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Everything you need to know about payment processing with Charm Payments
Our Starter plan is a flat rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction — no monthly fee and no setup fee. Our Growth plan uses interchange-plus pricing at IC+ 0.30%, which is the most transparent pricing model in the industry — you see exactly what the card network charges plus our fixed markup. Enterprise accounts receive custom volume-based pricing. All rates and fees are disclosed in your Merchant Agreement before you sign anything.
No monthly fees on Starter or Growth plans. No setup fees on any plan. The only costs you'll see are your per-transaction rates and standard card network assessment fees — which every processor passes through. We do not add hidden markups. Your complete Schedule of Fees is provided with your merchant application before you commit to anything.
Interchange is the base cost that Visa or Mastercard charges for every transaction — it varies by card type. Interchange-plus pricing passes that exact base cost to you, then adds our fixed markup on top. You see both numbers on your statement. Compare this to flat-rate or tiered pricing where processors bundle everything together and pocket the difference. IC+ pricing typically saves businesses 15–30% compared to flat-rate at higher volumes.
Yes — a chargeback fee applies when a cardholder disputes a transaction with their bank. This fee is disclosed in your Schedule of Fees before you sign up. The disputed amount is also temporarily held while the case is reviewed. We notify you immediately when a chargeback is filed and assist you in submitting evidence to contest it if you have grounds to do so.
Most standard merchant accounts are approved within 24–48 business hours. High-risk accounts or businesses with unusual processing history may take 3–5 business days. Once approved, our team configures your gateway and you can start accepting payments the same day. We handle the technical setup at no charge.
You'll need your business EIN, owner information (name, date of birth, SSN last 4 for identity verification), business address, and bank account details for fund deposits. For high-risk businesses, we may request additional documentation such as processing history or business financials. The application takes about 10 minutes to complete online.
Yes. We have specialized underwriting for industries that traditional processors often decline — including subscription businesses, high-ticket retail, continuity billing, and others. Contact our team to discuss your specific business type before applying so we can match you with the right underwriting pathway.
Card transactions typically settle to your verified bank account within 1–2 business days. ACH transactions follow standard Nacha settlement timelines — generally 1–3 business days. Settlement timing is outlined in your Merchant Agreement. New merchants may have a brief holding period during initial processing as part of standard risk management.
We support many shopping cart integrations including WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, and more. We also offer a hosted payment page that requires zero development — just drop a link or button on your site. For custom integrations, payment infrastructure provides a full API with detailed documentation. Our team assists with setup and integration at no charge.
No long-term contracts on Starter or Growth plans — both are month-to-month. You can cancel at any time. Enterprise accounts may include negotiated term agreements based on volume commitments, which are clearly disclosed before signing.
When a cardholder disputes a transaction with their bank, the bank files a chargeback against your merchant account. The disputed amount is temporarily held and a chargeback fee is charged. Our team notifies you immediately with the dispute amount, reason code, and response deadline. We guide you through submitting evidence to contest the chargeback if you have grounds to do so. The final outcome is determined by the card network — not Charm Payments.
Our chargeback prevention tools include real-time alerts, dispute documentation support, and fraud screening through the payment infrastructure. Clear communication with your customers also helps — use a recognizable business name on card statements, provide clear refund policies, and respond quickly to customer complaints. On the technical side, use AVS (Address Verification) and CVV verification on card-not-present transactions, enable 3D Secure for e-commerce, and keep transaction records and shipping confirmations for every order. Our iSpyFraud screening also flags suspicious transactions before they process.
Unlike national processors, Charm Payments is local. Real people, real answers, no offshore call centers.
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Our merchant support team is here to help. We typically respond within 2 business hours.
Charm Payments is a payment facilitator, not a bank. Payment processing services are provided through our licensed acquiring bank partner. Merchant funds are subject to the terms of the Merchant Agreement.