Annual Credit Card Processing Fees Compared: Heartland, Shift4, CardConnect, Clover & More
Fee information last reviewed September 2026. Merchant-services pricing varies by processor, ISO or reseller, merchant agreement, account setup, equipment, software, device count, compliance status, and other factors. Fees shown are published or documented examples and may not apply to every merchant.
Annual, PCI & compliance fee comparison
Reported Heartland merchant-notice examples include a $450 Infrastructure Upgrade Fee and a $245 or $410 Annual Reporting Fee per location. Shift4 official support lists a current $325 annual Regulatory Assurance Fee per device, up to three devices or $975, and identifies $129.99 for certain older agreements. Shift4’s Gateway Only matrix lists a $250 Semi-Annual Compliance Fee and a $1,198 Gateway Annual Fee for Gateway Only accounts. These amounts apply only to the indicated programs and terms.
CardConnect, Clover and North examples
A dated independent report describes a $259.99 CardConnect PCI Annual Compliance Fee example, while a documented Fiserv response describes a $269 annual PCI example for one account. Wells Fargo’s Clover-related merchant-services offer lists a $10 monthly PCI Compliance Program fee and a $9.95 monthly merchant account fee per MID. An independent 2026 North report describes a $199 annual PCI Plus example and a $20 monthly Tier I example. Each requires account-specific confirmation.
Wholesale Payments, Elavon and Custom Payments
A documented Wholesale Payments-related account example describes a $39.95 monthly compliance-related charge, which annualizes to $479.40 for twelve months. Elavon’s public pricing page advertises a $0 annual fee for a featured direct offer, not every account. Certain Custom Payments EDGE client configurations use a $199 annual fee that may be waived depending on account setup; that is not the universal pricing structure for every Custom Payments merchant.
How does a $199 annual fee compare?
A $199 annual fee is approximately $16.58 per month when spread across twelve months. Direct comparisons remain imperfect because the examples can describe different services, providers, device counts, compliance programs, software arrangements, and account terms. Compare the complete merchant-account cost rather than one line item.
Is an annual processing fee a Visa or Mastercard fee?
Do not automatically assume a processor-labeled annual, PCI, compliance, infrastructure, regulatory, or reporting charge is a Visa or Mastercard assessment. Record the exact statement description, identify who imposed it, find its basis in written terms, and ask whether it is processor-, bank-, ISO-, reseller-, software-, or program-specific.
What to check on a statement
Copy the exact fee line, billing month, merchant ID, device count, and named provider. Match it to the signed application, current fee schedule, program terms, hardware or software order, and a written explanation from the provider. Separate transaction charges from fixed account, PCI, equipment, software, gateway, support, and optional-service amounts.
Merchant statement reviews for Philadelphia-area businesses
Custom Payments LLC is based in Devon, Pennsylvania and provides merchant-services and credit-card-processing support throughout Philadelphia, the Main Line, Chester County, Montgomery County, and Delaware County. Robert Staschak is the direct owner contact for an educational statement review that does not promise a rate, savings amount, approval, equipment outcome, funding outcome, or switch.
Clover source reference
Wells Fargo Merchant Services Fees is the official source for the Clover-related merchant-services examples described in this guide. The examples apply to that program, not every Clover merchant account.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Heartland Infrastructure Upgrade Fee?
An independent 2026 report describes a $450 Infrastructure Upgrade Fee in certain Heartland merchant notices. It is a reported example, not a universal Heartland fee. Check the statement notice, current fee schedule, and written agreement for the particular account.
How much is Heartland’s Annual Reporting Fee?
An independent 2026 report describes $245 or $410 Annual Reporting Fee examples per merchant location. A $450 infrastructure example plus a $410 reporting example equals $860 only when both apply to the same location; that arithmetic does not establish a standard Heartland annual total.
What is the Shift4 Regulatory Assurance Fee?
Shift4 support documentation says the current Regulatory Assurance Fee is $325 per device annually, up to three devices for $975. It also identifies a $129.99 annual amount for some agreements signed before December 1, 2023. Confirm the applicable agreement and device scope.
Does Clover charge an annual fee?
Clover hardware and software do not establish one universal merchant-account fee. For example, Wells Fargo’s Clover-related merchant-services offer lists a $10 monthly PCI Compliance Program fee and $9.95 monthly merchant account fee per MID. Other providers and resellers can use different terms.
What is North American Bancard’s PCI Plus fee?
An independent 2026 report describes a $199 annual PCI Plus example and a $20 monthly Tier I example. Those figures are program-specific and should be compared with the merchant’s North terms, tier, compliance status, and statement.
What is the CardConnect Annual Compliance Fee?
A dated independent report described a $259.99 annual PCI Compliance Fee from a CardConnect notice. A separate documented Fiserv response described a $269 annual PCI example for one account. Neither example is a universal current price.
Does Wholesale Payments charge compliance fees?
A documented business response in a BBB complaint described a $39.95 monthly compliance-related charge for one account. That documented account example should not be treated as a standard fee for every Wholesale Payments or Basil POS merchant.
Does Elavon charge an annual fee?
Elavon’s current public pricing page advertises a $0 annual fee for a featured direct offer. That public offer does not establish every existing, legacy, reseller, equipment, software, or account agreement’s complete fee schedule.
Is a PCI fee required by Visa or Mastercard?
A processor-labeled PCI, annual, compliance, infrastructure, regulatory, reporting, software, or account charge should not automatically be treated as a Visa or Mastercard assessment. Identify the exact statement description, who imposed it, its written agreement or fee-schedule basis, and whether it is processor- or reseller-specific.
Can credit card processing annual fees be negotiated?
Some providers may offer different written fee schedules or concessions, but no reduction, waiver, or account outcome should be assumed. Compare the full arrangement, including transaction charges, fixed fees, equipment, software, gateway, support, and agreement terms.
Can annual merchant processing fees be waived?
Some providers may offer different fee schedules or concessions under particular written terms, but no waiver should be assumed. Certain Custom Payments EDGE client configurations use a $199 annual fee that may be waived depending on account setup. This is not the universal pricing structure for every Custom Payments merchant.
Continue your research
Shift4 annual-fee guide · CardConnect PCI-fee guide · Heartland processing-fee guide · Clover processing-fee guide · Devon merchant services · Philadelphia merchant services · Main Line merchant services · Chester County merchant services · Merchant services · POS systems and equipment · ACH payment processing · Recurring payments · Request a free merchant statement review