What is a minimum processing fee?

Asked by: Clark Labadie  |  Last update: November 25, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (67 votes)

A monthly minimum indicates the minimum amount in fees that a processor will collect in any given month. If actual fees resulting from processing activity don't meet or exceed the minimum amount, the processor will charge however much is necessary to meet the minimum.

Why do I have to pay a processing fee?

Payment processing fees refer to fees charged to merchants for processing credit card payments and online payments from customers. The amount of payment processing fees depends on the pricing model preferred by the payment processor, as well as the level of risk of the transaction.

How does a minimum fee work?

The minimum payment is the absolute least amount of money you must pay towards your credit card every month to maintain your account in good standing and ensure: You don't get hit with additional late fees. You don't face an increase in your credit card's annual interest rate.

What is a normal processing fee?

The average credit card processing fees range from 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent of each transaction, according to industry analysts, although the final percentage depends on a host of factors.

What is a minimum transaction fee?

Per-transaction fees are the reason why some merchants impose a minimum that customers must spend if they want to pay with a credit or debit card. For example, merchants may set a $5 or $10 minimum for credit card and debit card transactions.

Merchant Account Fees & Pricing EXPLAINED: How to Lower Credit Card Processing Fees

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What does minimum fee mean?

Definition of Monthly Minimum Fees

A monthly minimum fee is a charge that payment processors impose on merchants who accept credit cards if their total transaction fees in a given month do not reach a specified threshold. This fee is part of the payments contract between the merchant and the payment processor.

What are processing fees?

Processing charges: Processing charges are one-time fees levied by lenders for handling and evaluating your personal loan application. This fee is generally a certain percentage of the loan amount and covers administrative costs such as credit checks and documentation.

How can I avoid processing fees?

How to Lower Credit Card Processing Fees and Avoid Extra Costs
  1. Protect Your Devices. ...
  2. Stay PCI Compliant. ...
  3. Find the Best Merchant Services Provider for Your Business. ...
  4. Consider Surcharging or Cash Discounts. ...
  5. Avoid Cancellation Fees.

Is it legal to charge customers a processing fee?

Merchants can impose a surcharge as long as it doesn't exceed the cost of the merchant's processing fee. Merchants may offer discounts for payment by cash, check or other methods unrelated to credit cards. There is no prohibition for credit card surcharges and no statute on discounts for different payment methods.

What is the transaction processing fee?

The typical fee for credit card processing ranges from 1.5% to 3.5% of the total transaction.

What is a minimum payment fee?

The minimum payment is the smallest amount of money that you have to pay each month to keep your account in good standing. Paying it will avoid late fees and penalty APRs, but you'll still carry a balance on your card.

What does a minimum charge mean?

Definition. Minimum Charge is the minimum amount that a carrier or service provider will charge for transporting a shipment, irrespective of its size or weight, ensuring a base level of revenue to cover operational costs.

What is a minimum account fee?

Some banks require you to maintain a certain minimum balance in your account. For example, you could be required to keep a minimum of $100 in your account at all times. If your balance falls below that amount, you end up with a fee. According to Forbes, typical monthly minimum balances are $25 to $100.

Can a processing fee be waived?

You qualify for a fee waiver if:

For example, you qualify if you receive unemployment, Medi-Cal, Food Stamps (Cal Fresh), WIC, Cal-Works, General Assistance, SSI, SSP Tribal TANF, IHHS, or CAPI. You will need to list which benefit you receive to qualify this way.

Who charges processing fees?

Credit card processing fees are paid by the vendor, not by the cardholder. Businesses can pay credit card processing fees to the buyer's credit card issuer, to their credit card network and to the payment processor company. On average, credit card processing fees can range between 1.5% and 3.5%.

Do processing fees get refunded?

Do processors return fees when I give a customer a refund? Some do, some don't. In the open market, there's no requirement that processors return the processing fees on refund transactions.

Why am I being charged a processing fee?

Credit card processing fees are the fees a merchant pays for each credit or debit card sale. This fee is predetermined by your merchant services provider and can include fees such as interchange fees, assessment or service fees, chargeback fees, and more.

What is a reasonable processing fee?

In most cases, credit card processing fees will run between 1.5% to 4% of the total value of a transaction. A $1,000 transaction, therefore, could have fees ranging from $15 up to $40.

How do you pass processing fees to customers?

Credit card surcharging and cash discounting are the two main options for passing on fees. Adding a surcharge to credit card payments is not legal in every state, but offering a cash discount is. Implementing minimum purchase amounts and convenience fees can help control costs, too.

Is a processing fee legal?

The answer is: yes, if your business operates in states where it is legal to do so. As of the time of publishing this, the practice of imposing additional fees on credit card transactions (i.e., credit card surcharges) is prohibited in only three U.S. locations: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.

How do I get rid of processing fees?

6 ways to lower your credit card processing fees
  1. Capture complete customer data. ...
  2. Offer multiple payment options. ...
  3. Offer dual-pricing with the Edge. ...
  4. Watch for fee increases. ...
  5. Make sure you are PCI DSS compliant. ...
  6. Batch process transactions.

What is the purpose of the processing fee?

A processing fee, in the context of financial services, refers to a charge imposed by a lender or financial institution to cover the costs associated with processing a loan application or any other financial transaction.

How do I get around processing fees?

Cash discounting is a pricing strategy where a business offers a discount to customers who pay with cash, effectively encouraging them to avoid using a credit card. This approach allows merchants to cover their processing fees indirectly, as card transactions remain at full price while cash customers get a lower price.

Can a processing fee be charged on a debit card?

No, surcharging for debit card transactions is prohibited under the Durbin Amendment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. This applies to all types of debit cards, including prepaid cards.

Can I negotiate processing fees?

There are processing fees, flat fees, and situational fees. Some are negotiable; some aren't. Entering into an agreement with a payment processor is a lot like hiring a contractor to remodel your restaurant: it's important to get a few quotes and negotiate the fine points.