The bottom line
Stax works like a membership. You pay a monthly subscription, from $99, and in return Stax adds no percentage markup to the card networks’ cost. Each in-person sale carries a flat 8¢ on top of interchange.
That trade works best at higher volume, when the subscription is small next to your sales. For a shop doing $10,000 a month, a no-monthly-fee provider may keep less of your money.
Stax fees at a glance
Visit Stax- Pricing model
- membership (rates below are the markup on top of interchange)
- Contract
- Not published
- Payouts
- Next business day
| Payment type | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In person (card present) | Interchange + 8¢ | staxpayments.com |
| Online | Interchange + 15¢ | staxpayments.com |
| Keyed in | Interchange + 15¢ | staxpayments.com |
| ACH | 1% | staxpayments.com |
Monthly fees and plans
- Subscription, up to $150K/yr processing: $99
- Subscription, $150K-$250K/yr: $139
- Subscription, $250K+/yr: $199
- Terminal protection plan (optional): $19
Checked October 19, 2026 on staxpayments.com. Prices change, so confirm with Stax before you sign.
The rates in the table above are Stax’s markup only. Your total rate is interchange plus that markup, plus the subscription.
The subscription depends on how much you process each year:
| Yearly card volume | Monthly subscription |
|---|---|
| Up to $150,000 | $99 |
| $150,000 to $250,000 | $139 |
| Over $250,000 | $199 or more |
Who it’s for
- Businesses with high, steady volume. The subscription is fixed, so it shrinks as a share of your sales as you grow. Stax puts it as “The more you process, the more you save.”
- Shops with large average sales. With no percentage markup, a $500 sale carries the same 8¢ as a $5 sale.
- Owners who want next-day money. Stax lists next business day funding.
Who should skip it
- Small or seasonal businesses. You pay at least $99 a month, even in a slow month.
- Owners who want a simple, predictable bill. Interchange changes with every card, and the subscription changes with your yearly volume.
- Anyone who needs every fee up front. Stax doesn’t publish its chargeback, PCI or statement fees on its pricing page.
The catch
The headline isn’t your total. Interchange is added to every payment, and the subscription is added every month.
The subscription rises as you grow. It steps from $99 to $139 to $199 or more as your yearly volume rises. The top tier is listed as “$199+,” so ask for the exact price.
The contract wording is unclear. The page says “No cancellation fees (long term contracts)” but doesn’t publish a term length.
Some fees aren’t published. Chargeback, PCI and statement fees aren’t listed on the pricing page.
Surcharging has its own fee. If you add a surcharge for card payments, Stax lists a fee of 1.25% + 25¢ charged to you when a customer pays with a debit card.
Terminal protection is extra. Stax lists an optional terminal protection plan at $19 a month. Terminal prices aren’t published.
What it costs at your size
We can’t give you a total for Stax without your statement, because interchange depends on which cards your customers use. What we can show is Stax’s share: the subscription plus the per-sale fee.
Example 1: $10,000 a month in person, 400 payments. That’s $120,000 a year, so the $99 tier.
- Per-sale fees: 400 × 8¢ = $32
- Subscription: $99
- Stax’s share: $131 a month, plus interchange on top
Example 2: $20,000 a month in person, 800 payments. That’s $240,000 a year, so the $139 tier.
- Per-sale fees: 800 × 8¢ = $64
- Subscription: $139
- Stax’s share: $203 a month, plus interchange on top
These numbers are not your bill. Your bill adds the interchange on every payment. For comparison, Helcim’s published markup on the Example 1 month is 0.40% × $10,000 = $40 plus 400 × 8¢ = $32, or $72, also plus interchange.
The best way to compare: take last month’s statement, work out your real rate in the fee calculator, then ask Stax for a quote on the same month.
Compared with
- Helcim: interchange-plus with a published markup of 0.40% + 8¢ in person, no monthly fee and no contract. On a $10,000 month, its markup is $72 against Stax’s $131, both plus interchange.
- Square: a flat 2.6% + 15¢ in person on its Free plan, with no monthly fee. Your bill is easy to predict, but you pay the same rate on every card.
Beyond the rate
What the rate table doesn't show, taken from Stax's own terms and help pages.
Works offline?
Stax's blog says its devices can store payments while offline and submit them once the connection is back, as long as the device has battery power. No time or amount limit is published.
Source: staxpayments.com
Common questions
How much does Stax charge per transaction?
Stax says it adds no percentage markup on top of interchange. You pay interchange plus 8¢ for each in-person payment, or 15¢ for each online or keyed-in payment. Bank transfers by ACH are 1% per payment, capped at $10. On top of that, you pay a monthly subscription based on your yearly volume.
How much is the Stax subscription?
Stax lists $99 a month if you process up to $150,000 a year, $139 a month for $150,000 to $250,000, and $199 or more a month above $250,000. Stax says subscription prices are set by processing volume and do not include the cents per transaction, so those are charged on top.
Does Stax have a contract or cancellation fee?
Stax's pricing page says "No cancellation fees (long term contracts)". That wording is unclear, since it could mean there are long-term contracts. The page doesn't publish a contract length. Ask Stax to confirm the term and any exit cost in writing before you sign up.
Is Stax worth it for a small business?
It depends on your volume. The subscription is a fixed cost, so it's easier to cover when your sales are high. At $10,000 a month, Stax's share is about $131 before interchange, by our math. Helcim's published markup on the same month is about $72. Both are estimates of markup only, not your total bill.