EFTPOS Fee Calculator: Compare Two Card Plans
Enter your monthly card sales and two plans' fees to see which costs less, what each costs as a share of sales and how much you would save over a year.
An example is loaded. Replace it with your figures. All amounts are AUD.
- Card transactions per month
- 500
- Plan A monthly cost
- $280.00 (1.4% of sales)
- Plan B monthly cost
- $182.75 (0.91% of sales)
- Difference
- Plan B saves $1,167.00 a year
Monthly cost = card sales × rate + (card sales ÷ average sale) × per-transaction fee + monthly fees such as terminal rental. The effective rate is that cost as a share of card sales.
Uses one blended rate per plan. If a plan charges different rates for debit, credit, Amex or keyed payments, enter the rate for your usual card mix. Add terminal purchase costs and exit fees separately.
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How the comparison works
Each plan's monthly cost is card sales × card rate, plus the number of transactions × any per-transaction fee, plus fixed monthly fees such as terminal rental. Dividing by card sales gives the effective rate: the real percentage the plan costs you.
The starting example compares a flat 1.4% plan with no monthly fee against 0.79% plus $24.75 a month, two pricing structures published by Australian providers in October 2026. At $20,000 of card sales a month, the flat plan costs $280.00 (1.40%) and the other $182.75 (0.91%), a difference of $1,167 a year.
Find your crossover point
A plan with a monthly fee and a lower rate only wins above a certain turnover. Divide the monthly fee by the rate difference: $24.75 ÷ (1.4% − 0.79%) = about $4,057 a month. Below that, the flat plan is cheaper; above it, the lower rate wins.
Since card surcharging changed on 1 October 2026, the rate comes straight out of your margin for most transactions, so the crossover matters more than it used to. Our EFTPOS machines guide lists current published rates for 12 providers.
What to add separately
Include the terminal purchase price, contract exit fees, chargeback fees and any higher rates for Amex, international or keyed payments if they make up a large share of your sales. Settlement speed doesn't change the fee but does change your cash flow.
Common questions
What is a good EFTPOS rate in Australia?
It depends on your turnover and card mix. In our October 2026 comparison, published flat rates for in-person cards mostly sat between 1.3% and 1.9%, while plans with a monthly fee went as low as 0.79% to 0.95%. Use this calculator with each provider's current rate.
Should I include GST?
Merchant fees generally include GST. If you're registered for GST you can usually claim it back, so compare plans on the same basis, either both including or both excluding GST.
Put the result to work
Sources and assumptions
Formula notes checked 5 September 2026. Examples are illustrative; these tools provide general information.