Chapter 07 / By the numbers
Payment processing by the numbers
Last updated: November 2026 | Published by Avendo
Small businesses pay between 1.5% and 3.5% per card transaction, and published guides place the switch from flat-rate to interchange-plus anywhere from US$5,000 to about $50,000 in monthly volume.
Avendo collected these published statistics so small businesses and platforms can see the forces behind processing costs in one place. Every figure belongs to the source named beside it, not to Avendo. Together they show why the processor chosen for each sale matters, which is the problem Avendo's real-time routing addresses.
What do the numbers say about credit card processing cost?
They say no single pricing model or processor is right for every business at every volume. The crossover points published by four different sources span a tenfold range. That spread is the case for comparing rates on every transaction, which is what Avendo does by routing each sale to the best available rate among connected processors.
What small businesses pay
- 1.5% to 3.5%per transaction, depending on card type, industry and how the card is accepted.Source: JIM (2026)
- 2.9% + 30¢for online store purchases under one flat-rate plan, no matter what.Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO
- US$15fee for lost chargebacks at one provider.Source: Airwallex (2026)
When pricing models cross over
- ~$50,000/mobelow it flat-rate wins on simplicity; above it interchange-plus usually wins on total cost.Source: JIM (2026)
- ~$30,000/moin sales, where the cost-plus model becomes more cost-efficient for most businesses beyond early stage (Canada).Source: Clearly Payments (2026)
- $10,000/moabove which interchange-plus typically offers lower rates.Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO
- US$5,000/mothe crossover point mid-market businesses typically find for interchange-plus.Source: Airwallex (2026)
Gateways and checkout
- 20.5%compound annual growth rate in global payment gateway revenue.Source: Market.us Scoop (2026)
- 55%of payment gateway market share held by large enterprises, by enterprise size.Source: Market.us Scoop (2026)
- 49% to 54%expected rise in digital wallets from 2022 to 2026.Source: Market.us Scoop (2026)
- 25% by 2028projected share of global electronic transactions made as real-time payments.Source: Airwallex (2026)
- 15%growth in online sales in 2020 compared with the prior year.Source: Bankful
The size of payments
- ~$2.6 trillionin global payments revenue from 3.8 trillion transactions.Source: McKinsey (2026)
- ~41%of total banking revenues come from payments.Source: McKinsey (2026)
- 9% a yearaverage revenue growth between 2020 and 2025.Source: McKinsey (2026)
- ~4% a yearprojected revenue growth from 2025 to 2030.Source: McKinsey (2026)
How to use these numbers
Compare your effective rate with the 1.5% to 3.5% range using the estimator on the credit card processing cost page. Platforms sizing an opportunity should read payment processor for platforms.
Questions about the numbers
See all questions in the FAQ- How much does a credit card processor charge?
- Small businesses typically pay between 1.5% and 3.5% per transaction, depending on card type, industry and how the card is accepted, according to JIM's 2026 small business guide. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO guide gives an example of online store purchases costing 2.9% plus 30 cents under one flat-rate plan. Your actual rate depends on your processor and volume.
- Should I choose flat-rate or interchange-plus pricing?
- Choose by volume. JIM's 2026 guide puts the line around $50,000 in monthly card volume, Airwallex cites a crossover near US$5,000 and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO guide points to $10,000. Below the line, flat-rate is simpler; above it, interchange-plus usually costs less. Avendo adds another lever: comparing processors on every transaction.
- What is interchange-plus pricing?
- Interchange-plus pricing passes the card network's interchange fee through to you and adds a fixed markup from the processor, which makes it more transparent than one blended rate. JIM's 2026 guide says that below roughly $50,000 in monthly card volume flat-rate wins on simplicity, while above that interchange-plus usually wins on total cost.
- Is a credit card processing business worth it?
- Payments is a large industry: McKinsey's 2026 Global Payments Report puts global payments revenue at about $2.6 trillion, with growth projected to moderate to about 4 percent a year from 2025 to 2030. For most platforms, partnering with a provider such as Avendo is a lighter path than building a processing business from scratch.
- What is a chargeback?
- A chargeback happens when a cardholder disputes a payment and their bank reverses it, pulling the funds back from the merchant. Processors often charge a fee per chargeback; Airwallex's 2026 comparison lists a US$15 fee for lost chargebacks at one provider. Clear product descriptions, delivery tracking and responsive support help reduce disputes.
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