By business type
EFTPOS and card payment costs for retail
Since 1 October 2026 a shop can't add a surcharge to card payments. The card fee now comes out of your margin. This page shows what that fee is at your turnover, using each provider's published rate.
We compare 17 providers. See the full list. We do not compare every provider in the Australian market, and we do not compare every plan each provider offers.
Pick your business type in the calculator to pre-select sector-default terminals.
What tends to matter for retail
- Counter and mobile checkout
- Debit/credit mix handled at your rate
- Buy-outright or rented hardware options
What does a shop pay to take card payments?
It depends on your provider's rate and your monthly card turnover. Here is the monthly processing cost at each published in-person rate Compayr tracks.
| Provider | Published rate | $20,000 a month | $50,000 a month | $100,000 a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westpac | 0.79% | $158 | $395 | $790 |
| ANZ Worldline | 0.95% | $190 | $475 | $950 |
| CommBank Smart | 0.99% | $198 | $495 | $990 |
| NAB | 1.05% | $210 | $525 | $1,050 |
| Zeller POS (with Zeller Terminal) | 1.2% | $240 | $600 | $1,200 |
| Tyro | 1.3% | $260 | $650 | $1,300 |
| SumUp | 1.4% | $280 | $700 | $1,400 |
| Zeller | 1.4% | $280 | $700 | $1,400 |
| Lightspeed Retail (with Lightspeed POS) | 1.5% | $300 | $750 | $1,500 |
| Square | 1.6% | $320 | $800 | $1,600 |
| Shopify POS (Basic plan) | 1.85% | $370 | $925 | $1,850 |
Published rates, including GST where the provider states it, as checked on the Pass Through Tracker (last checked 3 November 2026). Temporary promotional rates and fees are excluded. Rates shown are the standard ongoing rate for each provider, as at that date. Terminal rental and monthly fees are extra and shown on the comparison. Some rates apply to eligible customers only, and Amex may be priced separately. Zeller POS at 1.2% applies only when Zeller POS is used with a Zeller Terminal. Lightspeed and Shopify rates come with their POS software plans, which have their own monthly fees.
At $50,000 a month the gap between the lowest and highest published rate is $530 a month, or $6,360 a year.
Why are my card fees higher since 1 October?
If you surcharged, that surcharge used to cover the card fee. Since 1 October it can't. So the fee you used to recover is now a cost.
Wholesale card costs fell on the same day. The cap on consumer credit interchange dropped from 0.8% to 0.3%. That only reaches you if your provider cut its rate. Check yours on the Pass Through Tracker.
What does a $40 sale cost to take by card?
- At 1.6%, a $40 sale costs 64 cents.
- At 0.79%, it costs 32 cents.
- At 1.65% plus 10 cents, it costs 76 cents.
On a larger sale the percentage matters most. At 2,000 sales a month of $40, the gap between 1.6% and 0.79% is $648 a month.
Do my Amex sales cost more?
They can. Some providers include Amex in one rate. Others price it separately.
- Zeller, Square and CommBank's single rate include Amex at the same rate.
- Westpac's 0.79% covers eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and UnionPay. Amex is priced separately.
If many of your customers pay with Amex, check how your provider prices it before you compare.
How can my shop pay less for card payments?
Work out your effective rate, compare it with the rates above, ask your provider to match a lower one and turn on least-cost routing. Find your card acceptance costs with our calculator.
Compayr is a free merchant payment comparison site. It may receive a referral fee from a provider when a merchant switches through it. This does not affect rankings. General information, not financial advice.
Other business types
Rankings are ordered purely on lowest estimated card acceptance cost; equipment is shown separately and never enters the ranked figure. Figures are indicative and carry the date each was verified — confirm with the provider before switching. See how we compare.