Pay what the card networks charge. Plus one honest markup. That's it.
Interchange-plus is wholesale credit card processing: your business pays the card networks' true, published cost for each transaction (the "interchange"), plus one disclosed markup — the "plus" — that you agreed to in writing. No tiers, no downgrades, no mystery. Through Limelight Payments, that typically lands around 2.5% effective all-in for card-present small businesses — while most flat-rate and tiered accounts quietly run 3.3–4%. On $30,000/month, that difference is $2,000–4,000+ a year, for the same cards, from the same customers.
Interchange-plus in four lines
- Interchange = the card networks' published wholesale cost, set by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex — the same for every processor on Earth. Nobody can sell below it; everything above it is markup.
- The "plus" = your processor's fee, disclosed as one number. With Limelight Payments it's in your agreement, in writing, and it doesn't creep.
- Why it beats flat rate: flat-rate plans charge you a rewards-credit-card price on every card — including the debit card that wholesale-costs a fraction of a percent. Interchange-plus passes each card through at its real cost.
- Your real number depends on your card mix — which is why the honest first step is a free statement review, not a quote pulled from the air.
The anatomy of a card fee — and where you're overpaying
Every card transaction fee has three layers, and only one of them is negotiable:
| Layer | Who sets it | Typical size | Negotiable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Interchange | Card networks (published rate tables, updated every April and October) | ~0.05% + a few cents (basic debit) up to ~2.5–3% (premium rewards credit, keyed, B2B) | No — identical for every processor |
| 2. Network assessments | Visa / Mastercard / Discover / Amex | ~0.13–0.15% | No — identical for every processor |
| 3. Processor markup — the "plus" | Your processor | This is the entire competition. Honest: a small, disclosed number. Padded: hidden inside "interchange" line items, tiers, downgrades, and junk fees | Yes — 100% of it |
Layers 1 and 2 are the same everywhere — a fact worth remembering the next time a sales call promises "better rates than Visa charges." The only thing you're ever shopping for is layer 3, and the only pricing model that shows it to you is interchange-plus. Flat-rate plans (one rate for everything) and tiered plans ("qualified / mid-qualified / non-qualified") exist precisely to blend layer 3 into the other two where you can't see it.
Interchange-plus vs. flat rate vs. tiered — with the math
An illustrative card-present business processing $30,000/month with a typical retail card mix:
| Pricing model | How it charges | Typical effective rate | Approx. annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiered ("qualified" pricing) | Your transactions get sorted into tiers you don't control; the advertised rate is the tier almost nothing lands in | 3.3–4%+ | ~$11,900–14,400 |
| Flat rate (Square, Toast, most "simple pricing") | One rate for every card — you pay premium-rewards pricing on cheap debit cards | ~2.9–3.5% + per-item fees | ~$10,400–12,600 |
| Interchange-plus (Limelight Payments) | Each card at its true network cost + one disclosed markup | ~2.5% effective | ~$9,000 — typically $2,000–4,000+ saved/year |
Illustrative estimates — card mix and ticket size decide real numbers. Debit-heavy businesses often land below 2.5% effective on interchange-plus, because their cards are genuinely cheap and the savings pass through. Want fees near zero instead of merely wholesale? That's a different tool — the dual pricing program — and we'll show you both numbers side by side.
Your card mix is on your statement — which means your real interchange-plus number is computable before you commit to anything.
Interchange-plus done honestly — because the model can be gamed too
Here's the industry secret: "interchange-plus" on the contract doesn't guarantee honest pricing. Some processors quote a beautiful markup, then pad the "interchange" lines (you'd need the networks' rate tables to catch it), stack junk fees underneath, or let the markup quietly grow after month six. The model is only as honest as the provider — so here's what interchange-plus through Limelight Payments specifically means:
- The markup is in your agreement, in writing — one number, and it's the same number on month 36 as month one.
- True pass-through interchange — network costs at the published rates, verifiable against the networks' own tables. Padded "interchange" is the #1 trick our statement reviews catch on competitors' accounts.
- No junk-fee layer — no annual fees, no statement fees, no batch fees, no "regulatory compliance" inventions.
- Month-to-month on most plans, no early-termination fees on most plans — because a rate that's genuinely good doesn't need a contract to hold you.
- An annual rate review, automatically — interchange updates every April and October, and we re-check every account against the new tables. Your current processor hasn't looked at your pricing since you signed; that's not a guess, it's the pattern in nearly every statement we read.
- Everything else still included — Clover setup, menu build, and staff training free; hardware purchased or placed (never leased); next-day funding; and a named advisor who answers (888) 415-7020. The full picture is on our merchant services page.
