What are the Average Credit Card Processing Fees in the Us?

In the United States, average credit card processing fees typically range from 1.5% to 3.5% per transaction. In addition to this percentage, merchants usually pay fixed fees ranging from $0.10 to $0.30 per transaction.

These total costs are composed of three primary layers:

1. Interchange Fees: Paid to the card-issuing bank, these generally range from 1.5% to 3.5%.
2. Assessment Fees: Non-negotiable fees paid directly to card networks (like Visa or Mastercard), typically ranging from 0.13% to 0.15% of sales volume.
3. Processor Markup: The fee charged by the processing company, which often includes a percentage-based markup of 0.5% to 2% and fixed per-transaction fees.

Total costs can vary significantly based on the card type (rewards cards are more expensive), the transaction method (keyed entries cost more than swiped ones), and the merchant’s industry category. While credit cards remain a dominant payment method, businesses may find significant savings by exploring alternatives like pay-by-bank options, which can reduce costs by 40% to 85% compared to traditional card processing.