Pricing programs

Compare payment programs

There's no single best program. The right fit depends on your customers, your card mix, state rules and the providers available for your business.

Comparison of traditional processing, dual pricing and cash discount programs
	Traditional ProcessingMerchant absorbs fees	Dual PricingTwo displayed prices	Cash DiscountDiscount for cash
How it works	Customers pay the listed price by any method. The business pays processing fees under a pricing model such as interchange-plus, tiered or flat rate.	Each item shows a cash price and a card price. The customer chooses how to pay and sees the applicable total.	Posted prices include card costs. Customers paying with cash (or sometimes ACH/debit, where allowed) receive a discount.
Who pays processing cost	The business, as a cost of doing business.	Customers who choose card pay the higher card price; cash payers pay the lower price.	Largely shifted to card-paying customers, offset by the discount offered to non-card payers.
Customer experience	One price for everyone. Familiar and simple at checkout.	Customers see both prices up front. Some may ask questions at first, so clear signage and staff scripts help.	Card payers pay the posted price; cash payers see a discount. Signage must make the program clear.
Implementation considerations	Works with nearly any terminal, POS or gateway. The key decision is the pricing model and its markup.	Needs compatible equipment or POS software, price displays, receipts that show both amounts, and staff training.	Requires program-capable equipment, correct receipt formatting, signage at entry and point of sale, and pricing updates.
Compliance & provider dependency	Lowest program-specific compliance burden. Standard card-network and provider rules still apply.	Rules for display, receipts and signage come from card networks, state law and the provider. Availability depends on the provider and your location.	Highly provider-dependent and must follow card-network rules and applicable state law. Must not be presented as a surcharge unless structured as one.
Best-fit use cases	Practices that want a simple patient experience, B2B sellers whose contracts set prices, and high-volume merchants who can negotiate margins.	Retail-style pharmacies and clinics with meaningful cash volume that want customers to see a choice openly.	Businesses with a strong cash mix and price flexibility. Often less suited to B2B contracts or insurance-driven billing.

Traditional Processing

Merchant absorbs fees

How it works: Customers pay the listed price by any method. The business pays processing fees under a pricing model such as interchange-plus, tiered or flat rate.
Who pays processing cost: The business, as a cost of doing business.
Customer experience: One price for everyone. Familiar and simple at checkout.
Implementation considerations: Works with nearly any terminal, POS or gateway. The key decision is the pricing model and its markup.
Compliance & provider dependency: Lowest program-specific compliance burden. Standard card-network and provider rules still apply.
Best-fit use cases: Practices that want a simple patient experience, B2B sellers whose contracts set prices, and high-volume merchants who can negotiate margins.

Dual Pricing

Two displayed prices

How it works: Each item shows a cash price and a card price. The customer chooses how to pay and sees the applicable total.
Who pays processing cost: Customers who choose card pay the higher card price; cash payers pay the lower price.
Customer experience: Customers see both prices up front. Some may ask questions at first, so clear signage and staff scripts help.
Implementation considerations: Needs compatible equipment or POS software, price displays, receipts that show both amounts, and staff training.
Compliance & provider dependency: Rules for display, receipts and signage come from card networks, state law and the provider. Availability depends on the provider and your location.
Best-fit use cases: Retail-style pharmacies and clinics with meaningful cash volume that want customers to see a choice openly.

Cash Discount

Discount for cash

How it works: Posted prices include card costs. Customers paying with cash (or sometimes ACH/debit, where allowed) receive a discount.
Who pays processing cost: Largely shifted to card-paying customers, offset by the discount offered to non-card payers.
Customer experience: Card payers pay the posted price; cash payers see a discount. Signage must make the program clear.
Implementation considerations: Requires program-capable equipment, correct receipt formatting, signage at entry and point of sale, and pricing updates.
Compliance & provider dependency: Highly provider-dependent and must follow card-network rules and applicable state law. Must not be presented as a surcharge unless structured as one.
Best-fit use cases: Businesses with a strong cash mix and price flexibility. Often less suited to B2B contracts or insurance-driven billing.

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General information only, not legal advice. Dual pricing and cash discount programs are not available in every state or from every provider, and rules change. Confirm requirements with your provider and counsel before launching any program.