Get a low–high range for a month of card fees from your card takings and an illustrative cost band for the type of pricing plan, plus fixed monthly fees.
Pick the plan type closest to your quote, enter your monthly card takings in thousands of dollars (for $30,000 enter 30) and add the fixed monthly fees that do not depend on volume. The estimator calculates:
Worked example: a retailer takes $30,000 a month by card on a simple flat-rate plan (illustrative band $10–$19 per $1,000) and pays $60 a month in fixed fees. Low = 30 × $10 + $60 = $360; high = 30 × $19 + $60 = $630 a month, or roughly $4,300–$7,600 a year.
Fee per $1,000 is the percentage rate × 10, so a 1.4% rate is $14 per $1,000. A subscription plan's monthly fee belongs in the fixed fees box.
Limits: the bands are illustrative assumptions for comparing plan types, not market rates or any provider's prices. Interchange caps fell on 1 October 2026, so older quotes may be out of date. Replace the band with the figures from your own quote or statement, and use the card fee calculator for an exact figure once you know your rates. See pricing models compared.
Fee building blocks, pricing models and 2026 rules
How each merchant pricing model works in Australia, a side-by-side worked example at two business sizes, and how to tell which model fits your card mix.
Worked costings and choosing a provider
A line-by-line costing of one month of card payments for an illustrative Australian bakery under flat-rate, blended and cost-plus pricing, with the arithmetic shown.
Costly mistakes, disputes and official sources
How card settlement works in Australia, same-day versus next-business-day payouts, weekend takings, net versus gross settlement, reserves and fund holds, and reconciling deposits.
