Pricing
Free for merchants. You pay for processing, and nothing else from us.
You never get a bill from us. You pay the cost of each card or bank payment, itemized on your processing statement, and we're paid through a share of that processing.
What SwitchKeep costs
To start
No setup charge for the extension, the portal or the connection.
A month
No subscription and no per-seat charge from SwitchKeep, however many people take payments.
To leave
Uninstall any time. Your software stays as it was.
What you actually pay
The cost of processing, passed through, plus one clear margin.
Every card payment has a wholesale cost: interchange, paid to the card's bank, and a small network fee. Neither is set by your processor or by us. On your own merchant account it's passed through at cost, with a margin on top. That's interchange-plus.
The margin is how your processor, and SwitchKeep, get paid. It's set with your account, by SwitchKeep Direct, and your statement shows every part.
Built-in payments charge one flat percentage, so you can't see how much of it is margin.
On your statement
Every fee you might see, in plain words.
Your statement review lists the ones on your account, with amounts.
- Interchange
- The biggest part of every card payment. It depends on the card and how it was taken.
- To the card's bank
- Network fees
- Also called assessments. A small percentage, sometimes plus a few cents, per payment.
- To the card network
- Processor margin
- The markup over interchange and network fees. Set with your account.
- To your processor and SwitchKeep
- Bank payment (ACH) fee
- Usually a flat amount, so a large invoice costs the same to collect as a small one.
- To your processor
- ACH return fee
- Charged when a bank payment bounces.
- To your processor
- Chargeback fee
- A flat fee when a customer disputes a card payment, whatever the outcome.
- To your processor
- Account fees
- Statement, compliance or account fees, if your account has them. They're in the number we give you.
- To your processor
Interchange-plus, worked through
One $1,000 invoice, paid online by card.
Illustrative figures. Interchange varies by card, and your margin is set with your account. The margin here is the typical e-commerce markup of about 0.35% (CardFellow).
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Interchange and network fees, say 1.90% + 10¢ | $19.10 |
| Processor margin, about 0.35% | $3.50 |
| Your own merchant account: 2.26% effective | $22.60 |
| Built-in payments at 2.9% + 30¢ | $29.30 |
2.26% sits inside the 2.10–2.40% a small business typically pays all in on its own merchant account (Merchant Cost Consulting). 2.9% + 30¢ is a common published built-in rate for invoice card payments (sources).
How built-in payments compare
The same payments, priced two ways.
Last month's processing fees divided by last month's card sales is your effective rate. Compare that.
Built-in payments, per card. Plus 1% per bank payment: $50 on a $5,000 job.
Your own merchant account, typical all-in. Usually a few dollars per bank payment.
What SwitchKeep costs you. We're paid through a share of processing instead.
Published built-in rates and typical merchant-account costs, read on October 20, 2026: see every source. It isn't always cheaper: below about $43,000 a year in cards, account fees can eat the difference, and a mix heavy in Amex or business cards costs more anywhere. Estimate yours
FAQ
Pricing questions.
Is SwitchKeep really free?
Yes, for merchants. The extension and the merchant portal are free, and you never get a bill from us. We're paid through a share of the processing on your account, which is part of the margin on your statement.
Who sets my rate?
It's set with your merchant account, by SwitchKeep Direct. Send a statement and we'll show you the number before you apply.
Why don't you publish one rate for everyone?
The biggest part of the cost, interchange, depends on your cards. A flat rate has to cover the expensive cards for everyone; interchange-plus passes through what each payment actually costs.
What does a bank payment cost?
On your own merchant account, bank payments (ACH) are usually a flat few dollars each. Built-in payments typically charge 1%, which is $50 on a $5,000 job.
Are there fees outside processing?
Not from SwitchKeep. Your merchant account may have account, chargeback or return fees; the statement review lists each one.
Get your exact number.
Send a recent processing statement. We'll price the same month on your own merchant account, line by line.