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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.
Compliance
Credit Card Surcharge Laws & Compliance Rules (2026 Guide)
Visa and Mastercard rate caps, the 30-day notice rule, debit card exemption, disclosure requirements, and which states restrict surcharging.
Compliance
How to Add a Credit Card Surcharge Legally (Step-by-Step)
A six-step checklist: state check, rate, 30-day notice, debit exclusion, signage, and receipt disclosure.
Compliance · Restaurants
Credit Card Surcharge Rules for Restaurants
Surcharge vs. service charge, tab payments, and where restaurants most often get surcharging wrong.
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.
Pricing
Is 0% Credit Card Processing Really Possible? How “No-Fee” Programs Actually Work
A factual look at what “0% credit card processing” and “no-fee” claims actually mean, how the cost is restructured rather than eliminated, and where debit cards fit in.
State-specific surcharge law guides
Surcharge law varies by state. Find the specific rules, caps, and restrictions that apply where you do business.
Alabama
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Alabama
No state restriction, plus Alabama's new 2026 sales-tax exemption on card fees.
Florida
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Florida
Legal in practice, plus Florida's new 2026 menu and receipt disclosure law for restaurants.
Georgia
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Georgia
Legal, but state law caps the surcharge at your actual cost of acceptance.
Louisiana
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Louisiana
Credit surcharging is legal, but a new 2026 law bans surcharging debit cards.
Mississippi
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Mississippi
No restriction on private businesses; only government entities are restricted.
Texas
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Texas
Genuinely unresolved legal status — a state ban, a federal ruling, and an AG opinion all conflict.
California
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in California
Old ban is unenforceable, but the state's all-in pricing law (SB 478) restricts how surcharges are shown.
Connecticut
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Connecticut
Surcharging is banned outright — dual pricing is the compliant alternative.
Massachusetts
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Massachusetts
Surcharging is banned outright — dual pricing is the compliant alternative.
Maine
Credit Card Surcharge Laws in Maine
Surcharging is banned outright — dual pricing is the compliant alternative.
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