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Payment processing guides, explained plainly.
No fabricated stats, no jargon for its own sake — just factual explainers on how payments, compliance, and pricing actually work.
Payments 101
What Does POS Mean? POS Systems Explained
A plain-English explanation of what POS stands for, what a point-of-sale system actually does, and how it's different from a credit card terminal.
Payments 101
How Does Credit Card Payment Processing Work?
A step-by-step breakdown of what happens between a card swipe and money landing in a merchant's bank account.
Compliance
PCI Compliance Explained: What Every Merchant Needs to Know
What PCI-DSS actually requires, who enforces it, and what a small merchant realistically needs to do to stay compliant.
Payments 101
ACH Payments vs. Wire Transfers: What's the Difference?
How ACH and wire transfers differ in cost, speed, and finality, and when a business should use each one.
Pricing
Surcharging vs. Dual Pricing vs. Flat Rate: Which Pricing Model Fits Your Business?
A factual breakdown of how Compliant Credit Surcharging, Dual Pricing, and Flat Rate processing actually differ in cost and legal structure.
Buyer's Guide
How to Choose a Credit Card Processor for Your Small Business
The factors that actually matter when comparing credit card processors, beyond the headline rate.
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Surcharge and dual pricing laws by state
- Alabama: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Alaska: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Arizona: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Arkansas: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- California: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Colorado: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Connecticut: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Delaware: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Florida: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Georgia: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Hawaii: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Idaho: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Illinois: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Indiana: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Iowa: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Kansas: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Kentucky: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Louisiana: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Maine: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Maryland: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Massachusetts: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Michigan: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Minnesota: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Mississippi: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Missouri: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Montana: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Nebraska: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Nevada: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- New Hampshire: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- New Jersey: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- New Mexico: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- New York: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- North Carolina: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- North Dakota: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Ohio: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Oklahoma: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Oregon: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Pennsylvania: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Rhode Island: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- South Carolina: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- South Dakota: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Tennessee: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Texas: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Utah: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Vermont: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Virginia: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Washington: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- West Virginia: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Wisconsin: surcharge laws · dual pricing
- Wyoming: surcharge laws · dual pricing