About

Cost of Acceptance is an independent information site for Australian small business owners, bookkeepers and managers who want to understand what accepting card payments costs and how to check whether a plan still fits.

We explain how merchant service fees are built, how pricing models compare, what changed with the Reserve Bank of Australia's 2026 decisions on surcharging, interchange caps and fee transparency, and how to read a merchant agreement and statement. The calculators let you test quotes on your own numbers.

We do not rank, score or review payment providers, publish testimonials or case studies, or sell payment services. Rates and dollar figures are illustrative unless a source and date are given, and they are not offers or current market prices. Rules are summarised from official sources such as the Reserve Bank, the Federal Register of Legislation and government agencies; always check the current version at the source before acting.

This site is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. For decisions about contracts, disputes or GST, consider speaking with your accountant, a lawyer or your state small business commissioner.

How this site is made

Cost of Acceptance is an independent information project. Guides are drafted with the help of AI writing tools and checked against official and primary sources before publication; see our Editorial Policy. We are not affiliated with any provider mentioned on the site and do not sell products or services.