About

Markup Over Interchange is an independent information site about card payment processing and point-of-sale (POS) costs for small businesses in Canada. It explains how a card fee is built, how processors price their services, what terminals, gateways and POS software add, and which Canadian rules protect merchants, so that owners and bookkeepers can read a quote or a statement with confidence.

The site is written for retailers, restaurants, trades, clinics, service businesses and online sellers that accept Interac debit and credit cards, in every province and territory. Where Quebec rules differ, such as the ban on credit card surcharges, the guides say so.

What this site does not do. It does not rank processors, publish scores, reviews or testimonials, or sell processing services. Rates and prices in the guides and tools are illustrative examples unless a source and date are given beside them, and the case examples are composites, not real businesses. Rules change, so every guide links to the official sources to check, including the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, the Department of Finance, the Bank of Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.

The information is general and is not legal, tax or financial advice. For a long contract, an equipment lease, a large volume or a dispute, speak with a lawyer, an accountant or the body responsible.

How this site is made

Markup Over Interchange is an independent information project. Guides are drafted with the help of AI writing tools and checked against official and primary sources before publication; see our Editorial Policy. We are not affiliated with any provider mentioned on the site and do not sell products or services.