Interchange Plus Pricing
The most transparent pricing model in the industry. You see the actual card network cost and our margin — separately, on every statement.
Pay the real card cost. Nothing more.
Every card transaction has two cost components: the interchange fee (set by Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or Discover and paid to the card-issuing bank) and the processor's margin. Interchange-plus shows you both, separately, on your statement.
With flat rate pricing, these two components are blended into one number and the processor pockets any difference. With interchange-plus, you pay the actual interchange rate — which is often lower than a flat rate — plus our disclosed, fixed margin on top.
This is the model most widely recommended by payment industry experts and is the default choice for most GoPayhawk merchants processing over $10,000/month.
See Your Potential SavingsFull Transparency
Your statement breaks out interchange and markup separately. No blended rates hiding the real cost.
Best Value at Volume
As volume grows, interchange-plus consistently outperforms flat rate — often by 0.5%–1.5%.
Rewards Pass-Through
When customers pay with low-interchange debit cards, you pay less. That savings passes directly to you.
Works for All Types
Retail, restaurant, e-commerce, healthcare, B2B — interchange-plus works for every business model.
What interchange actually costs
These are sample interchange rates set by the card networks — not GoPayhawk's rates. Your GoPayhawk margin is added on top of whichever rate applies to each transaction.
| Card Type | Transaction Type | Approx. Interchange Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Visa Debit (Regulated) | Card Present | 0.05% + $0.21 |
| Visa Debit (Non-Regulated) | Card Present | 0.80% + $0.15 |
| Visa Credit — Standard | Card Present | 1.51% + $0.10 |
| Visa Credit — Rewards | Card Present | 1.65% + $0.10 |
| Visa Credit — Signature Preferred | Card Present | 2.10% + $0.10 |
| Mastercard Debit (Regulated) | Card Present | 0.05% + $0.21 |
| Mastercard Credit — Standard | Card Present | 1.58% + $0.10 |
| Mastercard Credit — World Elite | Card Present | 2.00% + $0.10 |
| Amex — Standard | Card Present | 1.80% + $0.10 |
| Amex — Enhanced | Card Present | 2.30% + $0.10 |
| Visa / MC Credit | Card Not Present (keyed/online) | +0.30%–0.50% above CP rate |
Rates are approximate and change twice annually (April and October). Actual rates depend on your MCC, transaction details, and card qualification. GoPayhawk will provide exact interchange schedules upon request.
How interchange-plus is regulated
Interchange Is Set by the Card Networks — Not GoPayhawk
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover publish interchange rates in their operating regulations. These rates are publicly available and apply uniformly to all processors. GoPayhawk has no control over interchange rates — we simply pass them through to you at cost.
Interchange rates are updated twice per year, in April and October. GoPayhawk notifies merchants of any changes that affect their account.
Durbin Amendment — Regulated vs. Non-Regulated Debit
The Durbin Amendment (Dodd-Frank Act, Section 920) caps interchange on debit card transactions from large banks (over $10B in assets) at $0.21 + 0.05% per transaction. These are called "regulated" debit cards. Debit cards from smaller banks are "non-regulated" and carry higher interchange rates.
With interchange-plus, you benefit directly when customers pay with regulated debit — you pay only the capped rate, not a blended flat rate that doesn't reflect the actual cost.
Interchange Qualification
Each transaction qualifies for a specific interchange rate based on: card type, industry (MCC code), transaction entry method (chip/tap/swipe/keyed), whether AVS (Address Verification) was used, and settlement timing. Transactions that don't meet qualification criteria may "downgrade" to a higher interchange rate.
GoPayhawk optimizes your transaction flow to minimize downgrades and ensure the lowest applicable interchange rate on every transaction.
PCI DSS & Card Network Compliance
All merchants must comply with PCI DSS standards and card network operating regulations regardless of pricing model. This includes data security requirements, dispute handling procedures, refund policies, and chargeback response obligations. GoPayhawk provides ongoing compliance support and monitoring.
Interchange Plus FAQ
Our margin is quoted individually based on your business type, volume, and risk profile. It is always disclosed in writing before you sign your merchant agreement. A free statement analysis is the fastest way to get a specific quote — we'll show you your exact rate alongside your current processor's effective rate.
The interchange portion of your rate will reflect any changes the card networks make in April and October each year. GoPayhawk's margin does not change without prior notice. Any changes to our margin require 30 days written notice to you — this is required by law and our merchant agreement.
Your monthly statement will list each interchange category separately — showing the rate applied, the transaction volume at that rate, and the total interchange cost for each category. Our margin appears as a separate line item. This gives you a complete, auditable view of exactly what you paid and why.
Downgrades occur when a transaction doesn't meet the card network's qualification criteria for the standard rate. Common causes include: not settling transactions within 24 hours, failing to use AVS on card-not-present transactions, not including required data fields for corporate or purchasing cards, or processing refunds without original transaction data. GoPayhawk helps you avoid these with proper terminal and gateway setup.
See How Much Interchange Plus Could Save You
Send us your current statement and we'll show you a side-by-side comparison with your actual interchange-plus rate from GoPayhawk.
