A terminal that shows both prices
Smart Terminal, Smart Flex and POS+ can display both prices and print compliant receipts. Eligibility and compliant implementation are confirmed during onboarding.
For card payments at your business
Dual pricing for credit card payments
Dual pricing means a business shows two prices for the same item: a cash price and a card price. The customer chooses how to pay at checkout, and pays the price for that choice. It is a way for a business to cover the cost of accepting cards without taking it out of its own sales.
✓ Two prices, shown before the customer chooses✓ No contract, no cancellation fee✓ 30-day trial, then a monthly subscription
CASH PRICE$100.00Pay with cash and this is the price.
CARD PRICE$103.00Pay by card and this is the price.
Illustrative example, not a quoted rate.
Two prices.
The customer chooses.
2prices shown before the customer chooses
0%processing fees with dual pricing, for eligible merchants
30 daysfree to try, no contract
and no cancellation fee
and no cancellation fee
ELIGIBILITY
Does every merchant qualify for 0% processing fees? No. Availability depends on eligibility, business type, processing profile, bank approval, and compliant implementation.
HOW IT WORKS
How dual pricing works at the counter
Dual pricing is not hidden and it is not added at the end. Customers see both prices first and decide for themselves. Here is what that looks like in a normal sale.
01
Both prices are posted
Your menu, shelf tags, price list and website show the cash price and the card price for each item. A customer can see what each way of paying costs before they reach the register.
02
The customer chooses
At checkout the customer picks cash or card. They pay the price for the choice they made. Nothing is added to the bill after they choose.
03
The terminal and receipt show it
The terminal shows the price the customer chose, and the receipt records it, so the sale is clear to the customer and to you. We confirm the exact screens and receipt wording with you during onboarding.
NOT A SURCHARGE
Dual pricing is not a surcharge.
The two are easy to mix up, because both can change what a customer pays by card. The difference is when the customer sees it. With dual pricing both prices are shown first, and the customer chooses. A surcharge is a separate fee added at checkout after the customer has picked card.
Dual pricing, cash discount and surcharging side by side →Dual pricing
- Cash price and card price both posted
- The customer sees both before they choose
- The customer pays the price for their choice
A surcharge
- One posted price
- A separate fee is added at checkout for card
- It often shows as its own line on the receipt
WHAT YOU NEED
What you need to run dual pricing
Not much, and we help with all of it. Rules for pricing cash and card payments are set by the card brands and by each state, and they change, so we confirm a compliant setup with you before anything goes live.
Clear prices, signs and receipts
Customers should see both prices before they pay. Your signage and receipts explain the program, and we set them up with you.
Someone to set it up with you
Onboarding is where we check your business type, your state and your card mix, and confirm dual pricing is the right fit before you switch.
NOT ALWAYS THE RIGHT FIT
When dual pricing is the wrong answer
Dual pricing is not the better choice for every business. Here is where a different model usually fits better.
Your tickets are large and negotiated
A posted card price reads oddly next to a quoted invoice. A predictable monthly subscription usually sits better with high-ticket or B2B billing.
Flat fee is usually the better fit →Your card volume is small or seasonal
Dual pricing earns its keep on steady card volume. If your card takings are modest, per-transaction pricing is often the more honest fit.
Flat fee is usually the better fit →You're not ready for the counter conversation
Dual pricing means a cashier can explain two prices. If that conversation feels wrong for your team today, a flat monthly fee keeps one price on the register.
Flat fee is usually the better fit →QUESTIONS
Dual pricing, answered
Prefer a fixed number instead? Flat fee credit card processing keeps the cost with your business at one flat subscription.
What is dual pricing?
Dual pricing means a business shows two prices for the same item: a cash price and a card price. The customer chooses how to pay at checkout and pays the price for that choice. It is a way for a business to cover the cost of accepting cards without taking it out of its own sales.
Is dual pricing the same as a surcharge?
No. With dual pricing, both prices are shown before the customer chooses how to pay. A surcharge is a separate fee added at checkout when a customer pays by card. See the three side by side →
Is dual pricing the same as a cash discount?
They give a similar result by different routes. Dual pricing lists both a cash price and a card price, and the customer chooses at checkout. A cash discount lists only the card price and takes a discount off when the customer pays cash. How a cash discount program works →
Is dual pricing legal?
Rules for pricing cash and card payments are set by the card brands and by each state, and they change. SMPL confirms a compliant setup with you during onboarding. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Does every merchant qualify for 0% processing fees?
No. Availability depends on eligibility, business type, processing profile, bank approval, and compliant implementation.
What do I need to run dual pricing?
You need a terminal that can display both prices and print compliant receipts. Smpl's Smart Terminal, Smart Flex and POS+ all support it. If your current hardware cannot, eligibility and compliant implementation are confirmed during onboarding before you switch. See the devices →
What if I don't want dual pricing?
Smpl also supports competitively priced traditional processing, including flat fee and pay-as-you-go pricing, if dual pricing is not the right fit for your business. See flat fee pricing →
Is there a contract or a cancellation fee?
There is no long-term contract and no cancellation fee, and new merchants get a 30-day free trial. Any hardware you have taken is returned when you close the account, and anything supplied on separate terms is set out in writing during onboarding.
Last reviewed: November 2026. General information, not legal advice.
THE DIFFERENCEDual pricing vs cash discount vs surchargingThree ways businesses handle card costs, side by side: what the customer sees, what is posted and how each one differs.Compare the three →THE OTHER ROUTECash discount programOne posted price, the card price, and a discount taken off at checkout when the customer pays cash.See how a cash discount works →THE HARDWAREPayment terminalsSmart Terminal, Smart Flex and POS+, the devices that can display two prices and print a compliant receipt.See the devices →
GET STARTED WITH DUAL PRICING
See what dual pricing would look like for your business.
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Send us a recent processing statement and we will show you what changes under dual pricing, line by line. No card required, and no obligation.