Get the same payment scope into both quotes
Collect processed card volume and transaction count for a representative month. Separate channels if their rates differ: in-person, online, manually keyed and recurring membership charges. Ask vendors which channel mix their quote assumes.
Use card volume rather than all practice revenue. Cash payments and other payment types may follow different arrangements. Avoid using a single average rate from a quiet month if transaction types or service mix change substantially during the year.
Show both parts of the arithmetic
Monthly processing cost in a simplified blended model equals card volume multiplied by the percentage rate, plus transaction count multiplied by the fixed transaction fee. Divide the percentage by 100 before multiplying. Add other known recurring charges separately.
For an illustrative $30,000 in processed card volume and 150 transactions, 2.7% plus $0.10 per transaction produces $825: $810 from the percentage and $15 in fixed fees. At 2.5% with the same fixed fee, the result is $765. These are fictional example rates, not current vendor offers.
| Input | Example A | Example B |
|---|---|---|
| Processed volume | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Transactions | 150 | 150 |
| Illustrative rate | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Illustrative fixed fee | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| Estimated processing total | $825 | $765 |
List what a blended rate leaves out
Ask about minimum fees, settlement charges, disputes, refunds, hardware rental, cross-border cards, financing products and other agreement-specific charges. Do not assume these apply to every proposal. The point is to identify the actual exclusions in your own agreement.
Ask how a refund affects the original fee and whether recurring membership charges use the quoted rate. Read the processing contract alongside the software order form. A subscription discount may be conditional on a payment arrangement.
Test billing behavior as well as the rate
Demonstrate a deposit, a partial refund, a membership retry and a corrected checkout. Confirm how each appears in the payment and benefit ledgers. Boulevard’s membership documentation describes recurring billing, but the exact failed-charge and reconciliation process still needs a plan-specific test.
Ask how staff match settlements with the practice’s records. A low transaction rate is less useful if reconciliation requires hours of unplanned work. Keep labor assumptions visible rather than mixing them into the published rate.
Consider the effect of changing processors
If you are switching systems, ask both relevant providers about stored-payment-method transfer. Tokens may require a separate process and may not be portable. Document any patient action needed and the proposed first-charge process before scheduling the change.
Keep recurring billing continuity separate from record migration. Importing membership names and remaining credits does not prove that the next charge will succeed. Use a controlled acceptance test and a clear exception owner.
Use the cost tool carefully
Enter the same total card volume and transaction count for both proposals, then enter each proposal’s blended percentage and fixed fee. The tool shows processing separately from subscription cost. For channel-specific contracts, calculate a weighted blended assumption first or model each channel outside the tool.
Inspect the complete proposal before deciding that one rate is cheaper. Software scope, card mix, add-ons and onboarding can change the total. Use the matcher to preserve required workflow criteria while evaluating the cost difference.
Put your requirements to work
Compare candidates against your practice profile. Review evidence gaps, then verify the exact workflow and quoted plan in a demo.
Find my software fitSources & editorial approach
Reviewed October 19, 2026. Workflow examples and checklists are original editorial guidance. Vendor documentation describes vendor claims; verify the quoted plan and configuration. Examples are illustrative and do not establish outcomes.
- Mangomint: published pricing ↗
- Boulevard: plans and feature comparison ↗
- Boulevard: memberships and packages ↗
Clinical content describes software evaluation, not treatment protocols. Have the appropriate professionals review clinical and legal requirements for your practice.
How the matcher and disclosures work