Pricing
High-risk payment pricing, explained honestly.
Every high-risk quote rests on the same three numbers: interchange, reserve and sector risk. This page shows how those numbers work, which ranges exist in the market today, and why a public price list would be a guess.
The mechanics
Three numbers build your price
Interchange and scheme fees
The floor of every quote. Visa and Mastercard set interchange by card type, region and transaction context. High-risk sectors rarely qualify for the cheapest tiers, so the floor itself is higher.
Reserve and rolling funds
Acquirers hold a percentage of volume against future chargebacks and refunds. The reserve is not a fee, but it ties up cash, and its size is part of the real cost of your account.
Sector risk
The acquirer's margin for your vertical. Sectors with stable dispute ratios and mature regulation pay less. Sectors with volatile chargebacks and fragmented regulation pay more.
The quote
How a quote is built
Interchange floor
We start from the card scheme fees for your card mix and regions.
Reserve model
We model the reserve your volume needs: type, percentage, release schedule.
Risk margin
We add the acquirer margin that matches your vertical's dispute history.
Written offer
One document, every number in it, valid for the stated period.
No surprises
What your written offer contains
The offer is one document. If a fee is not in it, it does not exist.
- Processing rates by card type and region
- Reserve type, percentage and release schedule
- Monthly caps, and how they grow with clean history
- Setup and monthly fees
- Chargeback, refund and payout fees
- Settlement currencies and payout cycle
Market ranges
Indicative ranges by vertical
Editorial ranges observed across high-risk sectors. They illustrate how pricing differs per vertical. They are not offers: your quote depends on your volume, your history and your documents.
| Vertical | Indicative range | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| CBD & hempHigher scheme scrutiny and the US regulatory patchwork keep this sector at the top of the range. | 4.5% – 7.5% | Higher scheme scrutiny and the US regulatory patchwork keep this sector at the top of the range. |
| iGaming & sportsbookDepends heavily on the license held and the market served. Licensed EU operators price better than offshore models. | 3.5% – 6.5% | Depends heavily on the license held and the market served. Licensed EU operators price better than offshore models. |
| Forex & CFDChargeback exposure on deposits drives the margin. Regulated brokers sit at the lower end. | 3.5% – 6.0% | Chargeback exposure on deposits drives the margin. Regulated brokers sit at the lower end. |
| Crypto & Web3On-ramp conversions carry fraud exposure. Established exchanges with clean history price lower. | 3.0% – 5.5% | On-ramp conversions carry fraud exposure. Established exchanges with clean history price lower. |
| Adult & creator platformsSubscription continuity and chargeback risk dominate. Age-gated mainstream content prices better. | 4.0% – 6.5% | Subscription continuity and chargeback risk dominate. Age-gated mainstream content prices better. |
| NutraceuticalsTrial-to-subscription funnels with clean cancellation flows earn the lower end of the range. | 4.0% – 6.5% | Trial-to-subscription funnels with clean cancellation flows earn the lower end of the range. |
| Travel & toursLong fulfillment windows mean reserves, but mature operators with low disputes price close to mainstream. | 2.9% – 5.0% | Long fulfillment windows mean reserves, but mature operators with low disputes price close to mainstream. |
| Coaching & info productsHigh-ticket digital goods carry friendly-fraud risk. Documented delivery changes the margin. | 3.5% – 5.5% | High-ticket digital goods carry friendly-fraud risk. Documented delivery changes the margin. |
All figures are indicative, in percentages of transaction value unless stated otherwise. Your written offer is the only binding number.
FAQ
Pricing FAQ
Why is there no public price list?
What fees should I expect beyond the processing rate?
Is the reserve money lost?
Can my rates improve over time?
Do you charge for the quote?
Pricing
Get your real number.
Send your file and current statements. The offer you receive contains every rate and every fee, in writing.
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