# Payment Methods Cheat Sheet
Source: https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cheat-sheet

Last updated 22 October 2026.

TL;DR

-   Cards are the most expensive method and have the highest acceptance rate. All-in on a flat rate you'll pay 2.5-3.5%. Underneath that, consumer credit interchange is 1.51-2.30% + $0.10 card-present and regulated debit is 0.05% + $0.21, which is why a debit-heavy card-present merchant does far better on interchange-plus
-   ACH can cost less on large payments. Compare the provider and plan, including invoice fees. ACH Direct Debit confirmation takes time, and returns can still follow
-   Apple Pay and Google Pay save customers typing card details. Compare approvals, fraud and checkout completion on eligible devices
-   Choose international methods by country demand, eligible accounts and added margin after fees and support. A small regional share can still justify a method

Use this page when you need the answer in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.

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## Cost Comparison

| Method | Per-Transaction Cost | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Card | 2.5-3.5% all-in on a flat rate | Interchange underneath is 1.51-2.30% + $0.10 card-present, 1.89-2.60% + $0.10 online |
| Debit (US Regulated) | 0.05% + $0.21-$0.22 interchange | Durbin-regulated banks (over $10B assets). Identical on Visa and Mastercard |
| Debit (US Exempt) | 0.7-0.8% + $0.15 interchange | Small bank cards |
| Debit (Canadian Interac) | ~$0.05-$0.10 flat | Per-transaction, not percentage-based |
| Debit (EU) | Capped at 0.20% | EU Interchange Fee Regulation |
| ACH | Varies by provider and plan ([examples](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/invoicing/#achbank-transfer-preference)) | Include invoice fees and return fees where charged |
| Same Day ACH | Provider and product pricing | Check the same-day rate separately |
| RTP/FedNow | $0.01-$0.50 | Varies by volume |
| Push-to-Card | 0.5-1.5% | Visa Direct / Mastercard Send |
| Wire | $25-$40 flat | Plus receiving fees |
| BNPL | 2-8% | Varies by provider and volume |
| PayPal | 2.99-3.49% + $0.49 | Varies by product |
| Open Banking (UK/EU) | 0.1-0.5% | Much cheaper than cards |
| Mobile Money | 1-3% | Varies by market |
| Carrier Billing | 15-30% | Check paid completion against the fee |
| eCash/Vouchers | 2-5% | Boleto, OXXO, Paysafecard |

The card rows mix two measurements, and the Notes column says which is which. **Interchange** is the network's wholesale cost before your processor marks it up. An **all-in** rate is what actually leaves your account. Card interchange comes from Visa's US schedule of 18 April 2026 and Mastercard's of 17 April 2026. Blended across a normal mix it's about 0.89% + $0.158 in person and 1.36% + $0.152 online, and [the derivation is published](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/reference/cost-model-assumptions/).

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## Settlement Timing

| Method | Authorization | Settlement | Funding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Card | Real-time | T+1-2 | T+2-3 |
| Debit Card | Real-time | T+1 | T+1-2 |
| ACH | Batch | Network settlement and provider confirmation differ | Provider-dependent |
| Same Day ACH | Batch (intraday) | Same-day network settlement | Provider-dependent |
| RTP/FedNow | Real-time | Instant | Instant |
| Wire | Real-time | Same day | Same day |
| Push-to-Card | Real-time | Minutes | Minutes |
| BNPL | Real-time | T+1-2 | T+1-2 |

_T = Transaction date. All times are business days._

* * *

## Push vs. Pull & Reversibility

| Method | Push/Pull | Reversible? | Who Can Reverse | Reversal Window |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Card | Pull | Yes | Cardholder/Issuer | 120 days on Visa/Mastercard; Amex up to 120, with exceptions; Discover: Not published |
| Debit Card | Pull | Yes | Cardholder/Issuer (Reg E) | 60 days |
| ACH Credit | Push | Limited | Originating bank for qualifying errors | 5 banking days from settlement for an error reversal; not a general fraud recall |
| ACH Debit | Pull | Yes | Receiving bank | [Debit return timing](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/#return-timeframes) |
| RTP/FedNow | Push | No | Only voluntary refund | N/A |
| Wire | Push | No | Only bank cooperation | N/A |
| PIX/UPI/etc. | Push | Very limited | Scheme-specific | Varies |
| SEPA Credit | Push | Limited | Very limited recall | 10 days |
| SEPA Direct Debit | Pull | Yes | Customer | 8 weeks (no questions) |

