  • which card types can be surcharged

  • maximum surcharge limits

  • required customer disclosures and receipt language

  • notice and registration requirements (where applicable)

Compliance considerations

Both programs require accurate setup and clear disclosure at the point of sale or checkout. They are governed by card network rules and may also be restricted by state or local laws, depending on where you do business and where your customers are located. Because requirements can change and vary by jurisdiction, businesses generally need to confirm compliance for their specific use case.

Easy Pay Direct helps you understand how cash discounting and surcharging programs are structured, what disclosures are typically required, and how these programs may fit into your payment flow. Eligibility and compliance requirements are determined by applicable laws and card network rules, as well as the policies of the acquiring banks and processors.