# Earnside — Full Content Index > This file provides extended content for AI systems. For the summary version see /llms.txt. --- ## About Earnside Earnside is a payment consulting company that helps US businesses reduce the fees they pay to accept credit and debit cards. Most businesses overpay on payment processing fees because their processor contracts include dozens of hidden fees, markup layers, and rate categories that are never clearly disclosed. Earnside uncovers these overcharges, benchmarks rates against current market standards, and negotiates directly with the processor to bring fees in line with what the business should actually be paying. Earnside operates on a strict performance-based model: clients pay nothing upfront and nothing unless savings are delivered. Earnside earns 30–40% of the savings generated in the first year, agreed in writing before any work begins. The average client saves $27,000 per year without switching processors or changing operations. --- ## Service Details ### What Earnside Analyzes Every payment processing statement includes dozens of fee types. Earnside reviews all of them: - Interchange fees (per-transaction fees set by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex) - Processor markup on interchange (the main source of overcharges) - Monthly and annual account fees - PCI compliance fees - Batch settlement fees - Chargeback and dispute fees - Statement fees - Early termination fees - Minimum monthly volume fees - Equipment rental fees - Gateway fees - Card-not-present surcharges - Keyed-entry fees - Cross-border and currency conversion fees - Downgrade fees (when cards qualify at higher interchange tiers than necessary) ### The Effective Rate The single most important metric is the effective rate — total fees paid divided by total volume processed, expressed as a percentage. Industry benchmarks vary by card mix: - Credit card processing: competitive rates are approximately 1.5–1.9% effective - Debit card processing: competitive rates are approximately 0.3–0.6% effective - Corporate/business cards: competitive rates are approximately 2.0–2.5% effective - Blended (typical mix): a competitive effective rate is approximately 1.5–2.0% Businesses commonly pay 2.5–3.5% or higher, representing $500–$1,500 in excess fees per $100,000 of volume processed. ### Negotiation Process Earnside negotiates with the business's existing processor, not a new one. This is possible because processors have significant margin built into their pricing and prefer to retain an account at lower margin than lose it. Earnside's benchmarking data and volume of similar client accounts gives it leverage individual businesses cannot achieve alone. --- ## Pricing Page Content Earnside charges nothing to get started. The pricing model is pure performance: - No upfront fees - No monthly charges - No long-term contracts - No obligation if no savings are found When savings are achieved, Earnside earns 30–40% of the savings generated in the first year. The exact percentage is agreed in writing before any work begins. The business keeps 60–70% of savings from day one and 100% of savings in year two and beyond. What is included at no upfront cost: - Full payment statement analysis - Rate benchmarking against industry standards - Hidden fee detection across 127+ fee categories - Processor negotiation on the client's behalf - Dedicated account manager throughout the process - PDF savings report - Ongoing monitoring and optimization --- ## Calculator Methodology The Earnside savings calculator estimates annual savings based on three inputs: 1. Monthly processing volume (in dollars) 2. Current effective rate (as a percentage) 3. Card mix (percentage split between credit, debit, and corporate/business cards) The calculator computes a weighted benchmark rate based on card mix: - Credit cards: industry benchmark approximately 1.70% - Debit cards: industry benchmark approximately 0.45% - Corporate/business cards: industry benchmark approximately 2.20% Estimated annual savings = monthly volume × 12 × (current rate − weighted benchmark) × 0.70 The 0.70 factor accounts for the fact that not all of the gap between current rate and benchmark can realistically be recovered through negotiation. Earnside targets recovering approximately 70% of the excess. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions (Full) **How does Earnside work?** You upload a recent payment processing statement. Earnside analyzes every fee, compares your rates to industry benchmarks, and negotiates better terms with your processor at no upfront cost. The process takes 2–4 weeks from statement submission to savings implementation. **Do I need to switch payment processors?** No. Earnside negotiates directly with your existing processor. You do not switch providers, change your payment terminal, update your website's checkout integration, or alter any part of your payment stack. Your customers and employees notice no change. **What does Earnside charge?** Getting started is completely free. Earnside earns 30–40% of the first-year savings it generates for you, agreed upfront before any work begins. If Earnside cannot find meaningful savings, you owe nothing — not a single dollar. **How long does the process take?** The initial analysis is completed within 24 hours of receiving your processing statement. Negotiation with your processor typically takes 2–4 weeks depending on your current provider. Some processors respond faster than others. **Is my payment data secure?** Yes. All data is encrypted using AES-256 in transit and at rest. Earnside never shares your statement or business data with third parties. You can request deletion of your data at any time by emailing hello@earnside.co. **How much can businesses typically save?** The average Earnside client saves $27,000 per year. Savings depend on your current effective rate, monthly processing volume, and card mix. Use the free calculator at earnside.co/calculator to estimate your potential savings. **What size businesses does Earnside work with?** Earnside works with US businesses of all sizes that process $50,000 or more in card payments per month. The service is particularly valuable for businesses processing $100,000–$5,000,000 per month, where fee overcharges tend to be largest in absolute dollar terms. **Does Earnside work with my processor?** Earnside works with all major US payment processors including Stripe, Square, PayPal, Braintree, Adyen, Worldpay, First Data (Fiserv), TSYS, Heartland, Chase Paymentech, and 40+ others. **What types of businesses does Earnside serve?** Earnside serves US businesses across all industries: retail, e-commerce, restaurants, healthcare, professional services, SaaS, manufacturing, hospitality, and more. Any business that accepts credit or debit cards is eligible. **Is Earnside a bank or financial institution?** No. Earnside is not a bank, does not hold client funds, does not issue credit, and is not a payment processor. Earnside is a consulting service that negotiates on behalf of clients. --- ## Blog Topics The Earnside blog covers: - How to read a payment processing statement - Understanding interchange fees and how they are set - What is an effective processing rate and what is a good one - Hidden fees in payment processing contracts - How to negotiate lower processing fees - Comparing payment processors by effective rate - Industry-specific payment processing guides - Regulatory changes affecting merchant fees --- ## Contact - Email: hello@earnside.co - Website: https://earnside.co - Analysis form: https://earnside.co/analysis - Calculator: https://earnside.co/calculator