Zero-cost processing
Stop paying to get paid
A compliant dual-pricing or cash-discount program posts a cash price and a card price. Card payers pay the card price. You keep your cash price. Flat-rate processors take a slice of every sale; this is the card-brand-sanctioned way to stop.
Card price within the network capDebit handled automaticallySignage and receipts includedIn person, online, invoices
*Programs are subject to card-brand rules and state law and are not available everywhere. Surcharging is not permitted in CT, MA, ME or PR; cash-discount and dual-pricing programs are available more widely.
Cut and color$140.00Cash price$140.00Card price$144.20Customer paid by card$144.20You keep$140.00
Illustrative. The card price is set within the card-brand cap for your state. Under a surcharge program, debit cards pay the base price.
How it works
Four steps, no surprises
The terminal and the software do the compliance work. Staff ring up the sale the way they always have.
1
Post two pricesMenu, shelf tags and website show a cash price and a card price set within the card-brand cap for your state. We ship the signage.2
The terminal shows bothScreen and receipt show both prices and the one chosen. Online checkout and invoices do the same.3
Card payers pay the card priceThe card price covers the processing cost. Under a surcharge program, debit is detected and never surcharged.4
You keep your cash priceYour statement shows what customers paid, what was offset and what you kept, every batch.Savings calculator
What you give away right now
Slide to your numbers: what card fees cost you today, and what a zero-cost program puts back.
What you pay to get paid
Per month$0
Per year$0
Recoverable with zero-cost processing$0
Illustrative. Dual-pricing programs are subject to card-brand rules and state law.
Get my exact numbersThe programs
Three programs, one rule: compliant
All three leave you with your cash price. They differ in what the customer sees, how debit is treated and where they are allowed.
| Program | What the customer sees | Debit cards | Where allowed | Signage and receipts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual pricing | Two prices on every display and receipt: cash, and card. The customer picks. | Debit and credit both pay the card price. It is a price, not a fee. | Every state, including CT, MA, ME and PR. New York requires the card price to be posted in dollars and cents. | Both prices posted at the entrance and point of sale. Receipt shows the price paid. |
| Cash discount | The posted price is the card price. Cash payers get a discount at checkout. | Debit pays the posted price. Only cash earns the discount. | Every state, including CT, MA, ME and PR. | Signage states the discount. Receipt shows it as its own line. |
| Surcharge | The posted price is the cash price. A disclosed fee, capped at the lesser of 3% or your actual cost of acceptance, is added to credit cards. | Debit and prepaid cannot be surcharged. The terminal detects them and charges the base price. | Most states. Not CT, MA, ME or PR. Colorado and Oklahoma cap it at 2%; New Jersey allows only your actual cost. | Disclosed at the entrance and point of sale; a separate line on the receipt. Our processing partner files the required network notice. |
Card-brand caps and state rules as of October 2026. We configure programs to the current rules and update them when the rules change.
Built in
Compliance is the whole game, so we built it in
Programs get businesses in trouble when they run on memory. Ours are enforced by the terminal and the software.
Signage kitsEntrance decals, counter cards and menu language for your program and state, shipped with your hardware.
Receipt languageEvery printed, emailed and texted receipt carries the disclosure the networks require.
Debit vs credit, automaticallyThe terminal reads the card type. Under a surcharge program, debit and prepaid run at the base price. Staff do nothing.
Online and invoices tooHosted pages, pay links, invoices and the virtual terminal show both prices and follow the same rules.
Transparent reportingSee what customers paid, what the program offset and what you kept, by day, batch and location.
Switch back any timePrefer to absorb the cost later? Move to interchange-plus with one disclosed margin. Same account, same hardware, no fee.
Fit
Is it right for my business?
Right for most businesses that take cards face to face or on invoices. Not right for everyone, and we will say so.
Service businesses and salonsMany swipes a day, tickets from $30 to $300. Salons, barbershops, med spas, cleaners and field service recover the most.
Restaurants and retailBoth prices on the menu, the shelf and the terminal screen; tips calculated on the right amount. Works on order kiosks too.
Faith-based organizations, schools and campsGive families and donors the choice: ACH at a flat per-item fee, or a card at a price that covers the processing. Tuition, dues and donation pages support it.
Less ideal: B2B with Level 3 savings, or very low ticketsBusinesses paid mostly by commercial cards often do better on interchange-plus with Level 2 and 3 data. Tickets under $10 feel the rounding. We run both models on your numbers.
Compliance note. Surcharges are capped at the lesser of 3% or your actual cost of acceptance; Colorado and Oklahoma cap them at 2%; New Jersey allows only your actual cost; New York requires the card price to be posted in dollars and cents; surcharging is not permitted in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine or Puerto Rico; debit cards are never surcharged. Dual pricing posts both prices up front and is available more widely. We configure your program to the current rules and keep it updated. This page is not legal advice.
FAQ
Questions about zero-cost processing
Is dual pricing legal?
Yes, when it is run correctly. A lower price for cash is permitted under federal law and card-brand rules in every state. Surcharging credit cards is permitted in most states but not Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine or Puerto Rico. We configure the compliant program for your location and keep it current.
What is the difference between dual pricing, cash discount and surcharging?
Dual pricing shows two prices, cash and card, on every display and receipt. A cash-discount program posts the card price and gives cash payers a discount. A surcharge adds a disclosed fee, capped at the lesser of 3% or your actual cost of acceptance, to credit cards only, never debit.
Will my customers push back?
Most businesses see very little. Customers already see cash and card prices at gas stations, city offices and restaurants. We provide the signage and a one-line script for staff, and every customer keeps a way to pay the cash price.
Can I surcharge debit cards?
No. Card-brand rules prohibit surcharging debit and prepaid cards, even when run as credit. Our terminals and checkout read the card type and apply the right treatment automatically.
What if I only want to pass on part of the cost?
Set the card price anywhere from zero up to the cap. Some businesses pass on part of the cost and absorb the rest; some run the program at certain locations only. We model each option with your numbers.
Does it work online and on invoices?
Yes. The program follows the payment, not the device. Hosted pages, pay links, invoices and the virtual terminal show both prices and follow the same rules.
See your exact numbers, free.
Send a recent statement. Within one business day we show what you pay today and what zero-cost would recover.
305-954-7362 · hello@merchfintech.com