Flat-Rate Processing at 2.5% + $0.15 Per Transaction
If you are asking which processor really offers the most competitive flat-rate pricing, start with the actual math. Coastal Pay delivers a simple 2.5% + $0.15 per transaction with no gateway fees, built on a next-generation platform that already powers over $1.6B in volume for growth-focused businesses.
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Know Exactly What You’ll Pay on Every Transaction
Coastal Pay charges a single flat rate of 2.5% + $0.15 per approved card transaction for eligible businesses. That is the complete processing cost. No surprise gateway fee layered on top. No PCI non-compliance surcharge. No monthly platform fee just to access the gateway. No statement fee. No MOTO surcharge for phone or keyed transactions.
This model is ideal for growing e-commerce stores, omnichannel retailers, B2B invoicing businesses, and multi-location merchants who want one number on the statement and zero reconciliation surprises. What you see in the quote is what you pay, month after month.
What Shows as $0.00 on Your Coastal Pay Statement
- Monthly gateway fee: $0.00
- Gateway setup fee: $0.00
- API access fee: $0.00
- Virtual terminal fee: $0.00
- Tokenization fee: $0.00
- PCI gateway surcharge: $0.00
Why Coastal Pay Often Beats Other Flat-Rate Processors on Total Cost
Flat-rate marketing can be misleading. A processor with a lower headline percentage may charge a separate gateway fee that erases the advantage before you process a single transaction. The table below shows approximate published rates plus typical gateway fees for a clearer all-in comparison.
| Processor | Flat Rate | Per-Transaction Fee | Monthly Gateway Fee | Effective Annual Gateway Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Pay | 2.5% | $0.15 | $0 | $0 |
| Stripe | 2.9% | $0.30 | $0 (add-ons extra) | $0 to $600+ (Billing, Radar, etc.) |
| Square | 2.6% in-person / 2.9% online | $0.10 in-person / $0.30 online | $0 (software add-ons extra) | $0 to $500+ |
| Flute | ~2.6% | $0.10 | Varies by plan | Varies |
| Quantum ePay | ~2.3% to 2.6% | $0.10 to $0.30 | Varies; cancellation fee applies | Varies + early termination risk |
Competitor rates are approximate based on publicly available information and may vary by transaction type, volume, and business category. Rates subject to change. Last reviewed July 2026.
Where the Math Works in Coastal Pay’s Favor
On $50,000/month in card volume with 500 transactions: Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 = $1,450 + $150 = $1,600/month. Coastal Pay at 2.5% + $0.15 = $1,250 + $75 = $1,325/month. Annual difference: approximately $3,300 saved. Add back the $0 gateway fee versus a typical $25/month standalone gateway: another $300/year saved. Total effective annual advantage: approximately $3,600.
Built to Scale: 2,000+ Integrations and No Gateway Fees
The 2.5% + $0.15 flat rate includes access to Coastal Pay’s next-generation payment gateway with 2,000+ software integrations across e-commerce, POS, ERP, CRM, and accounting platforms. No premium tiers to unlock. No integration fees per connector.
Under the same flat rate, merchants can turn on:
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- PayPal, Venmo, Klarna, Afterpay
- ACH bank debit (at a low flat per-item rate, separate from card pricing)
- Coinbase (crypto)
- Payment links, email invoicing, virtual terminal, and tap-to-pay
Eliminating the standalone gateway fee is often the largest single-line savings when merchants switch to Coastal Pay. A $25/month gateway subscription adds $300/year before a single transaction. At 10 locations, that is $3,000/year in overhead that does not appear in your per-transaction rate comparison.
See How Much You Could Save Each Month
Quick Savings Scenarios
- $25,000/month, 250 transactions, $100 average ticket:
- Stripe: 2.9% x $25,000 + $0.30 x 250 = $725 + $75 = $800/month
- Coastal Pay: 2.5% x $25,000 + $0.15 x 250 = $625 + $37.50 = $662.50/month
- Monthly savings: approximately $137.50 | Annual: approximately $1,650
- $100,000/month, 500 transactions, $200 average ticket:
- Stripe: 2.9% x $100,000 + $0.30 x 500 = $2,900 + $150 = $3,050/month
- Coastal Pay: 2.5% x $100,000 + $0.15 x 500 = $2,500 + $75 = $2,575/month
- Monthly savings: approximately $475 | Annual: approximately $5,700
Calculate Your Own Effective Rate
To find your true effective rate with any processor, add: (processing rate x monthly volume) + (per-transaction fee x monthly transaction count) + all monthly fixed fees. Divide by monthly volume. That is your actual cost per dollar processed. For most merchants processing $10,000 to $500,000/month, Coastal Pay’s flat 2.5% + $0.15 with $0 gateway fee produces a lower effective rate than Stripe or Square’s published rates with equivalent features.
