{"id":8561,"date":"2026-03-02T07:26:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T11:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geasypay.com\/?p=8561"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:28:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T14:28:17","slug":"barometre-2026-des-frais-de-transaction-au-quebec-combien-vous-pay-vraiment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/geasypay.com\/en\/barometre-2026-des-frais-de-transaction-au-quebec-combien-vous-pay-vraiment\/","title":{"rendered":"Barom\u00e8tre 2026 des frais de transaction au Qu\u00e9bec : combien vous pay vraiment ?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quebec merchants pay an average fee of between 1.5% and 2.5% on each credit card transaction, but hidden charges often add a further 15-25% to the posted cost.<\/strong> In 2026, despite the interchange cuts announced by the federal government, several discreet increases from Visa, Mastercard and even Interac are eating away at the promised savings.<\/p>\n

At Geasy Pay, we believe merchants deserve to understand exactly what they’re paying. That’s why we’re publishing this first annual Barometer of transaction fees in Quebec<\/strong>, with the real numbers, the fees nobody’s showing you, and what you can do to reduce your bill. <\/p>\n

Last update: February 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Portrait 2026 at a glance<\/h2>\n

Before going into detail, here’s what the average Quebec merchant will pay in 2026 on a $100 transaction:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Payment methods<\/th>\nInterchange<\/th>\nNetwork fee<\/th>\nMarkup processor<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Visa\/MC (eligible SMEs)<\/strong><\/td>\n0,95 $<\/td>\n0,08 – 0,10 $<\/td>\n0,15 – 0,70 $ + 0,05 – 0,15 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Visa\/MC (standard)<\/strong><\/td>\n1,00 – 1,40 $<\/td>\n0,08 – 0,10 $<\/td>\n0,15 – 0,70 $ + 0,05 – 0,15 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Premium \/ Infinite card<\/strong><\/td>\n1,80 – 2,00 $<\/td>\n0,08 – 0,10 $<\/td>\n0,15- 0,70 $ + 0,05 – 0,15 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
American Express (OptBlue)<\/strong><\/td>\n1,60 – 2,40 $<\/td>\nincluded<\/td>\n0,30 $ + 0,10 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interac debit<\/strong><\/td>\n0.02 (fixed)<\/td>\n0,006 $<\/td>\n0,05 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interac Flash (contactless)<\/strong><\/td>\n0.02 (fixed)<\/td>\n0,006 $<\/td>\n0,05 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

An Interac debit transaction costs between 8 and 15 times less than a credit card transaction. And a premium card (Visa Infinite, World Elite) costs up to twice as much as a basic card. It’s the merchant who pays the difference, not the consumer. In Quebec, unlike the rest of Canada, the Consumer Protection Act<\/a> prohibits merchants from charging additional fees to customers who pay by credit card. So you absorb 100% of the charges. <\/p>\n

How much it costs per year, depending on your sector<\/h2>\n

Transaction costs vary depending on your type of business. Here’s a realistic estimate based on average volumes and the typical payment mix in Quebec in 2026. <\/p>\n

Catering (table service)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Average annual sales<\/strong><\/td>\n500 000 – 800 000 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by credit card<\/strong><\/td>\n65 – 75 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by Interac debit<\/strong><\/td>\n20 – 25 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% cash payment<\/strong><\/td>\n5 – 10 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weighted average effective rate<\/strong><\/td>\n~1,8 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estimated annual transaction costs<\/strong><\/td>\n6 500 – 10 800 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average ticket<\/strong><\/td>\n45 – 65 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Restaurant peculiarity:<\/strong> tips are often added to the card transaction. So you pay interchange fees on the tip too, an invisible cost that can represent $500 to $1,000 a year<\/strong> for a busy restaurant. <\/p>\n

Retail trade<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Average annual sales<\/strong><\/td>\n300 000 – 600 000 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by credit card<\/strong><\/td>\n50 – 60 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by Interac debit<\/strong><\/td>\n30 – 35 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% cash payment<\/strong><\/td>\n10 – 15 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weighted average effective rate<\/strong><\/td>\n~1,5 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estimated annual transaction costs<\/strong><\/td>\n3 400 – 6 800 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average ticket<\/strong><\/td>\n30 – 80 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Professional services (trade shows, clinics, workshops)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Average annual sales<\/strong><\/td>\n150 000 – 400 000 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by credit card<\/strong><\/td>\n70 – 80 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by Interac debit<\/strong><\/td>\n15 – 20 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% cash payment<\/strong><\/td>\n5 – 10 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weighted average effective rate<\/strong><\/td>\n~1,9 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estimated annual transaction costs<\/strong><\/td>\n2 100 – 5 700 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average ticket<\/strong><\/td>\n50 – 150 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

E-commerce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Average annual sales<\/strong><\/td>\n100 000 – 500 000 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% payment by credit card<\/strong><\/td>\n90 – 95 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% other payments (PayPal, bank transfer)<\/strong><\/td>\n5 – 10 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weighted average effective rate<\/strong><\/td>\n~2,4 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estimated annual transaction costs<\/strong><\/td>\n2 200 – 11 400 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average ticket<\/strong><\/td>\n60 – 120 $<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Why is it more expensive online?<\/strong> Card-not-present transactions carry a higher risk of fraud. The networks compensate with interchange rates that are 0.4 to 0.5% higher than in-store transactions.<\/p>\n

The promised drop vs. the reality: what has really changed?<\/h2>\n

What the government has announced<\/h3>\n

In October 2024, the federal government implemented the agreement negotiated with Visa and Mastercard:<\/p>\n