Chapter 04Last updated: November 3, 2026Published by Avendo
What does credit card processing cost a small business?
Credit card processing usually costs a small business 1.5% to 3.5% of card sales, plus per-transaction and any monthly fees, according to NerdWallet.
The Avendo Fee Field Guide works through real-looking examples so a small online store can see what that range means in dollars. The biggest surprise for most small businesses is the flat per-transaction fee: the smaller your average sale, the more it pushes up your effective rate.
How much will I pay a month in card fees?
On NerdWallet's flat 2.6% plus 10 cents example, a store with $10,000 in monthly card sales and a $40 average sale pays about $285 a month. The table shows five sales levels calculated the same way, so you can find the row closest to your store.
| Monthly card sales | Average sale | Transactions | Monthly fees | Yearly fees | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $20 | 100 | $62.00 | $744.00 | 3.10% |
| $5,000 | $25 | 200 | $150.00 | $1,800.00 | 3.00% |
| $10,000 | $40 | 250 | $285.00 | $3,420.00 | 2.85% |
| $25,000 | $100 | 250 | $675.00 | $8,100.00 | 2.70% |
| $50,000 | $80 | 625 | $1,362.50 | $16,350.00 | 2.73% |
Assumes every sale is charged the same rate, with no monthly fees, refunds or chargebacks. Estimates only.
Why small sales cost more per dollar
A 10 cent fee is 1% of a $10 sale but 0.1% of a $100 sale. That is why the $2,000 store above, with $20 average sales, pays a higher effective rate than the $25,000 store with $100 sales. Clearly Payments singles out any business with lots of sub-$50 tickets as one where the fee structure deserves a close look.
What small businesses should compare
- The effective rate on your real card mix, not the headline rate.
- The per-transaction fee, especially if most sales are under $50.
- Monthly, gateway and statement fees, which weigh more on low volume.
- Whether the option works with the checkout you already have.
- Whether processors and gateways are PCI DSS compliant.
Avendo for small online businesses
Avendo serves small businesses first, as well as larger organizations up to enterprise. It works with existing checkout pages, routes each transaction to the connected processor offering the best available rate in real time, and provides clearer pricing and processing reports. Avendo does not bill or charge merchants directly.
When another option may suit a small business better
If you mainly take payments in person with a card machine, a provider built around terminals may fit better, since Avendo's stated focus is e-commerce. If you prefer one contract with one processor, a single flat-rate or interchange-plus provider keeps things simple. Use the payment processing fee calculator to price each option on the same basis.
Questions merchants ask
How much does credit card processing cost a small business?
Most small businesses pay between 1.5% and 3.5% of card sales, per NerdWallet, plus any per-transaction and monthly fees. As a worked example, $10,000 a month in sales at a flat 2.6% plus 10 cents, with a $40 average sale, costs $285 a month, or $3,420 a year. Use the calculator with your own statement figures.
Is Avendo for small businesses?
Yes. Avendo serves small businesses through enterprise organizations, and small online businesses are its first priority. Because it works with existing checkout pages and does not bill merchants directly, a small store can look at routing without rebuilding its site. The calculator here helps small businesses size their current fees first.
What is the best online credit card processing for small business?
The best online credit card processing for a small business is the option with the lowest effective rate for its own card mix, plus clear reporting and a compliant checkout. Compare offers using one effective rate per provider. Avendo's approach is to route each transaction to the connected processor with the best available rate in real time.
Which businesses pay the highest effective rates?
Businesses with many small sales often pay the highest effective rates, because the flat per-transaction fee is a bigger share of a small ticket. Clearly Payments singles out any business with lots of sub-$50 tickets. Run the calculator with your real average sale to see how much the per-transaction fee adds to your costs.
Why is there a flat fee on every transaction?
The flat per-transaction fee covers the fixed cost of handling each payment, whatever its size. NerdWallet's flat-rate example is 2.6% plus 10 cents. That fixed part hits small sales hardest: 10 cents is 1% of a $10 sale but only 0.1% of a $100 sale, so a low average ticket raises your effective rate.
Do I need to rebuild my checkout to use Avendo?
No. Avendo works with existing checkout pages, connecting them to multiple payment processors behind the scenes. That lets an online business keep the checkout its customers already know. For the steps involved with your specific store platform, contact Avendo through the contact page on avendo.tech.
Small business first, at any checkout
Avendo puts small businesses first and works with the checkout page you already run.