Resources: 197 answers on card processing
Plain answers to what business owners ask about card fees, statements and payments. Search below or browse by topic.
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- Fees and pricingHow card processing is priced, what a fair fee looks like and why the quoted rate is rarely the whole story.32 questions
- Reading your statementWhat the lines on a merchant statement mean and how to spot the fees that do not belong there.9 questions
- How an independent agent worksWhat it means that CELER Merchants is an agent, not a processor, and how that changes the deal you get.25 questions
- Lowering your costsPractical ways to pay less for card acceptance without hurting your customers or your sales.14 questions
- Surcharges and cash discountsWhen passing card fees on to customers is allowed, and the difference between the main programs.17 questions
- Chargebacks and disputesHow disputes work, who pays, and how merchants prevent and answer them.14 questions
- PCI and securityPlain-English answers on PCI compliance, fees and keeping card data safe.10 questions
- Ways to get paidTap to pay, virtual terminals, ACH and EFT, invoices, text-to-pay and online gateways.37 questions
- POS and equipmentChoosing terminals and POS systems, what they cost and what to watch for.26 questions
- Switching and contractsChanging processors, early termination fees and leaving a provider cleanly.13 questions
More reading
Every question
Fees and pricing
- What are the typical credit card processing fees for merchants?
- Who pays credit card transaction fees, the merchant or the customer?
- Can you show me an example of tiered pricing?
- What are the downsides of tiered pricing?
- Is a 3% transaction fee a lot?
- Do merchants pay more when a customer taps to pay?
- What is the difference between card-present and card-not-present transactions?
- Why are interchange fees so high?
- What is the Visa and Mastercard swipe fee settlement?
- What are the downsides of using Stripe or Square?
- When is flat-rate pricing a good idea?
- What is MDR in payments?
- What is Level 2 and Level 3 processing?
- Interac debit vs Visa Debit: what's the difference for my business?
- How does credit card processing work, step by step?
- Do merchants have to pay a fee on every card transaction?
- Does Apple Pay charge merchants a fee?
- Why do some stores not accept American Express?
- What does a merchant category code (MCC) do?
- What is a merchant cash advance?
- Why do foreign cards cost more to accept?
- Are Stripe fees too high?
- How do I calculate Square fees?
- How much does Visa charge for a transaction?
- Is Visa a payment processing company?
- What are Mastercard transaction fees?
- What are the fees for Stripe payments?
- What is the average interchange rate for a debit card?
- What is the best credit card processing system for small businesses?
- Where is American Express accepted?
- Who pays Square fees?
- What is a reasonable effective rate for accounting firms?
Reading your statement
- How do you read a merchant processing statement?
- Where do I get my merchant statement?
- What is the difference between a merchant statement and a bank statement?
- What does batching mean in credit card processing?
- How do I calculate my effective processing rate?
- What are hidden fees in credit card processing?
- What is a void versus a refund?
- Do I get the processing fee back when I issue a refund?
- Can you provide an example of a merchant statement?
How an independent agent works
- What is the difference between a merchant account and a payment processor?
- What does an independent sales organization (ISO) do in merchant services?
- Who has the cheapest credit card processing?
- What are merchant services?
- Is merchant services a legit business, or a scam?
- Why do merchant services companies keep calling me?
- What is a high-risk merchant account?
- Is there such a thing as instant approval for a high-risk merchant account?
- Can I start my own credit card processing business?
- How do credit card processing agents make money?
- Why would I use an agent instead of going direct to a processor?
- I already have Square/Clover/my bank. Why should I talk to you?
- Can you just email me the details first?
- How do I know CELER Merchants is legitimate?
- My partner makes the decisions. Can they join the call?
- How much can I save by switching processors?
- Is the CELER statement review really free?
- Do you work with businesses in both Canada and the US?
- What is a merchant risk assessment?
- What are the top payment processors?
- Which bank is best for a merchant account?
- Is PayPal a merchant account?
- Is Stripe a payment processor?
- How can I become an ISO agent for merchant services?
- What are some examples of payment processing companies in Canada?
Lowering your costs
- How can I lower my credit card processing fees?
- Can I negotiate my credit card processing rates?
- How do I avoid credit card processing fees altogether?
- How do I avoid batch fees?
- How much does B2B credit card processing cost?
- What fees on a merchant statement are negotiable?
- How often should I review my processing costs?
- How does a restaurant reduce credit card processing costs?
- How do professional service firms reduce card costs on large invoices?
- How do gas stations and convenience stores keep processing costs down?
- How should auto repair shops handle large card payments?
- Can a seasonal business avoid monthly fees in the off-season?
- How can accounting firms lower their credit card processing fees?
- How can auto repair shops lower their credit card processing fees?
Surcharges and cash discounts
- Why are businesses charging a 3% fee to use a credit card?
- Is it legal to charge customers a credit card fee?
- What is a cash discount program?
- What is dual pricing on my receipt?
- What are the disadvantages of cash discount or dual pricing?
