When it comes to credit card processing, it’s easy to get lost in the fine print. You see a “low rate” advertised — maybe 2.9% or 2.5% — but your monthly statement tells a very different story. The truth is, most businesses are paying far more than they think once all the extra fees, assessments, and surcharges are added in.
At CardPlicity, we believe in transparency. That starts with helping you understand the number that truly matters: your effective processing rate.
Your effective processing rate (EPR) shows what you’re actually paying for credit card processing.
It’s the total fees charged divided by the total dollar amount of transactions processed for that period.
Example:
If you processed $100,000 in card payments last month and paid $3,200 in total fees,
your effective rate is 3.2% — not the 2.5% your provider advertised.
This simple formula is the clearest way to measure the real cost of your payment processing relationship.
Most processors quote an “introductory” or “base” rate — often a flat rate for qualified transactions. But real-world processing involves dozens of card types, risk tiers, and hidden markups. Common culprits include:
- Non-qualified surcharges for certain rewards or corporate cards
- Batch fees and gateway fees added on top of transaction rates
- Monthly minimums or “statement fees” that inflate costs
- PCI and compliance charges that appear as administrative fees
The result? A much higher true cost — especially for high-volume or regulated industries.
- Find your total processing fees (usually on the last page of your statement).
- Find your total monthly volume (the total amount processed).
- Divide total fees by total volume and multiply by 100.
That’s your effective processing rate — the number that actually matters.
Upload your latest merchant statement to our Free Savings Review Form and we’ll calculate your effective rate for you — no cost, no obligation.
Within 24 hours, our team will send you a full analysis showing exactly where you can save and what your optimized rate would be with CardPlicity.
Because smart businesses don’t just process payments — they understand them.
