Credit Card Merchant Fees

Debit Card Interchange Rates (2026)

Published: May 25, 2026

Person inserts a green Visa card into a payment terminal at a checkout.

Debit card interchange rates are more complex than most businesses realize.

Whenever a PIN debit transaction is run, it gets routed through one of several different debit networks. And each network has its own interchange rates by merchant category.

That’s why two seemingly identical debit transactions can cost different amounts. Most processors don’t break down the “why” on your statements. They just pass through the cost and leave you to sort out whether it’s accurate.

Part of the reason why there are so many networks comes down to the Durbin Amendment. Under federal law, every debit card has to be enabled on at least two unaffiliated networks. So a card carrying Visa or Mastercard on the front also runs on a separate PIN network.

The Dubin Amendment also caps interchange for debit cards issued by banks with more than $10 billion in assets at $0.21 + $0.05 (with another $0.01 if the issuer meets fraud-prevention standards).

The rates below apply to cards that fall outside of that cap.

Accel

Accel publishes four interchange schedules: Standard, Member Advantage, Advantage Select, and Assurance.

Your processor’s setup decides which one your transactions land on. Advantage Select is the most expensive, whereas Standard, Member Advantage, and Assurance effectively carry the same rates.

Here are the Accel Standard debit rates:

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.40
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.20
QSR (MCC 5814) — 1.19% + $0.10
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.90% + $0.30
Bill Payment – Utility — $0.65
Bill Payment – Telecom — 0.65% + $0.15 (max $2.00)
Bill Payment – Other — 0.65% + $0.15 (max $2.00)

Accel also splits each fee into three pricing groups. For most categories, the group makes no difference (the rate is identical across all three). The exception is bill payment, where Group 2 runs higher:

Group 2 – Bill Payment – Telecom — 1.65% + $0.15 (max $2.00)
Group 2 – Bill Payment – Other — 0.80% + $0.25 (max $2.00)

Advantage Select is the one to watch. It charges a flat 1.45% + $0.45 across all categories (except utility bill payment stays at $0.65).So if your Accel line items look high across the board, this is usually why.

On top of the interchange rate, Accel adds a $0.10 switch fee per transaction and $20 annual participation fee per location.

Interlink

Interlink is Visa’s PIN debit network, and it’s one of the more common ones that merchants will see their transactions routed through.

There’s a standard fee schedule here, and then a higher “Pay Premium” schedule that adds roughly 0.35% to most categories.

Standard

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.30
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.15 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.80% + $0.15
Travel Service — 1.19% + $0.10
Business Debit — 1.70% + $0.10
Small Ticket — 1.55% + $0.04

Pay Premium

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 1.15% + $0.15 (max $0.35)
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 1.15% + $0.15 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 1.15% + $0.15
Travel Service — 1.15% + $0.15
Small Ticket — 1.60% + $0.05
Commercial Prepaid — 2.15% + $0.10
PIN-Authenticated Visa Commercial Prepaid — 2.15% + $0.10

Other Internlink Fees

Switch Fee — 0.08% + $0.0225 per transaction (max $0.035)
International Service Fee — 1.00%
Acquirer Fee — 0.45%
High Risk Acquirer Fee — 0.90% (for MCCs 5962, 5966, 5967)
Interregional Fee — 1.10%

NYCE

NYCE’s rates apply to both PIN and PINless debit transactions routed through its network. They also run a separate (and pricer) rate for Business Debit transactions.

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.30
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.75% + $0.15 (max $0.90)
QSR / Small Ticket (MCC 5814, 5310) — 1.30% + $0.03
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.80% + $0.15
E-Commerce — 1.60% + $0.14
On-Demand Bill Pay – Utility — $0.60
On-Demand Bill Pay – Financial & Property Services — 0.65% + $0.15
On-Demand Bill Pay – Communication, Education, Insurance & Government — 0.55% + $0.10 (max $2.00)
Business Debit — 1.60% + $0.10

In addition to the interchange rates, NYCE charges the following fees:

Switch Fee — $0.0925 per transaction
Admin Fee — $0.0293 per transaction
Annual Participation Fee — $19 per location

Maestro

Maestro is owned and operated by Mastercard. Debit rates are as follows:

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 1.05% + $0.15 (max $0.35)
Convenience (MCC 5499, 5541, 5542 PIN only, 5814, 7832) — 0.75% + $0.17 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.90% + $0.15

Switch Fee — $0.025 per transaction
Cross Border Assessment — 0.60% (international)
Cross Border Interchange — 0.65% (international)
Global Acquirer Program Fee — 0.85% (international)

Jeanie

Jeanie keeps it simple with a standard schedule and a “Preferred” schedule that mainly bumps the per-transaction fixed amounts rather than the percentages.

