US interchange rates reference table
Interchange is the wholesale fee the card networks set and pay to the card-issuing bank on every transaction — the single largest, non-negotiable component of your credit card processing cost. This reference table shows representative Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover US interchange rates by category, the wholesale cost that sits underneath every processor’s pricing. Search and filter by network and card type.
Showing 30 of 30 reference categories.
| Network | Category | Card type | Reference rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | Regulated debit (Durbin-covered issuer) | Consumer debit | 0.05% + $0.22 | Debit from large issuers is capped under the Durbin Amendment. |
| Visa | Exempt debit — CPS / retail | Consumer debit | 0.80% + $0.15 | Small-issuer debit, card-present retail. |
| Visa | CPS / retail (card-present) | Consumer credit | 1.51% + $0.10 | Standard consumer credit swiped/dipped/tapped in person. |
| Visa | CPS / e-commerce basic (card-not-present) | Card-not-present | 1.80% + $0.10 | Keyed/online consumer credit meeting e-commerce criteria. |
| Visa | CPS / card-not-present standard | Card-not-present | 1.90% + $0.10 | CNP that does not qualify for the lower e-commerce tier. |
| Visa | Electronic Interchange Reimbursement Fee (EIRF) | Consumer credit | 2.30% + $0.10 | Downgrade tier — transaction missed a lower-rate requirement. |
| Visa | Standard (non-qualified) | Consumer credit | 2.70% + $0.10 | Highest downgrade tier — missing data or late settlement. |
| Visa | Rewards Traditional | Rewards credit | 1.65% + $0.10 | Consumer rewards cards, card-present. |
| Visa | Signature / Signature Preferred | Rewards credit | 2.10% + $0.10 | Premium consumer rewards; higher for CNP. |
| Visa | Business card — card-present | Corporate / business | 2.20% + $0.10 | Small-business cards; Level 2/3 data can lower the effective rate. |
| Visa | Corporate / purchasing (Level 2/3) | Corporate / business | 2.05% + $0.10 | Qualifies lower with enhanced Level 2/3 line-item data. |
| Mastercard | Regulated debit (Durbin-covered issuer) | Consumer debit | 0.05% + $0.22 | Capped debit from large issuers under Durbin. |
| Mastercard | Merit III debit (exempt) | Consumer debit | 1.05% + $0.15 | Small-issuer debit, e-commerce. |
| Mastercard | Merit III (card-present) | Consumer credit | 1.58% + $0.10 | Standard consumer credit, card-present. |
| Mastercard | Merit I (card-not-present) | Card-not-present | 1.89% + $0.10 | Keyed/online consumer credit. |
| Mastercard | Standard (non-qualified) | Consumer credit | 2.95% + $0.10 | Downgrade tier — missing data or late settlement. |
| Mastercard | World card | Rewards credit | 1.77% + $0.10 | Consumer World rewards cards. |
| Mastercard | World Elite | Rewards credit | 2.30% + $0.10 | Premium consumer rewards; higher for CNP. |
| Mastercard | Business card | Corporate / business | 2.25% + $0.10 | Small-business cards. |
| Mastercard | Corporate / purchasing (Data Rate II/III) | Corporate / business | 2.05% + $0.10 | Qualifies lower with enhanced Level 2/3 data. |
| Amex | Retail (card-present) | Consumer credit | 1.60% + $0.10 | OptBlue retail; effective rate varies by industry and average ticket. |
| Amex | E-commerce / card-not-present | Card-not-present | 1.95% + $0.10 | Keyed/online under OptBlue. |
| Amex | Restaurant | Consumer credit | 1.90% + $0.10 | OptBlue restaurant category. |
| Amex | Services / professional | Consumer credit | 1.90% + $0.10 | OptBlue services category. |
| Amex | Business / corporate | Corporate / business | 2.25% + $0.10 | Corporate cards; OptBlue pricing by category. |
| Discover | PSL retail (card-present) | Consumer credit | 1.56% + $0.10 | Discover consumer credit, card-present. |
| Discover | PSL card-not-present | Card-not-present | 1.87% + $0.10 | Keyed/online consumer credit. |
| Discover | Rewards | Rewards credit | 1.71% + $0.10 | Consumer rewards cards. |
| Discover | Regulated debit (Durbin-covered issuer) | Consumer debit | 0.05% + $0.22 | Capped debit under Durbin. |
| Discover | Commercial / corporate | Corporate / business | 2.30% + $0.10 | Business cards; lower with Level 2/3 data. |
Reference only. Interchange is set by the card networks and updated on a published schedule (typically twice a year). Values shown are representative, not a live rate sheet — confirm current rates in the official Visa and Mastercard US interchange schedules. Your effective rate also depends on your interchange-plus markup.
Interchange is the floor — the markup is what you negotiate
Interchange is the same for every processor, so a fair comparison is never about the interchange itself — it’s about the markup on top and how well your account is set up to qualify for the lowest category. On interchange-plus pricing you see both numbers; flat-rate and tiered pricing hide them.
Keeping transactions in the lowest interchange tier is an account-setup problem our specialists solve — correct MCC, full transaction data, EMV and contactless in person, and AVS/CVV/3-D Secure on e-commerce and MOTO sales. For high B2B volume, our Level 2/3 processing qualifies corporate cards at lower rates. Explore more in the free tools.
Interchange FAQ
What is interchange?
Interchange is the wholesale fee the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, and others) set for each transaction, paid to the card-issuing bank. It is the largest component of your processing cost and is the same for every processor — no one can discount interchange itself. What differs between providers is the markup added on top of it.
What is interchange-plus pricing?
Interchange-plus means you pay the card network’s true interchange rate plus a fixed, disclosed markup, so you can see exactly what the bank charges versus what your processor charges. It is the most transparent model, and it’s how Gray Merchants prices accounts. See our pricing approach for how quotes are built.
Why do rates vary so much by category?
The network prices each transaction by risk and card type. Card-present debit is cheapest; premium rewards, corporate cards, and card-not-present transactions cost more because they carry more risk or richer rewards. Missing data or late settlement can also “downgrade” a transaction to a higher non-qualified tier.
How do I qualify for lower interchange?
Settle batches on time, pass full transaction data (including Level 2/3 data for B2B and corporate cards), use AVS/CVV and 3-D Secure on card-not-present sales, and accept EMV chip and contactless in person. These keep transactions in the lowest qualifying category. Our team configures your account to qualify correctly from day one.
Are these the exact rates I’ll pay?
No — this is a reference table. Interchange is updated by the card networks on a published schedule (typically twice a year), and your effective rate also depends on your interchange-plus markup, card mix, and how transactions qualify. Confirm current rates in the official Visa and Mastercard US interchange schedules, and get your quote in writing.