Transaction fees
Transaction fees are the costs that merchants pay per electronic payment to their payment provider, the acquirer and the card network.
Transaction fees
Transaction fees (also known as Merchant Fees or Merchant Service Charge) are the costs incurred with every electronic payment. They typically consist of three components: the Interchange Fee (to the issuer), the Scheme Fee (to the card network), and the acquirer/PSP margin.
There are two common pricing models: Blended Pricing bundles all components into a single percentage plus a fixed fee (e.g. 1.65% + CHF 0.18). IC++ (Interchange Plus Plus) itemises the components transparently — you pay the actual Interchange Fee plus a fixed markup from the PSP.
In Switzerland, transaction fees for online card payments typically range between 1.25% and 2.50% plus CHF 0.18–0.30. TWINT costs 1.25–1.30% plus CHF 0.18–0.30. At the POS (Point of Sale), debit cards are cheaper: 0.95% + CHF 0.15.
Transaction fee examples
An online shop pays for a Visa payment of CHF 100 in the Standard plan: 1.65% + CHF 0.18 = CHF 1.83 transaction fee.
A restaurant pays for a debit card payment of CHF 50 at the POS: 0.95% + CHF 0.15 = CHF 0.63.
A merchant compares IC++ (transparent breakdown) with Blended Pricing (a flat rate) and chooses based on their transaction volume.
Transaction fees FAQ
What are transaction fees?
Transaction fees are the costs per electronic payment. They consist of the interchange fee (issuer), scheme fee (card network) and the PSP/acquirer margin.
What is the difference between blended pricing and IC++?
Blended pricing bundles all fees into a flat rate. IC++ transparently breaks down the interchange fee and adds a fixed PSP markup. IC++ is often cheaper for high volumes, but more complex.
How high are transaction fees in Switzerland?
Online card payments cost 1.25–2.50% + CHF 0.18–0.30 depending on the card, PSP and plan. TWINT is at 1.25–1.30% + fixed fee. At the POS, debit cards cost 0.95% + CHF 0.15.
Can you pass transaction fees on to customers?
In Switzerland, surcharging (a surcharge for card payments) is not prohibited by law, but it is forbidden by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard) in their rules. Therefore, merchants are generally not allowed to pass the fees directly on to you.