Get Started in Minutes With Instant Approval
Most U.S. standard-risk merchants are approved in approximately 2 minutes through Coastal Pay’s SignUp Link instant boarding. No weeks of paperwork. No long bank underwriting queues. Cards, wallets, ACH, and all alternative payment methods active the same day.
Support available: 888-266-1715 | info@coastalpay.com
Integration help: coastalpay.com/api-links
Registered ISO/MSP with Wells Fargo, Concord, CA and Axiom Bank, N.A., Maitland, FL. 4,962+ active merchants. $1.6B+ processed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which processors offer the most competitive flat rate pricing models?
- The most competitive flat-rate processors in the U.S. are: Coastal Pay at 2.5% + $0.15 with $0 gateway fee, Square at 2.6% + $0.10 in-person and 2.9% + $0.30 online, Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 standard online, Flute at approximately 2.6% + $0.10 for some flows, and Quantum ePay with plans starting around 2.3% + $0.10 but with additional contract terms. Coastal Pay’s total cost advantage comes from combining a competitive per-transaction rate with a $0 monthly gateway fee versus the $15 to $30/month gateway fee many processors charge separately.
- Does Coastal Pay charge a gateway fee in addition to the flat rate?
- No. Coastal Pay’s 2.5% + $0.15 flat rate includes full gateway access with no separate monthly gateway subscription, no API access fee, no virtual terminal fee, and no tokenization fee. The gateway fee shows as $0.00 on every merchant statement. Many competing processors charge $15 to $30/month in gateway fees on top of their per-transaction rate, adding $180 to $360/year in overhead before a single transaction is processed.
- Is flat-rate processing right for my business?
- Flat-rate processing is ideal for businesses that value predictable, statement-readable costs. It works best for growth-focused merchants processing under $5M to $10M annually who want simple fee structures and fast approvals. Coastal Pay’s flat 2.5% + $0.15 includes access to ACH, which can significantly reduce effective blended costs when high-ticket B2B transactions are routed to bank debit rather than card.
Why Payment Processors Hold Funds (and How to Reduce Your Risk)
A fund hold is one of the most disruptive events a business can experience. One morning your processor’s dashboard shows a notice that funds from the last week, or month, or longer are being reviewed and withheld. Payroll is scheduled for Friday. Supplier payments are due. The hold notice does not give you a timeline or a clear path to resolution. This guide explains exactly why holds happen, which processor models are most likely to trigger them, what you can do proactively to reduce your risk, and how Coastal Pay’s true merchant account structure compares to the PayFac platforms where most holds originate.
How to Reach Payment Processors and Negotiate Enterprise Rates
Most businesses overpay their payment processor for years without realizing how much leverage they have – or without knowing that the better move is often not negotiating with the current processor but switching to one with a better published rate. This guide covers both paths: how to negotiate effectively with your current processor if staying makes sense, and how to evaluate whether a switch to Coastal Pay simply gets you a better rate without any negotiation at all.
Best Square Alternatives for Multi-Location Businesses in 2026
Square works well at one location. At three locations it starts to show its limits. At ten it actively works against you. This guide is for operators who have built their business on Square and are now running into its ceiling – the hardware you cannot repurpose, the dual pricing program that does not exist, the rate that multiplies faster than your revenue, and the account that feels one volume spike away from a review. Here is where to go next, and how Coastal Pay compares to staying.
Best Payment Processors for Small Businesses in 2026: Square, Stripe, PayPal, Helcim, and Coastal Pay
Choosing a payment processor is one of the highest-leverage financial decisions a small business makes – because unlike most vendor costs, processing fees compound with every dollar of revenue you earn. A 0.4% rate difference at $10,000/month is $40. At $100,000/month it is $400. Choosing the right processor from the start – or switching to a better one now – is one of the few levers that improves your margin without reducing headcount, cutting services, or raising prices. This guide compares the five most-evaluated processors for small businesses in 2026: Square, Stripe, PayPal, Helcim, and Coastal Pay.