**Key insight:**

-   **Pull methods** (cards, direct debit) = merchant at risk of reversal
-   **Push methods** (RTP, wire) = sender at risk. RTP can't be recalled. For a wire sent to a fraudster, [call your bank at once](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/types/bec-phishing/#if-you-sent-a-wire) and ask for a recall; recovery isn't guaranteed

* * *

## Dispute/Chargeback Windows

| Method | Dispute Window | Merchant Response Window |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Card | 120 days on Visa/Mastercard; Amex up to 120, with exceptions; Discover: Not published | The date on your notice |
| Debit Card | 60 days (Reg E) | Varies (often 7-20 days) |
| ACH Debit | [Account-specific bank deadlines](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/#return-timeframes) | No card-style appeal of an ordinary timely return |
| RTP/FedNow | None (irrevocable) | N/A |
| Wire | None (irrevocable) | N/A |
| BNPL | Provider-specific | Provider handles |
| PayPal | 180 days | 10 days typically |
| SEPA DD | 8 weeks (no questions) / 13 months (unauthorized) | N/A |

Discover doesn't publish its dispute windows. For your own response, work to the date on your notice.

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## Fraud & Risk Matrix (Simplified)

| Method | Primary Fraud Pattern | Dispute Mechanism | What to Measure |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Card (CNP) | Stolen cards, friendly fraud | Network chargeback | Checkout completion baseline |
| Credit Card (CP) | Lost/stolen (reduced by EMV) | Network chargeback | Completed purchases at the terminal |
| Debit Card | ATO, lost/stolen | Chargeback + Reg E | Completion against credit on comparable orders |
| Apple/Google Pay | Very low (tokenization + biometrics) | Card chargeback | Completion on eligible devices; [Apple Pay study and scope](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/checkout-conversion/#digital-wallets-on-mobile) |
| PayPal | ATO, INR/SNAD claims | Wallet dispute (buyer-friendly) | Total completion and fees; [PayPal study and scope](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/choosing-methods/#highest-conversion-vs-baseline-cards) |
| ACH Debit | Unauthorized debits | R10/R29 returns | Setup completion, confirmed payments and returns |
| RTP/FedNow | Social engineering, BEC | None | Payout receipt and failures |
| Push-to-Card | ATO, misdirected payouts | None | Payout delivery and eligible cards |
| Wire | BEC, vendor impersonation | None | Receipt confirmed through your bank |
| BNPL | First-party "never pay" | Provider handles | [Contribution after fees and returns](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/reference/bnpl-economics/#how-to-measure-lift) |
| Crypto via PSP | Compromised wallets, AML | None (complaints only) | Customer demand and completed purchases |
| Mobile Money | SIM swap | Provider-specific | Paid completion in each supported market |

* * *

## Quick Decision Tree

### US Consumer E-commerce

```text
Cards + Apple Pay + Google Pay + PayPal
  → Test BNPL where customer demand and margin after fees justify it
  → Add Venmo/Cash App if young demographic
```

### B2B / SaaS / Invoice

```text
Cards + ACH
  → Offer wires where the buyer needs them and the fees and payment risk fit
  → SEPA DD for EU recurring
```

### Global Marketplace

```text
Cards + PayPal + local APMs per market
  (PIX, UPI, iDEAL, OXXO, M-Pesa, etc.)
  → RTP or push-to-card for instant seller payouts
```

### Payouts

```text
ACH (cheap, 1-2 days)
  → Same Day ACH (same day)
  → RTP/FedNow (instant, needs bank enrollment)
  → Push-to-card (instant, any debit card, 0.5-1.5%)
```

