Processing statements

Processing Statements: How to Read Fees, Rates, and Monthly Charges

A processing statement shows sales volume, transaction count, card costs, processor markup, monthly fees, chargebacks, adjustments, and deposits.

Statement sections to review

Total sales, refunds, net sales, transaction count, and average ticket.

Underlying card-cost categories based on card type and transaction conditions.

Markup, transaction fees, monthly fees, batch fees, gateway fees, and support charges.

Chargebacks, retrievals, reserves, refunds, equipment, and miscellaneous line items.

Line Item	Why It Matters
Effective rate	Shows total cost relative to volume, but does not explain every driver.
Card mix	Rewards, corporate, debit, keyed, and ecommerce transactions price differently.
Monthly fees	Can matter more for low-volume businesses than rate alone.
Equipment or lease fees	May create long-term cost beyond processing rates.

Effective rate is total processing cost divided by processing volume.

Different card types and entry methods carry different underlying costs.

Yes. Monthly fees, transaction fees, equipment, gateway costs, and downgrades can increase total cost.