Show both prices.
Let the customer choose.
Dual pricing displays a cash price and a card price before the sale. The customer sees both and chooses how to pay.
Because it is structured differently from a credit card surcharge, it can reduce more of the business's card acceptance cost when the program is set up correctly.
The customer sees the price
before they choose.
Dual pricing establishes the cash price and card price before payment. The customer sees the applicable price and chooses how to pay.
| How they pay | Price they see | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | $100.00 cash price | The customer pays the posted cash price. |
| Credit card | The posted card price | The customer chooses card and pays the card price established by the approved program. |
| Debit card | Depends on the approved dual pricing setup | Dual pricing is structured differently from a credit surcharge. We confirm the debit treatment before the program goes live. |
| Prepaid card | Depends on the approved dual pricing setup | Prepaid treatment depends on the program, processor and applicable card network rules. |
Illustrative example only. Actual card pricing, processing cost, debit and prepaid treatment and savings depend on the processor, program configuration, card mix, network rules and applicable law. We confirm the setup before launch.
Why this matters when you compare surcharge
Visa and Mastercard credit card surcharge programs do not permit surcharges on debit or prepaid cards. Dual pricing is structured differently because it uses posted prices rather than adding a credit card surcharge. The exact treatment of debit and prepaid cards depends on the approved dual pricing program and processor setup.
Run your numbers.
Then choose.
Dual pricing can be a strong fit, but it is not the right answer for every business. Compare it with interchange plus, flat rate, cash discount and surcharge using your actual processing volume and card mix.
See what the business pays, what the customer may pay and which costs remain under each approach.
The program is simple.
The setup has to be right.
Dual pricing works best when the posted prices, payment system, receipt and staff explanation all tell the same story. We build the program around the approved setup before it goes live.
Prices customers can see
The cash and card pricing should be clear before the customer chooses how to pay. We help set up the required pricing displays for the approved program.
The system applies the price
Your staff should not be calculating prices by hand. The payment system should apply the correct pricing logic based on the program configuration.
The receipt matches the sale
The receipt should clearly reflect how the transaction was processed. We configure the available receipt settings to match the approved program.
Staff knows how to explain it
Your team should be able to explain the difference between the cash price and card price in one clear sentence. We give them language they can actually use.
The program fits the business
The right setup depends on your card mix, average ticket, industry, equipment and customer experience. We review those before recommending the program.
We check it before launch
Before the program goes live, we review the pricing, equipment, customer facing materials and transaction flow against the approved setup.
The goal is simple: customers understand the choice, your staff understands the program and the system handles the math.
We sell dual pricing.
We'll also tell you not to use it.
If the program creates more friction than value, do not force it. We look at the economics, customer experience and operating setup before recommending anything.
The customer experience matters more
Some businesses sell a highly personal, premium or relationship driven experience where introducing two prices may create more friction than the recovered processing cost is worth.
The numbers do not justify the change
If card acceptance costs are already a small part of the business, changing pricing, signage and customer communication may not create enough benefit to matter.
Your pricing has restrictions
Franchise agreements, contracts, regulated pricing or other obligations may limit how prices can be displayed or changed. We check those issues before recommending a program.
The operation is not ready yet
If the equipment cannot support the approved setup or the team is not ready to explain it clearly, the answer may be to wait until the program can be implemented correctly.
If the numbers do not justify the change, we will tell you before you change anything.
We sell dual pricing.
Check the rules yourself.
Use the AI assistant you already use. The prompt asks it to research the current rules, separate dual pricing from cash discount and surcharge, and cite the sources behind the answer.
Research dual pricing before I use it.
Check current card network rules and applicable law. Explain debit and prepaid treatment. Compare the programs. Audit the claims Phase 3 makes on this page.
Each button opens the same detailed research prompt in a new tab. Nothing is submitted until you send it.
Research prompt copied
AI can still get things wrong. Read the sources it cites and compare the answer with your program documents and merchant agreement. Find something inaccurate about Phase 3? Send it to us and we will correct what we control.
Before you change the price,
Get these answers.
The economics matter. So do the rules, the customer experience and how the program is actually configured.