The rate quoted in a proposal is less than half of what you end up paying. The real cost of accepting payments is six lines, and the provider with the lowest headline rate regularly turns out to be the most expensive one by the end of the month. Here is each line, and the arithmetic on real turnover.
What makes up the price
- The rate, or MDR. A percentage of every successful transaction — 3 %–5 % depending on the vertical. The spread is not arbitrary: it reflects how many disputes and refunds a given industry statistically produces. Individual solutions are considered for specific profiles, but before signing, not after the first month.
- Per-transaction fee. 0.50 EUR on every operation regardless of amount. On a 100 EUR ticket that is half a percent; on a 20 EUR ticket it is two and a half. This line decides more than it looks.
- Euro settlement via SEPA. 0.20 % of the amount the provider pays out to your account.
- Settlement period. T+7 — money arrives seven days after the transaction. Not a fee, but a week of your working capital sitting with the provider.
- Rolling reserve. 10 % held for 180 days. Also not a fee: the money comes back. But for half a year you cannot use it, and in planning that is a separate line.
- Penalties. Refund 50 EUR, chargeback 100 EUR. Each case costs money on top of the lost revenue.
50,000 EUR a month at a 100 EUR average ticket
Five hundred transactions, a 4 % rate — the middle of the range — and a 0.5 % chargeback ratio, which is normal for a high-risk vertical.
- rate: 50,000 × 4 % = 2,000 EUR;
- per-transaction fees: 500 × 0.50 = 250 EUR;
- SEPA settlement: 50,000 × 0.20 % = 100 EUR;
- chargebacks: two to three cases × 100 EUR = 200–300 EUR.
Direct costs land at 2,550–2,650 EUR a month, which is about 5.2 % of turnover rather than the four percent on the quote.
The same turnover at a 20 EUR ticket
Change only the average ticket. Turnover is identical, but now there are 2,500 transactions.
- rate: 2,000 EUR — unchanged;
- per-transaction fees: 2,500 × 0.50 = 1,250 EUR instead of 250;
- SEPA settlement: 100 EUR;
- chargebacks at the same 0.5 % ratio: twelve cases × 100 EUR = 1,200 EUR.
The total is 4,550 EUR, or 9.1 % of turnover. Same provider, same rate, and the cost of acceptance nearly doubled — because both the fixed fee and the penalties are counted per transaction, not per euro. The conclusion is simple: compare offers on your own average ticket, never on an abstract one.
The reserve: how much cash leaves your working capital
At 50,000 EUR turnover the reserve withholds 5,000 EUR every month and returns it after 180 days. For the first six months you only give: by the end of month six, 30,000 EUR sits in reserve. From month seven the returns begin — what was withheld in month one comes back — and the balance stabilises at roughly the same 30,000 EUR.
For the business this means one thing: plan cash flow as if turnover were 10 % lower. The reserve is not a loss, but it is not money you can count on this month either.
Lines that never appear in the pitch
- Payouts to customers. If you pay players, partners or contractors, add OCT — 4 % plus 1.00 EUR per card payout. Two hundred payouts totalling 20,000 EUR cost an extra 1,000 EUR.
- Limits. Transaction 10–2,500 EUR, daily 200,000 EUR, monthly 2,000,000 EUR. If your average ticket exceeds the ceiling or your growth plan hits the monthly cap, that is a conversation before signing, not at the moment of a declined payment.
- Refunds. Fifty euro each. At a 3 % refund ratio on 500 transactions that is another 750 EUR a month.
- Revision terms. Under what conditions the provider may raise the rate or increase the reserve, and with how much notice — that belongs in the contract, not in a conversation.
Eight questions to ask before signing
- What is the rate for my exact vertical, not the “from” figure.
- What does a single transaction cost, and does it change with volume.
- What percentage and term is the reserve, and under what conditions does it drop.
- When does the first settlement arrive and on what schedule afterwards.
- What do a refund and a chargeback cost.
- What are the limits per transaction, per day and per month.
- What does a payout to a customer’s card cost.
- Under what conditions do the terms change, and with what notice.
If half of those answers are “we will discuss it after onboarding”, that is already the answer about how the rest will go.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the rate a range instead of one number
Because the risk differs. A shop selling physical goods and a platform taking prepayment for a service delivered in six months carry different dispute probabilities, and the price reflects that. The 3 %–5 % range covers most verticals; the exact figure is named after the profile is assessed.
Can the reserve be reduced
The standard is 10 % for 180 days. With a stable history and a low dispute ratio, individual arrangements are possible — but they are written into the contract before launch, not promised verbally.
Which is better: a lower rate with a higher reserve
Count them together. Half a percentage point saved on a 50,000 EUR turnover is 250 EUR a month. A reserve raised from 10 % to 15 % freezes an extra 2,500 EUR every month. The saving shows up in the report; the missing cash shows up in the bank account.
When does the first money arrive
Seven days after the transaction, net of the rate, the fees and the reserve. The first settlement therefore lands on day eight of operations, not at the end of the month.
Accounts are opened on the merchant accounts page, the technical side is described under payment processing, and the settlement account is a business IBAN.