A tool designed to estimate the costs associated with accepting credit card payments. It typically requires inputting information such as transaction volume, average transaction size, and the type of credit card being processed. The output is an approximation of the fees a business can expect to pay to a payment processor. For example, a small business projecting $10,000 in monthly credit card sales with an average transaction size of $50 might use such a resource to understand the potential impact of these fees on their profitability.
Understanding these anticipated costs is crucial for businesses of all sizes when setting prices, projecting revenue, and managing their overall financial health. The availability of tools offering this functionality has evolved alongside the increasing reliance on card-based transactions. Originally, calculating these expenses required manually reviewing complex processor statements and rate structures. Now, easily accessible online calculators provide a streamlined method for assessing and comparing different payment processing options.