Cash discount, dual pricing & surcharging.

Cash discount

You set one posted price that includes card cost, and give a discount to customers who pay with cash. Everyone sees the card price; cash payers get a break. Simple and widely used.

Dual pricing

You display two prices on each item — a cash price and a card price — so the customer sees both up front and chooses. It's transparent by design, which is why many businesses prefer it. The card price covers the acceptance cost, so it no longer comes out of your margin.

Surcharging

You keep your normal prices and add a small, separate fee only on credit-card transactions. Surcharging has the strictest rules — caps, signage, disclosure, and it applies to credit (not debit). A few states restrict or prohibit it.

Which is right — and is it legal?

All three are legal when set up correctly, and all are governed by card-brand rules and state law. The right fit depends on your business, your customers, and your state. The danger isn't the programs — it's a sloppy setup that leaves you exposed. That's the whole point of working with someone who handles it within the proper framework. For the bigger picture, see zero-cost processing explained.