Merchant guides & learning
Straight answers on payments.
No jargon, no sales spin — practical guides to what you actually pay to accept cards, how pricing models differ, how Level 2/3 lowers commercial-card cost, how to pick a gateway, how PAX terminals work, and how tokenization keeps you PCI-simple. Written by the team that builds and runs the rails.
All guides
Pick where the money hides.
Fees · how-to
Lower your processing fees
Find your true effective rate, switch to interchange-plus, cut junk fees, and optimize commercial cards with Level 2/3.
Pricing · compared
Interchange-plus vs flat-rate
How each pricing model works, which one costs you more as you grow, and how to read the markup you actually pay.
B2B · commercial cards
B2B card processing
How corporate, purchasing, and government cards work — and why Level 2/3 data lowers their interchange.
Gateways · how-to
Choosing a payment gateway
Gateway vs processor, the features that matter (E2EE, tokenization, Level 2/3, ACH), and the questions that reveal real cost.
PCI · compliance
Tokenization & SAQ-A
How tokenization and E2EE shrink PCI scope to SAQ-A — keeping the card number off your systems, lowering cost and risk.
Hardware · setup
PAX A920 setup & apps
What the PAX A920 and A920 Pro are, how first-boot setup and PAXSTORE app installs work, and how to take card-present payments.
Free tool · fees
Effective rate calculator
Total fees ÷ total volume — enter two numbers from your statement and see what you really pay to accept cards.
2026 · tracker
2026 interchange changes
The Visa–Mastercard settlement, Visa's CEDP and the Level 2 sunset, new Mastercard fees, and the Illinois law — and what to do about each.
Rules · by state
Surcharge rules by state
Where surcharging is banned, capped, or fine with disclosure — plus the network rules and a compliance checklist. Reviewed July 2026.
Report · data + analysis
Surcharging in 2026
Why surcharging exploded, who's doing it (~34% of SMBs), the merchant economics, the consumer backlash, and the 2026 legal shifts — sourced.
Pricing models · compared
Dual pricing vs cash discount
The three fee-shifting models compared — the math on a $100 sale, state legality, network rules, and how to choose.
B2B · rails
ACH vs card fees for B2B
The real math on a $5,000 invoice — ACH's flat fee vs a commercial card's ~$135 — and a decision table for which rail wins.
Virtual terminal · how-to
Virtual terminals explained
Browser-based card entry for phone orders and invoices — the honest answer on merchant accounts, costs, and PCI scope.
Hardware · fixes
PAX A920 troubleshooting
Wi-Fi drops, comms errors, frozen screens, battery, printer, and stuck PAXSTORE updates — the fix for each, step by step.
Data · sourced
Processing statistics (2026)
$187.2B in swipe fees, cards at 79% of noncash payments, fraud and chargeback benchmarks — every figure dated and sourced.
Compared · processors
Lifted Payments vs Square
Flat-rate vs interchange-plus — the worked crossover math, a feature-by-feature table, and an honest take on who each fits.
Compared · processors
Lifted Payments vs Stripe
Stripe's flat 2.9% + 30¢ vs interchange-plus: the break-even math, in-person and Level 2/3 differences, and who each platform actually fits.
Hardware · compared
PAX A920 vs Clover vs Square
A spec-by-spec, sourced comparison of the three smart terminals — hardware, fees, lock-in, and who each is really built for.
Industry · restaurants
Processing for restaurants
What restaurants really pay in card fees, how the IRS treats tips vs. service charges, and tap-and-chip on the PAX A920.
Fees · benchmark
What's a good rate?
Most businesses pay 1.5%–3.5% per transaction. See what a good 2026 processing rate looks like — and check yours.
Reference · glossary
Payments glossary
Interchange, tokenization, SAQ, EMV, ACH, chargebacks and 45+ more terms merchants actually run into, in plain English.
Android · tap to pay
Tap to Pay on Android
Turn an NFC Android phone into a contactless card reader — the real requirements, the security model, and when a terminal still wins.
Wallets · acceptance
Accept Google & Samsung Wallet
Any NFC terminal on a contactless-enabled processor already takes Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet and Apple Pay — no per-wallet setup.
Hardware · Android
Android smart terminals & PayDroid
What an Android payment terminal is, what PayDroid does, and how a smart terminal differs from softPOS on a consumer phone.
Report · 2026
Contactless payment trends 2026
Where tap-to-pay, mobile wallets and instant payments are heading in 2026 — a dated, sourced trends briefing for merchants.
Security · trust
Is tap to pay safe?
How contactless tokenization, one-time cryptograms, device biometrics and near-field range protect the card on every tap.
Compared · processors
SwipeSimple alternative
Flat-rate SwipeSimple vs Lifted Pay's PAX A920 and interchange-plus pricing — honest fees, hardware and who each fits.
Put it to work
Send one statement. Get an honest rate.
We'll read your current statement, show you your true all-in effective rate, and quote interchange-plus with the markup and every fee shown as separate lines. No application fee.