💳 Save money on credit card processing with one of our top 5 picks for 2025
Credit card fees don’t have to be a mystery. Here’s how membership pricing stacks up -- and whether it can save your business money.
WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Editor & Senior Staff Writer
UPDATED
If you’re tired of feeling ripped off by credit card fees, membership pricing might be the simpler, more affordable option you’ve been looking for.
In this guide, we’ll break down how membership pricing works, how it affects your costs, how it stacks up against other pricing models, and whether it’s the right fit for your business.
Table of Contents
Membership pricing (also called subscription or flat-rate membership) is a credit card processing model where you pay a monthly fee, a flat per-transaction charge, and the standard interchange fees.
The difference between this pricing model and others is that it cuts out the extra percentage markup most processors tack on to every sale.
With membership pricing, you’ll typically pay interchange + $0.20 per transaction, plus a flat monthly subscription fee. That subscription replaces the percentage markup you’d normally see on each transaction.
This setup makes membership pricing close to wholesale processing — you just pay interchange, a small per-transaction fee, and your subscription.
Membership pricing comes with a monthly fee, usually between $49 and $199. That may sound steep, but it typically replaces the long list of smaller fees you’d pay with a traditional merchant account.
Instead of separate charges for things like gateway access, statements, or PCI compliance, everything’s bundled into one subscription.
Providers that offer membership pricing are usually upfront about what’s included in your subscription, and most won’t pile on surprise account fees. The catch is that they rarely break down how much of your monthly payment covers account services versus actual processing costs.
It’s also important to know that membership pricing doesn’t wipe out incidental fees. Things like chargebacks still cost extra, and other one-off charges may be passed through at cost.
Most providers give you a choice of different membership levels. Higher tiers mean a larger monthly fee, but you’ll usually pay less per transaction and sometimes get access to additional features.
Keep in mind that you don’t always get to pick your tier just because it looks like the best deal. Membership levels are tied to your monthly processing volume. If your sales grow beyond the limit of your current tier, your provider may automatically move you into the next one.
Membership pricing is just one of four main ways processors charge for credit card transactions. The others are flat-rate, interchange-plus, and tiered pricing. If membership pricing doesn’t feel like the right fit, it’s worth looking at how it stacks up against the alternatives.
| Pricing Model | How Fees Are Charged | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat-Rate | Fixed % per transaction | Predictable rates | Costly for high-volume or large-ticket sales | Small or seasonal businesses |
| Interchange-Plus | Interchange + % markup + per-transaction fee | Transparent, lower cost at high volume | Can be complicated to calculate total costs | Businesses with steady volume |
| Tiered | Fees vary by card type/transaction | Can be simple for processors | Often more expensive, unpredictable | N/A (usually not cost-effective) |
| Membership | Subscription + interchange + flat per-transaction | Predictable, wholesale-like pricing | Monthly fee, still pay incidental charges | High-volume, large-ticket businesses |
Here’s a further breakdown:
More processors are rolling out membership-based pricing, which is great — but it also makes it harder to figure out which one actually gives you the best value.
Merchant service account fees and features can vary a lot from vendor to vendor, so here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind:
| Factor | What To Look For | What To Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription Fee | Fair price with all core features included | Low fee but missing key tools, forcing add-on costs |
| Volume Discounts | Higher fees at higher volume but lower per-transaction rates that save you money | Tiered pricing that raises monthly fees without meaningful rate savings |
| Bundled Hardware & Software | Includes gateway, virtual terminal, or card reader in subscription | Requires separate purchase of hardware/software |
| Pass-Through Fees | Clear “one monthly fee” model, minimal extra charges | Multiple recurring or hidden fees that undermine savings, monthly minimums |
| Contract Terms | Month-to-month agreement, no ETF | Long-term contracts or early termination fees |
Subscription pricing isn’t for everyone. The higher monthly fee can make it a poor choice for very small or seasonal businesses, and high-risk merchants usually won’t qualify.
That said, it can be a great fit for mid-sized or larger businesses with steady, higher-volume processing. If you run bigger-ticket sales, you’ll save even more since you’re not paying markup on each transaction. For the right business, the savings can really add up.
And remember: there’s no single “good price” for merchant services. The right plan is simply the one that matches your volume and average ticket size while keeping extra fees to a minimum.
If you’re still shopping around, remember that the best credit card processors for small businesses offer multiple pricing models, features, and contract terms. Compare providers now — it could save you money in the long run.
Credit Card Processing With Superior Support
Helcim  |
|---|
With Helcim, you get everything you need to accept credit card payments online or in-person with a free account, plus high-quality support from real humans. Start For Free.
Credit Card Processing With Superior Support
Helcim |
|---|
With Helcim, you get everything you need to accept credit card payments online or in-person with a free account, plus high-quality support from real humans. Start For Free.
Want to help shape the future of the Merchant Maverick website? Join our testing and survey community!
By providing feedback on how we can improve, you can earn gift cards and get early access to new features.
Whether you're looking to save money on processing or to get approved for a merchant account, PaymentCloud can help.
Get Started
Help us to improve by providing some feedback on your experience today.
The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
Whether you're looking to save money on processing or to get approved for a merchant account, PaymentCloud can help.
Get Started
