Wave Invoicing United States Fee Calculator
Calculate merchant fees for Wave Starter (2.90% + 60¢), Wave Pro (2.90% + 30¢), and ACH Bank Payment in USD.
Fee Wealth Leakage Radar & Profit Drag
Multi-Rail Arbitrage ("Switch & Save")
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Pass Fee to Client (Legal Surcharge Engine) Calculate zero-shortfall compliant markup & legal surcharge limits
• United States: Visa & Mastercard cap credit card surcharges at 3.00% (effective April 2023). Surcharging debit or prepaid cards is strictly illegal under federal operating rules.
• UK & European Union: Surcharging consumer debit and credit cards is prohibited under PSD2. B2B / corporate card surcharges remain permitted.
• Australia: Governed by RBA; surcharging is legally restricted strictly to the merchant's actual cost of card acceptance.
Client Invoice Message
Bookkeeping Journal Entry
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Wave Payments Fee Architecture: Starter vs Pro & Bank Rails
Wave bifurcates its processing cost structure between free Starter accounts and paid Pro tiers in United States:
Direct account-to-account transfer moving funds at 1.00% without card interchange surcharges.
Free Starter accounts pay 2.90% + 60¢, while Wave Pro subscribers receive a discounted 2.90% + 30¢ rate on domestic transactions.
Wave automatically books invoice proceeds, isolates payment processing fees, and maintains real-time balance sheets without software add-ons.
Mathematical Profit & Gross-Up Formula for Wave
Pass merchant processing deductions directly to customers using this exact algebraic formula:
Worked Example: For a target net deposit of $1,000 on Wave Starter (2.90% + $0.60), bill the client: ($1,000 + $0.60) ÷ (1 - 0.0290) = $1030.48 . When Wave deducts its fee, exactly $1,000.00 lands in your bank account.
Strategic Margin Defense: 4 Protocols for Wave Invoicing
Tactical steps to preserve cash flow and eliminate payment processing losses:
Wave Pro Breakeven Analysis
If your business processes more than 54 card payments monthly, upgrade to Wave Pro. The 30¢ reduction per charge generates net positive financial return beyond the subscription fee.
Route B2B Retainers to Direct Bank Rails
Require clients paying invoices over $500 to use ACH Bank Payment. 1.00% bank fees save substantial margin compared to card processing.
Avoid 1.5% Instant Payout Liquidity Drain
Avoid Wave's optional 1.5% instant payout fee. Standard 1-2 business day automated deposits are free and preserve your operating margins.
Automate Tax Deductions in Wave Accounting
Wave automatically records transaction fees as deductible business expenses, ensuring complete write-off against annual income taxes.
Tax Deductibility & Reconciliation in United States
Wave transaction fees represent ordinary and necessary commercial expenses:
Wave Payments Fee Schedule in United States
| Invoice Amount | Starter Card (2.9% + 60¢) | Pro Card (2.9% + 30¢) | ACH Bank Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $3.50 | $3.20 | $1.00 |
| $500 | $15.10 | $14.80 | $5.00 |
| $1,000 | $29.60 | $29.30 | $10.00 |
| $2,500 | $73.10 | $72.80 | $25.00 |
| $5,000 | $145.60 | $145.30 | $50.00 |
| $10,000 | $290.60 | $290.30 | $100.00 |