Choose flat-rate pricing for simplicity, or interchange-plus for transparent, cost-based pricing at scale. Every plan includes fraud monitoring, reporting, and live support.
Zero-fee (also called cash-discount or surcharge) processing lets you pass the cost of card acceptance to the customer paying by card, rather than absorbing it yourself — bringing your net processing cost down to $0 on eligible transactions.
Some businesses — think travel, nutraceuticals, subscriptions, CBD, or high chargeback categories — need a specialized underwriting approach. Harbour works with an accepting bank network to place high-risk merchants with custom pricing, rolling reserves, and dedicated risk support.
Flat-rate charges one simple percentage plus a fixed fee per transaction, so costs are predictable and easy to budget. Interchange-plus passes through the actual card network interchange fee and adds a fixed Harbour markup, which is more transparent and often cheaper at higher volumes.
Flat-rate suits most small and new businesses that want simplicity. Interchange-plus tends to save money for merchants processing higher monthly volumes, since the markup is smaller relative to overall transaction value.
Yes. You can switch between flat-rate and interchange-plus at any time as your business grows — there's no penalty for changing.
No. Both pricing models include fraud monitoring, reporting, and live support at no extra cost, with no setup fees or long-term contracts.
Zero-fee processing passes the cost of card acceptance to the customer through a compliant surcharge or non-cash adjustment, bringing your net processing cost to $0 on eligible transactions.
No, Harbour does not require long-term contracts on any pricing model, including flat-rate, interchange-plus, or zero-fee processing.
Your effective rate is your total processing fees divided by your total card volume, expressed as a percentage — it’s the clearest way to compare pricing models or providers.
Yes. A higher share of debit and basic credit cards makes interchange-plus more favorable, since the markup portion stays flat while the interchange portion is lower for those card types.
Interchange-plus typically starts saving money once a merchant processes more than roughly $10,000–$15,000 a month, though it varies by card mix and ticket size.
The same flat-rate or interchange-plus model can apply across both channels; card-not-present online transactions typically carry a slightly higher underlying cost due to fraud risk.
No, recurring billing transactions are priced the same as one-time transactions under your chosen pricing model.
Yes, merchants with growing or established volume can often negotiate a lower markup, particularly under interchange-plus pricing.
No, Harbour does not require a minimum monthly processing volume for any of its standard pricing plans.
High-risk pricing includes a larger markup and often a rolling reserve to offset increased chargeback exposure, quoted individually based on the merchant’s risk profile.
The quoted rate covers interchange (on interchange-plus), network assessments, and Harbour’s markup — fraud monitoring and reporting are included at no extra cost.
Yes, ACH and bank transfers are priced separately from card transactions, typically at a lower flat rate given their lower processing cost.
Yes, for example a merchant might use flat-rate for card payments and a separate ACH rate for bank transfers within the same account.
No, switching between flat-rate, interchange-plus, or zero-fee pricing uses your existing merchant account and hardware.
You can request a pricing review at any time; many merchants revisit their plan annually or after a significant change in processing volume.
Surcharging rules vary by state and card network; Harbour’s zero-fee program is configured to stay compliant with the rules that apply to your specific location.
How rates, rolling reserves, and risk-based pricing work for high-risk accounts.
See the full High-Risk Merchant FAQ →
High-risk rates are quoted individually rather than off a flat card, based on your industry's chargeback history, average ticket size, processing volume, and time in business. Expect a markup above standard interchange-plus or flat-rate pricing to offset the acquiring bank's added exposure.
A rolling reserve withholds a percentage of each transaction — commonly 5–10% — for a set period, usually 90 to 180 days, before releasing it to you on a rolling basis. It acts as security against future chargebacks or refunds rather than a fee you pay outright.
Reserve funds are released on a rolling schedule as each holding period expires — for example, funds held on day one are released after your 90 or 180-day window, so a portion of your reserve becomes available every processing day once the account matures.
Yes. As your account builds a track record of low chargebacks and stable volume, Harbour can reduce the reserve percentage, shorten the holding period, or remove the reserve entirely upon reassessment.
Yes. Chargeback ratio is one of the biggest drivers of high-risk pricing — accounts that exceed card network chargeback thresholds usually see higher markups and larger reserve requirements until the ratio improves.
Yes. Established merchants with strong processing history and higher monthly volume can qualify for a lower markup and reduced reserve terms — reach out for a custom quote based on your specific risk profile.
Tell us about your business and we'll recommend a model.