What do card processing fees cost, and does Apex add anything on top?
Short answerCard processing fees are charged by the payment processor on each card payment, usually a percentage plus a small fixed amount per transaction. On Apex the rate is the processor's own, and Apex does not add its own cut on top. The fee comes out of each payment and is not part of the subscription.
The explanation
Every card payment passes through a processor that takes a fee. The fee usually has two parts: a percentage of the payment and a fixed amount per charge. The fixed part weighs more on small invoices, so a quick low-priced visit loses a larger share than a big job. The rate can also differ by card type, by whether the card is keyed in or tapped, and between cards and bank transfers, which often cost less.
To estimate your yearly cost, take your monthly card volume and multiply it by the processor's percentage. Then multiply your number of card payments by the fixed amount. Add the two. Find the real rates on the processor's own pricing page and in your merchant agreement, not in a software vendor's summary.
Passing the fee to the customer is its own question. Rules on surcharges and convenience fees differ by state and by card network, so check your state's rules and your processor's terms before adding one. Apex keeps the subscription separate from processing: the subscription is the plan price, and the processing fee is the processor's rate on each payment. Card payments are among the features still being built, so read the badge for current status.
How Apex does it
Rolling out
The screen and the rules are built and tested. Saving real customer data is not connected yet. Status as of 2026-10-07; the badge shows the least-built feature involved.
Card payments are designed to go through a payment processor, with the fee shown against each payout. Card entry is handled by the processor, so card numbers stay off Apex servers. Check each feature badge for current status.
- IN05Credit/debit card processing(Rolling out)
- IN21Payouts and fee transparency(Rolling out)
- AD14PCI scope kept off our servers(Built, rolling out)
Apex Flow Scheduler is in early access. See how we label status.
More questions
Is the card fee part of my Apex subscription?
No. The subscription is the plan price for your users. The processing fee is the processor's own rate on each card payment, and Apex does not add its own cut on top of it.
Can I add a surcharge for customers who pay by card?
Some states and card networks limit surcharges, so check your state's rules and your processor's terms first. Apex lists surcharge controls as a feature, so read its badge for current status.
Why do small invoices lose more to fees?
Most processors charge a fixed amount per payment in addition to a percentage. On a small invoice that fixed amount is a bigger share of the total than on a large one.
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