* * *

## Regional Payment Preferences

| Region | Dominant Methods |
| --- | --- |
| US/Canada | Cards, ACH |
| UK | Cards, Open Banking, Direct Debit |
| EU (Euro) | Cards, SEPA, iDEAL (NL), Bancontact (BE) |
| Germany | Cards, SEPA, PayPal |
| Brazil | PIX, Boleto, Cards |
| Mexico | Cards, OXXO, SPEI |
| China | Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay |
| India | UPI, Cards |
| Japan | Cards, Konbini, PayPay, JCB |
| Southeast Asia | GrabPay, GoPay, ShopeePay |
| Africa | M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Cards |

* * *

## Cross-Border Cost Factors

| Factor | Typical Cost/Impact |
| --- | --- |
| FX conversion | 1-3% of transaction value |
| Cross-border interchange | +0.5-1% vs domestic card rates |
| Local entity setup | $5K-$50K+ per jurisdiction |
| VAT/GST collection | 15-25% of revenue (remitted to government) |
| Payment method localization | Dev time + ongoing maintenance per market |
| Fund repatriation | Bank/wire fees + potential delays |

For the full international picture, see [International Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/international/).

* * *

## ACH Return Codes (Common)

| Code | Meaning | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| R01 | Insufficient Funds | Retry or contact customer |
| R02 | Account Closed | Find alternate payment |
| R03 | No Account/Unable to Locate | Verify account number |
| R10 | Customer Advises Unauthorized | Investigate fraud |
| R29 | Corporate Customer Not Authorized | Serious, investigate |

* * *

## Network Comparison

REPORTED [Nilson Report, 25 February 2025](https://rss.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/25/3032247/0/en/Amex-Discover-Mastercard-and-Visa-Card-Spending-Exceeded-10-Trillion-in-2024.html), accessed 22 October 2026. Shares below measure 2024 US purchase value across these four networks' credit, debit and prepaid cards. Check your own network mix by count and value.

| Network | US Purchase Value Share, 2024 | Typical Interchange | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Visa | 61.1% | Varies by category | Largest, most complex rates |
| Mastercard | 25.8% | Varies by category | Very similar to Visa |
| American Express | 11.1% | 2.0-3.5% | OptBlue for small merchants |
| Discover | 2.0% | Similar to Visa/MC | Often slightly lower |

* * *

## Next Steps

**New to payment methods?**

1.  [Choosing Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/choosing-methods/) - Decision framework for your business
2.  [Card Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cards/) - Deep dive on credit, debit, and prepaid
3.  [Payment Methods Overview](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/) - Full guide to all payment types

**Implementing specific methods?**

1.  [Digital Wallets](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/digital-wallets/) - Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal setup
2.  [Bank Transfers & ACH](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/) - ACH implementation details
3.  [Alternative Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/alternative-methods/) - BNPL and local APMs

**Optimizing payments performance?**

1.  [Checkout Conversion](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/checkout-conversion/) - Improve payment success rates
2.  [Interchange Optimization](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/interchange-optimization/) - Reduce card fees
3.  [Benchmarks](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/benchmarks/) - Industry performance targets

## See Also

-   [Card Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cards/) - Full details on credit, debit, prepaid
-   [Bank Transfers & ACH](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/) - ACH, SEPA, returns
-   [Real-Time Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/real-time-payments/) - RTP, FedNow, push-to-card
-   [Digital Wallets](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/digital-wallets/) - Apple Pay, PayPal, Open Banking
-   [Alternative Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/alternative-methods/) - BNPL, wires, crypto, mobile money
-   [International Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/international/) - Cross-border, FX, entities, regulations
-   [Choosing Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/choosing-methods/) - Decision frameworks and recommendations
-   [Settlement & Reconciliation](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/settlement/) - How funds flow
-   [Interchange](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/reference/interchange/) - Card fee reference
-   [Checkout Conversion](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/checkout-conversion/) - Optimizing payment success
-   [Fraud Prevention](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/) - Method-specific fraud controls
-   [Benchmarks](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/benchmarks/) - Industry performance targets