Merchant Account Charges, Named One by One
A merchant account statement can read like a puzzle. Here is each fee type named and sorted by when it hits your bill.
Why merchant account charges confuse people
Merchant account charges are the fees you pay to accept cards. Naming each fee type is the first step. Once you know what a batch fee or a PCI fee is for, you can read your own statement or a quote before signing.
The fee types you will see, grouped by when they hit
Authorize.net's page lists seven merchant account fee types.
Percentage-based fees
Authorize.net's pricing page says percentage-based fees are applied to each transaction according to the card type used. This is the fee that rises as your revenue does.
Fixed per-transaction fees
Authorize.net's pricing page says fixed per-transaction fees are added to every authorization regardless of amount. This one is the same whether the sale is $5 or $500. On small tickets it takes a bigger share of the sale.
Monthly service or gateway fees
Authorize.net's pricing page says monthly service or gateway fees are used for payment gateway access and account maintenance. Authorize.net's page says the monthly fee covers included features such as fraud protection, recurring billing, digital invoicing, customer data management, support, and AI-powered reporting. The gateway fee, on the same page, supports secure transaction routing, reporting tools, and the ability to process credit cards and eChecks from one platform.
The less obvious line items
Authorize.net's page lists three more fee types.
Batch or settlement fees
Authorize.net's pricing page says batch or settlement fees are charged when daily transactions are submitted for funding. Authorize.net's page says the batch fee is assessed per settled credit card transaction batch. Authorize.net's pricing page says its Daily Batch Fee is the fee assessed for aggregating transactions into a batch. Authorize.net's page says the batch fee is $0.10 per settled credit card transaction batch. If you settle one batch a day, this fee hits daily.
Cross-border surcharges
Authorize.net's pricing page says cross-border or international surcharges are added when accepting cards issued outside the business's home country. If you sell online and get orders from other countries, expect this line.
PCI compliance fees
PCI compliance is the security standard for handling card data. Authorize.net's pricing page says PCI compliance fees depend on the provider's security program. Ask your provider what their program includes and what it costs.
What a payment gateway charges on its own side
A gateway is the service that moves card data safely from your checkout to the bank. Authorize.net's page says the gateway setup fee covers creating and setting up a new gateway account. Its gateway setup fee is $0.00. The same page says the gateway monthly fee is $25.00 and is prorated if the service is set up mid-month. So if you sign up mid-month, you pay part of that month's fee, not the whole thing.
Incident-based fees to check before signing
These fees only hit when something goes wrong. Read them before you sign, because they describe the ways an account can cost you money without a single sale.
Returned payment fee
Authorize.net's page says the returned payment fee applies if a bank returns an ACH or credit card debit attempt for Authorize.Net billing. It is $25.00. This is about your own bill, not a customer's card. If your bank returns Authorize.net's debit for its fees, this fee lands.
Late payment fee
Authorize.net's page says the late payment fee is assessed in the event of a late payment for account fees, and that it is $20.00.
Service reactivation fee
Authorize.net's page says the service reactivation fee is assessed to reactivate closed payment gateway accounts, and that it is $0.00.
Abandoned account fee
Authorize.net's pricing page says the abandoned account fee is $10.00 when no further communication can be made with a merchant.
Fees on refunds, voids, and declines
One fee surprises many owners. Authorize.net's page says the credit card transaction fee applies to charges, refunds, voids and declines. It is $0.10. A declined card can still cost you a dime. A refund can cost you the same fee you paid on the original sale. Authorize.net's page says the credit card monthly minimum fee is the smallest processing amount billed each cycle. That monthly minimum sits at $0.00. Its credit card discount rate, per the same page, is 0.00%.
How these fee types shape total cost
Authorize.net's page says these fee types together shape the total cost of payment acceptance and influence which pricing model fits a business. A shop with many small sales feels the fixed per-transaction fee most. A shop with few sales but high tickets feels the monthly fee more. A business that settles batches daily pays that fee every day. Add up every line for a typical month, divide by sales, and you get your true cut. That number, not any single fee, is what to compare against another processor's sheet.
Published prices change
Every figure above comes from Authorize.net's own pages. Companies change their prices. Confirm each fee on the processor's own pricing page before you sign up, and ask for the full fee schedule in writing with your quote.
Where to go next
Two follow-up reads can help. If you want your money the same night instead of waiting for a deposit, read about what instant payouts cost. To see how these fees play out on a real sale, read about a small counter purchase.