If you run a business, you’ve probably heard this claim: “Stop paying credit card processing fees—it’s completely free.” It sounds great, especially for business owners who deal with these costs regularly. For years, these fees have been a big expense for small and medium businesses, often cutting into already tight profits. So, the idea of removing them altogether can feel very appealing.
But is it really free? In reality, nothing in finance is truly free. What these programmes do is shift the cost away from your business and add it to the transaction instead. This approach is usually called zero-cost processing, dual pricing, or a surcharge programme.
In this guide, we’ll explain how these programmes work, why they’ve become popular, and what you should check before deciding to use one.