The one-question test for any interchange-plus quote (including ours): "Will you put the markup in writing, and does the agreement let me leave if it changes?" An honest provider answers yes to both in one breath. A padded one starts explaining.
Interchange-plus or dual pricing? The honest fork
We offer both, so this is a fit question, not a sales question. Interchange-plus is for businesses that want one posted price and the lowest honest cost of absorbing card fees — B2B, professional services, healthcare, and any brand that prefers not to display two prices. It cuts fees to wholesale (~2.5%), and that's its ceiling. The dual pricing program is for in-person consumer businesses willing to display a cash price and card price — it takes processing to ~0% plus a flat program fee, covers debit, and is legal in all 50 states. Many merchants start on interchange-plus and add dual pricing later; it's a reconfiguration on the same account, not a new contract. The savings analysis prices your volume both ways so the numbers make the call.
Three steps to wholesale rates
Send one statement (or just start the form)
The free statement review computes your current effective rate and your card mix — the two inputs that determine your real interchange-plus number. No statement handy? The form below starts the same conversation.
Get the written quote — markup disclosed
Your proposal shows the markup as one number, your projected effective rate, the annual difference versus today, and the dual pricing alternative beside it. Compare it against anyone; we'll wait.
Switch without the mess
We handle the account setup, configure or provide your Clover (from $0 upfront via placement), build your menu or inventory, train your staff — included — and your funds land next business day. Then the annual review keeps the rate honest without you asking.
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Real, unedited reviews, pulled straight from Google:
Interchange-plus questions, answered
What is interchange-plus pricing?
A processing pricing model where your business pays the card networks' true, published cost for each transaction (interchange plus small network assessments) plus one disclosed processor markup — the "plus." It's the wholesale model: each card passes through at its real cost, cheap debit stays cheap, and the only negotiable layer of the fee is visible in your agreement. Through Limelight Payments it typically produces a ~2.5% effective rate for card-present small businesses.
What exactly is "interchange"?
The wholesale fee set by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex) for each card type and transaction method, published in rate tables and updated every April and October. It ranges from a fraction of a percent on basic debit to roughly 3% on premium rewards, keyed, and B2B transactions — and it's identical for every processor, which means everything you pay above it is markup.
What effective rate will my business actually get?
It depends on your card mix — the split of debit vs. credit vs. rewards cards your customers use — which is why any provider quoting a precise rate without seeing a statement is guessing at best. Card-present small businesses through Limelight Payments typically land around 2.5% effective all-in; debit-heavy businesses often land lower. The free statement review computes your number from your actual transactions before you commit to anything.
Why does my processor advertise 2.6% but my statement works out to 3.8%?
Because the advertised rate applies to the best transaction category, and the rest of your volume lands in downgrades, "non-qualified" tiers, per-item fees, and monthly fees. The honest comparison number is your effective rate — total fees divided by total volume — which statements are formatted to obscure. Computing it is the first five minutes of a statement review.
Is interchange-plus always cheaper than flat rate?
For established card-present businesses, almost always — flat rate charges premium pricing on every card, including cheap debit. The honest exceptions: very low volume (under roughly $3–5k/month, where flat rate's simplicity can win) and businesses that qualify for dual pricing and want fees near zero rather than merely wholesale. We'll tell you which bucket you're in, in writing.
What's the catch with interchange-plus offers?
The model can be gamed: padded "interchange" lines, junk fees stacked underneath, and markups that grow after the intro period. Protection is structural, not promised — the markup in writing, pass-through interchange verifiable against the networks' published tables, month-to-month terms so leaving is easy, and an annual review. That's the Limelight Payments configuration, and it's the one-question test to put to any competing quote.
Do I have to sign a contract or buy new equipment?
Most plans are month-to-month with no early-termination fees. Existing Clover equipment can usually be re-boarded to the new account; new hardware comes at honest prices — Station Duo $995 (regularly $1,895), Mini from a $99 placement, Flex for shipping, or $0 upfront for qualifying businesses via placement — purchased or placed, never leased.
How is this different from the dual pricing program?
Interchange-plus lowers the cost your business absorbs to wholesale (~2.5% effective) with one posted price. The dual pricing program displays a cash and card price and shifts card costs into the displayed card price (~0% + program fee). Businesses that prefer single-price branding choose interchange-plus; in-person consumer businesses chasing maximum savings choose dual pricing — and switching between them later is a reconfiguration, not a new contract.
How do I switch to interchange-plus with Limelight Payments?
Start with the form below or the free statement review. You get the written quote with the markup disclosed; if you proceed, we handle account setup, equipment configuration or re-boarding, menu and inventory build, and staff training — included — with next-day funding from your first batch. Most switches complete within days, and we flag any early-termination fees on your current contract before you decide anything.