Beware per transaction card fees
By Dougal Anderson, Co-founder, Compayr · · 4 min
A per transaction fee is charged on every card sale, whatever its size. On a $10 sale a 25c fee costs 2.5%. On a $100 sale it costs 0.25%. A low headline rate with a per transaction fee can cost a café more than a higher flat rate with no fee. Pricing checked 6 November 2026.
What is a per transaction fee?
A fixed amount charged on each card payment. It sits on top of the percentage rate, or replaces it for some card types.
- Online gateways usually charge one. Stripe is 1.65% plus 30c. PayPal is 2.90% plus 30c. Eway is 1.50% plus 25c
- Stripe Terminal is 1.65% plus 10c for in-person payments
- Some providers charge eftpos sales a flat fee, such as 25c a sale, and Visa and Mastercard a percentage
- Most in-person rates from the banks, Square, Zeller, SumUp and Tyro have no per transaction fee
How much does a per transaction fee add to the rate?
Effective rate on a single sale. The fee divided by the sale, plus the percentage.
| Pricing | $5 sale | $10 sale | $20 sale | $50 sale | $100 sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.79% flat | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.79% |
| 1.40% flat | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% |
| 25c flat fee | 5.00% | 2.50% | 1.25% | 0.50% | 0.25% |
| 1.65% plus 10c | 3.65% | 2.65% | 2.15% | 1.85% | 1.75% |
| 1.65% plus 30c | 7.65% | 4.65% | 3.15% | 2.25% | 1.95% |
A 25c flat fee costs less than 0.79% only on sales above about $32. It costs less than 1.40% only on sales above about $18.
Which businesses pay the most?
Businesses with a low average sale.
- Cafés and coffee carts
- Bakeries
- Convenience stores and newsagents
- Takeaway food
- Parking, vending and car washes
A business with large sales pays less. Mechanics, trade suppliers and wholesalers often average well over $50 a sale. A flat fee suits them.
What does it cost a café?
A café taking $35,000 a month on card. Average sale $15. 40% of sales on eftpos debit cards. An example, not a real business.
| Pricing | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| 0.79% plus $24.75 terminal fee | $301 |
| 0.99% with no monthly fee | $347 |
| 0.95% on Visa and Mastercard, 25c flat on eftpos, plus $25 terminal fee | $458 |
The 25c flat fee on 933 eftpos sales costs $233 a month. The same eftpos sales cost $111 at 0.79%. At an average sale of $60 the order changes and the flat fee costs $283 a month.
Do rewards points make up for a higher fee?
Rarely. Points do not change the fee. In the café example, 1 point per $25 of Visa and Mastercard sales earns about 840 points a month. A common estimate puts a frequent flyer point at about 1 cent. That is about $8 a month, against a fee that is $157 a month higher.
Points are a bonus. Compare the cost first.
How do I find my average sale?
- Find last month's merchant statement
- Find card sales and the number of card transactions
- Divide card sales by the number of transactions
Then work out the effective rate. Divide card fees by card sales. How to read your merchant statement shows where to find each number.
How does Compayr include per transaction fees?
Compayr estimates cost from the rate, per transaction fees and recurring account fees at your turnover and card mix. A low headline rate with a high per transaction fee does not rank above a lower cost option. Enter your monthly card sales on Compare to see the lowest cost option for your business.
Compayr is a free merchant payment comparison site. Compayr does not sell payment processing. Compayr may earn a referral fee when a merchant switches through its links. Referral fees never affect the ranking.
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