Standard

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.26
Petroleum (MCC 5541; 5542 PIN only) — 0.80% + $0.13 (max $0.95)
QSR (MCC 5814) — 1.55% + $0.04
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.75% + $0.14

Preferred

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.36
Petroleum (MCC 5541; 5542 PIN only) — 0.80% + $0.15 (max $0.95)
QSR (MCC 5814) — 1.55% + $0.04
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.80% + $0.20

There’s a $0.055 switch fee per transaction that applies to both Standard and Preferred debit transactions routed through Jeanie.

AFFN

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.23
QSR (MCC 5814) — 1.15% + $0.02
National/Major Merchants ≥ $15 / Petroleum ≥ $15 — 0.60% + $0.10 (max $0.50)
National/Major Merchants < $15 / Petroleum < $15 — 1.20% + $0.02
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.75% + $0.12 (max $0.90)
Switch Fee — $0.035 per transaction

Culiance

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.275
Petroleum (MCC 5541; 5542 PIN only) — 0.80% + $0.13
QSR (MCC 5812, 5814) — 1.25% + $0.06
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.75% + $0.165
PIN E-Commerce Other — 0.80% + $0.10

Switch Fee — $0.035 per transaction
Admin Fee — $0.0075 per transaction
Annual Participation Fee — $19 per location

PULSE

PULSE is Discover’s debit network, which is seeing an influx of transactions after the Capital One merger (and causing debit card interchange rates to increase).

The base tier carries the lowest interchange rate, with meaningful increases at each level.

PULSE Pay / PULSE Pay Choice

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.30
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.15 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.80% + $0.15
Small Ticket — 1.55% + $0.04
PINless E-Commerce — 1.60% + $0.15
PINless Bill Payment – Utility — $0.60
PINless Bill Payment – Other — 0.65% + $0.13 (max $2.00)
PINless Bill Payment – Telecom — 1.60% + $0.15

PULSE Pay Limited / Alpha / Beta / Direct

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 1.15% + $0.15
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 1.15% + $0.15
Retail (all other MCCs) — 1.15% + $0.15
Small Ticket — 1.60% + $0.05
PINless E-Commerce — 1.70% + $0.20
PINless Bill Payment – Utility — $0.65
PINless Bill Payment – Other — 0.65% + $0.13 (max $2.00)
PINless Bill Payment – Telecom — 1.69% + $0.17

PULSE Pay Premium

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 1.15% + $0.15 (max $0.35)
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 1.15% + $0.15 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 1.15% + $0.15
PINless E-Commerce — 1.70% + $0.20

Other PULSE Fees

Switch Fee — $0.095 per transaction
Admin Fee — $0.005 per transaction
Annual Participation Fee — $21 per location

SHAZAM

SHAZAM’s debit rates are set across three separate schedules (A, B, C). Schedule A tends to be the baseline, while B and C shift the rates and certain categories like supermarket and QSR.

In addition to the rates below, there’s a $0.06 switch fee per transaction.

Schedule A

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 0.90% + $0.16 (max $0.34)
QSR (MCC 5814) — 0.80% + $0.13
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.14 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.85% + $0.15
Business Debit (card not present) — 2.45% + $0.09
Business Debit (card present) — 1.70% + $0.09

Schedule B

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 1.05% + $0.14 (max $0.35)
QSR (MCC 5814) — 0.75% + $0.14 (max $0.95)
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.14 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.90% + $0.13
Business Debit (card not present) — 2.65% + $0.09
Business Debit (card present) — 0.90% + $0.13

Schedule C

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — 0.90% + $0.16 (max $0.35)
QSR (MCC 5814) — 1.25% + $0.05
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.14 (max $0.95)
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.85% + $0.16
Business Debit (card not present) — 2.45% + $0.09
Business Debit (card present) — 1.70% + $0.09

Star

Supermarket (MCC 5300, 5411) — $0.40
Petroleum (MCC 5541, 5542) — 0.80% + $0.20
Restaurants (MCC 5812, 5814) — 1.19% + $0.10
Retail (all other MCCs) — 0.90% + $0.30
Utilities Bill Payment (MCC 4900) — $0.65

Switch Fee — $0.10 per transaction
Admin Fee — $0.01 per transaction
Annual Participation Fee — $20 per location

Matt RejManaging PartnerSince joining MCC in 2017, Matt has built and led a high-performing sales team focused on educating businesses about hidden processing costs. He develops enterprise-level partnerships while helping companies of all sizes reduce their processing fees. Matt's consultative approach and industry expertise drive MCC's continued expansion across new markets.

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