Industry GuidesNovember 7, 20265 min read
Card Fees for Service Businesses: Invoices, Mobile and Recurring
Service businesses often take payment away from a counter: on a phone, by invoice or on a schedule. Here is how that changes what you pay.
By ONKORE Team
Payments away from the counter
Plumbers, salons, consultants and other service businesses often get paid by invoice, on a phone or on a recurring schedule. These sales are often keyed or online, which usually costs more than a card swiped in person.
What to check
- How you take payment. Tap or chip on a mobile reader usually costs less than a keyed card number. Using the right method when you can helps.
- Invoices. Ask whether pay-by-link invoices are charged as online sales.
- Recurring billing. Ask about stored-card features, fees and how failed payments are handled.
- Software fees. Invoicing and booking tools may have their own monthly fees. Check which are separate from processing.
- Contract and minimums. See what to check before choosing a processor.
Know your mix
Look at the share of keyed and online sales on your statement. Our guide to why fees go up explains how mix changes costs.
Bank transfers for regular clients
For repeat clients, ACH can be an option. See ACH vs credit cards.
Next step
Upload a statement for a free statement review, or view pricing.
