Card Terminal Fees in the Procedure Price: How to Build Them In
Quick facts
- Core point
- The price must cover the fee, not just the cost of materials
- Key calculation
- Net amount left after fees, taxes and costs
- Decision
- Absorb it, build it into the price or offer a cash discount
- Caution
- Rules on passing fees to consumers and taxes: check with your accountant and legal counsel
When a patient pays R$ 1,000.00 by card in six installments, the clinic does not receive R$ 1,000.00. It receives that amount minus the card processor's fee, which grows with the number of installments, and minus the cost of advancing the payments, if the clinic does so. Many orofacial harmonization (HOF) clinics only find this out at the end of the month, when the numbers do not match the agreed price.
This guide shows how to put the fee inside the price, how to decide between absorbing and passing it on, how to use the cash discount in the clinic's favor and how to talk to the patient without confusing them. The numbers are hypothetical and serve to illustrate the reasoning. The real fee depends on the contract with your processor.
What does the fee really cost?
The fee is not a single number. It varies by type (debit, credit in one payment, installments), by the number of installments and by the payout time. That is why saying "my fee is 3%" almost never describes the clinic's reality.
| Type | How the fee usually behaves | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Debit | Lower fee, fast payout | Good for smaller amounts |
| Credit in one payment | Intermediate fee | Merchant payout time |
| A few installments | Fee grows with the number of installments | Check the fee per bracket |
| Many installments | Higher fee, long term | The advance can weigh more |
| Pix | Generally no fee or a very low one | Requires checking that the payment arrived |
Take the processor's contract or table and build an effective fee for each installment bracket. If the processor charges little on debit and a lot on 12 installments, your price needs to reflect that. To see the impact in reais, the installment and fee calculator does the math with your values.
The calculation that changes the price
The right question is not "how much does the processor charge?" but "how much do I need to charge to receive the net amount I want?" The formula is simple:
Card price = desired net amount ÷ (1 − effective fee)
Hypothetical example: you want to receive R$ 900.00 net for a procedure. If the effective fee for the chosen installment plan is 6%, the card price should be R$ 900.00 ÷ 0.94, which comes to about R$ 957.45. If you simply add 6% to R$ 900.00, you would get R$ 954.00 and receive less than you wanted, because the fee applies to the total charged, not to the net amount.
That difference looks small on one procedure and gets large over the month. That is why the calculation has to be done by installment bracket, not with an average fee.
Three paths: absorb, build in or pass on
Each clinic chooses how to handle the fee, and the choice should match its positioning and its margin.
- Absorb: there is one price, and the fee comes out of the margin. It is simple to communicate, but only works if the margin can handle the worst-case installment plan.
- Build it in: the price already accounts for an average fee, and the clinic offers a better condition for cash payment. The patient sees one price, and whoever pays on the spot gets a discount.
- Pass it on: installment payments carry a surcharge, clearly disclosed before acceptance. This requires care with transparency and with the applicable rules.
Many clinics combine them: list price on card, with a special condition for cash or Pix. This preserves the perceived value of the procedure and acknowledges the cost of each payment method. The view of the discount as a policy, not a favor, is in discount for cash payment and discount policy.
When the cash discount stops paying off
The cash discount is a trade: the clinic gives up part of the margin in exchange for immediate cash and a lower fee. There is a limit beyond which the trade stops being a good one.
If the effective installment fee is 6% and the cash discount is 10%, the clinic earns more on card than on Pix even after the fee. The discount only pays off when it is smaller than the fee avoided plus the financial gain of receiving the money on the spot. The cash vs. installment discount calculator shows the exact point with your numbers, and the maximum discount without a loss sets the ceiling.
In how many installments?
There is no right number, but there is a logical limit. Very long installment plans cost the clinic a lot and can weigh on the patient's budget. Set the maximum by the length of the treatment: splitting beyond the plan's duration leaves the clinic financing the patient.
See also installment payments for aesthetic procedures and advancing card receivables. In staged plans, paying per session can be simpler than a long installment plan, as shown in staged plan.
How much is really left? The price funnel
To understand the impact, follow the path of the money. Each step reduces what is left for the clinic.
Anyone who looks only at the price and the materials sees a larger margin than the real one. The contribution margin is only reliable after these layers. The price per ml and margin calculator helps redo the math.
How to explain it to the patient without confusing them
Price is a conversation built on trust. Clinics that mix three different tables in the same message make the patient give up trying to understand. Prefer a quote with a simple list: the total amount, the payment methods and what changes in each.
Showing the quote as a PDF with a validity date and informational installments helps keep things clear. In Harmy, the PDF quote shows the price per ml for each area, the discount, the validity and the informational installments, and comes out with the clinic's logo. This reduces the risk of misunderstanding about what was agreed. See the template in a quote the patient understands.
Quiz: do the numbers add up?
Review routine
Each time the processor or the price list is adjusted, redo the math. The annual price adjustments in HOF and the price list adjustment calculator include the fee as a variable. Once a quarter, compare what was sold with what actually reached the account, and note the difference. If it is larger than expected, it is the price that needs adjusting, not the charge to whoever is paying.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge the patient the card terminal fee?
How the fee is handled must be clear and lawful. Many clinics prefer to build the fee into the price and offer a cash condition, rather than adding a fee line. Confirm the applicable rules with your accountant and legal support.
How do I calculate the price to cover the fee?
Divide the desired net amount by one minus the effective fee. If you want to receive R$ 900.00 net and the effective fee is 5%, the card price is R$ 900.00 divided by 0.95. The example is hypothetical.
Should I offer a discount for Pix and cash payment?
It is a common and valid strategy, as long as the discount stays within what the margin allows. The cash discount calculator helps you see the point where the discount stops paying off.
Is it worth advancing card receivables?
It depends on the cost of the advance and on the need for cash. Advancing reduces the amount received and should be included in the price calculation if it is used often.