If you have ever looked at your monthly processing statement and felt like you needed a decoder ring to understand it, you are not alone. Payment processing pricing is notoriously confusing — and that confusion costs merchants billions of dollars every year.

At Lucrative Merchants, we believe in total transparency. That is why we offer two clearly defined pricing models and help every merchant choose the one that is right for their business before we submit a single application.

$45/mo
Flat cost on Cash Discounting
$855/mo
Savings vs traditional pricing at $30K/mo
2–5 days
Typical approval time
$10,260
Annual savings at $30K/mo volume

The Two Models We Offer

Interchange-Plus
Cost-Plus Pricing
Interchange rate
Set by Visa, Mastercard, and other card networks. Goes to the card-issuing bank on every transaction. Varies by card type and industry.
Plus our margin
A small fixed margin Lucrative Merchants adds above interchange. Our fee — no hidden markups, no bundling.
Per-transaction fee
A small flat fee applied to each transaction, typically $0.10–$0.25.
Best for:
High-volume businesses, eCommerce, large average ticket sizes, or merchants who want no customer-facing surcharge at checkout. The merchant absorbs all costs, but the pricing is fully transparent and often significantly cheaper than tiered or flat-rate pricing at higher volumes. See our interchange-plus vs flat-rate breakdown for a deeper look at the numbers.
Cash Discounting
Dual-Mid Pricing — Most Popular
$45/month
Flat fee. That's it.
1. Item is priced at its normal price (e.g., $100)
2. Card-paying customers see a small service fee (~4%) added at checkout — they pay $104
3. Cash customers receive a discount back to the base price — they pay $100
4. You keep $100 either way and your processing costs are covered
Best for:
Small and medium businesses, restaurants, retail shops, salons, auto shops, service businesses — any merchant who wants to eliminate processing costs entirely. Restaurants in particular see some of the strongest results; our guide to cash discounting for restaurants covers the setup in detail.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Interchange-Plus Cash Discounting
Monthly Fee Varies by volume $45 flat
Per-Transaction Fee Yes None to you
Who Pays Processing Fees The merchant The customer
Customer Surcharge at Checkout None ~4% for card payments
Cash Discount for Customers No Yes
Card Network Compliant ✓ ✓

Yes — fully legal and compliant with Visa, Mastercard, and all major card network rules, when implemented correctly.

The Key Distinction
Cash Discounting is not a surcharge (which is banned in some states). It is a pricing model that shows a service fee to all customers while offering a discount to cash payers. Lucrative Merchants ensures every Cash Discounting setup is implemented in full compliance with card network rules. We handle the configuration so you never have to worry about it.

How Much Could You Save?

Cash Discounting Savings vs Traditional Pricing (~3%)
$30,000/month Traditional: $900/mo  →  Cash Discount: $45/mo  |  Save $855/mo ($10,260/yr)
$10,260/year saved
$50,000/month Traditional: $1,500/mo  →  Cash Discount: $45/mo  |  Save $1,455/mo ($17,460/yr)
$17,460/year saved
$80,000/month Traditional: $2,400/mo  →  Cash Discount: $45/mo  |  Save $2,355/mo ($28,260/yr)
$28,260/year saved
Traditional pricing estimated at 3% effective rate. Cash Discounting flat fee of $45/month.

Which Model Should You Choose?

Choose Interchange-Plus if you...
→ Have high volume or large average ticket sizes
→ Run an eCommerce store
→ Would rather absorb fees than have any customer-facing surcharge
→ Want maximum pricing transparency
Choose Cash Discounting if you...
→ Are a small or medium business
→ Run a restaurant, retail shop, salon, or service business
→ Serve a mix of cash and card customers
→ Want to eliminate processing costs entirely
Not sure?
Apply through our form and tell us you're undecided. Kingsley reviews every application personally and will recommend the best fit for your specific business before submitting to underwriting.
Ready to Get Started?
Getting approved is faster than you think. Most merchants are approved within 2–5 business days. Submit your application today and we'll take care of the rest.
✓ Both models available
✓ Full compliance handled
✓ 2–5 day approval
✓ Personal review by Kingsley
Call (425) 548-2141 — the fees you are absorbing today are not a fixed cost of doing business.