- Can I add a credit card processing fee on Square or Stripe?
- Which US states allow credit card surcharging?
- Is it illegal to charge a fee on a debit card?
- How do convenience fees differ from surcharges?
- Do I need signs for a surcharge or cash discount program?
- Will a surcharge or dual pricing program hurt my sales?
- Why do restaurants add a credit card fee?
- Is zero-fee processing really free?
- Is credit card surcharging allowed in Canada?
- What's an appropriate cash discount?
- Can accounting firms use surcharging or dual pricing?
- Can auto repair shops use surcharging or dual pricing?
Chargebacks and disputes
- Is a chargeback the same as a refund?
- Who loses money on a chargeback?
- Can a merchant win a chargeback dispute?
- How do I dispute a chargeback as a merchant?
- Can you go to jail for filing a false chargeback?
- How do I stop a recurring charge from a business?
- Do merchants usually fight chargebacks?
- Can a customer chargeback a debit card payment?
- What is a chargeback reason code?
- How do I write a refund policy that reduces disputes?
- Are online businesses more likely to get chargebacks?
- What is a billing descriptor and why does it matter?
- How do accounting firms reduce chargebacks and disputes?
- How do auto repair shops reduce chargebacks and disputes?
PCI and security
- Can I be PCI compliant for free?
- Is the PCI compliance fee on my statement a scam?
- What are the SAQ types for PCI?
- What happens if my business has a card data breach?
- Is tapping a card safer than inserting it?
- Should I write card numbers down for phone orders?
- How do I become PCI certified?
- Is Helcim safe?
- Is Moneris safe?
- What strategy should an organization put into place to maintain active PCI DSS compliance?
Ways to get paid
- Can you give an example of a card-not-present transaction?
- Is Apple Pay a card-present or card-not-present transaction?
- What is a virtual terminal?
- What is a payment gateway versus a payment processor?
- What is Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android?
- How much does a payment gateway cost?
- How can my business accept ACH payments?
- Is an ACH payment safe?
- ACH, e-Transfer or card: which should a business accept?
- What is next-day or same-day funding?
- What is the Interac debit network in Canada?
- Can a business accept Interac e-Transfer payments?
- What is the best way for a small business to accept payments?
- What is text-to-pay?
- Can I send invoices that customers pay by card online?
- What should be on a business invoice?
- What is recurring billing?
- Recurring card payments or pre-authorized debit: which is better?
- How do businesses pay each other?
- What is the safest way to pay an invoice?
- How do I accept card payments for a new small business?
- What is a payment authorization and a hold on a card?
- What is a contactless payment limit?
- What are the disadvantages of contactless payments for a business?
- How do I take a deposit by card for a booking?
- Can I charge a card on file without the customer present?
- How should contractors and home-service businesses take payments?
- How do law firms accept card payments for retainers?
- Can I create my own payment gateway for free?
- Can you provide a list of payment gateways?
- Does Square charge for ACH payments?
- How long do Visa credit card payments take to process?
- How much does Square charge for Tap to Pay?
- What are two alternative ways to pay for online purchases?
- What cards work with Tap to Pay?
- What is a Moneris deposit?
- What is the best invoice system for a small business?
POS and equipment
- Can I turn my phone into a POS system?
- How does tipping work when a customer pays by card?
- Why doesn't the tip show on my card right away?
- Square vs Clover: which is better for a small business?
- Which POS system is cheapest?
- Should I lease a credit card terminal?
- What is a payment terminal and how is it different from a POS?
- What are the benefits of using a POS system?
- Does a payment terminal work without internet?
- Why are customers' cards being declined at my terminal?
- Which credit card processor is best for restaurants?
- What processor does Toast use?
- What should a salon or barbershop look for in card processing?
- What do retail stores need from a payment setup?
- Do food trucks and market vendors need special equipment?
- How much does Square cost per month?
- How do I get a credit card terminal machine?
- What is the best payment terminal for a small business?
- Which software is used for billing in restaurants?
- Who is Clover's biggest competitor?
- What is a TPE (terminal de paiement électronique) and how does it work?
- Where can a Quebec business buy or rent a payment terminal?
- What is the best mobile payment terminal for a Quebec business?
- How much does a payment terminal cost in Quebec?
- What payment terminal or POS setup suits accounting firms?
- What payment terminal or POS setup suits auto repair shops?
Switching and contracts
- Why is a merchant account restricted or frozen?
- What is an early termination fee on a merchant account?
- Do I have to pay an early termination fee?
- How do I switch credit card processors?
- How do I close or terminate a merchant account?
- Will switching break my online ordering or booking system?
- What is a reserve on a merchant account?
- Can I keep my existing terminal if I switch processors?
- Can I keep my bank account if I change processors?
- Can my processor raise my rates without telling me?
- Does Helcim hold money?
- What should accounting firms check in a card processing contract?
- What should auto repair shops check in a card processing contract?
Last updated 2026-10-13. CELER Merchants is an independent agent, not a processor. General information, not legal or tax advice.