The FeeShield Guide

Stop Guessing. Start Knowing.

Everything merchants need to understand payment processing fees, cash discounting, and compliance — in plain English.

B2B Guide

B2B Credit Card Processing Fees: What Business Owners Are Actually Paying

B2B credit card processing fees run 2.5–3.5%+ on corporate and purchasing cards. See exactly what a $50K business invoice costs to process — and how to stop overpaying.

7 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Comparison Guide

Visa vs Mastercard Processing Fees in 2026: What's Changing and Why It Matters

Side-by-side comparison of Visa vs Mastercard interchange rates, new fees, data requirements, and the 2025 settlement — and which network costs your business more in 2026.

12 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Fee Changes

Visa Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026: What Changed and What It Costs You

Visa interchange rates, the CEDP program, Level 2 sunset, digital commerce fees, and the 2025 settlement — every Visa fee change affecting your processing costs.

10 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Fee Changes

Mastercard Interchange Fees for Small Business in 2026: Rates, Changes, and How to Pay Less

Mastercard's new authorization penalties, MOTO fee expansion, NABU increase, and the real cost breakdown for a New England small business processing Mastercard transactions.

10 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Merchant Guide

Hidden Credit Card Processing Fees Explained: What You're Really Paying

Most merchants pay 2–3x more than they should. A plain-English breakdown of every hidden fee layer — interchange, tiered pricing markup, monthly fee stacks, and the ETF trap — with real processor cost comparisons.

11 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Cost Reduction

How to Reduce Credit Card Processing Costs for Small Business

7 proven strategies ordered by impact — from eliminating the monthly fee stack and switching to interchange-plus pricing, to cash discounting that brings your effective processing cost to near-zero.

10 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Comparison Guide

Cash Discount vs Surcharge Program: Which Reduces Your Fees More?

Both programs eliminate processing costs — but they work differently, have different legal requirements, and suit different business types. The full side-by-side comparison for 2026, including New England state rules.

12 min read · May 2026 Read article →
Merchant Guide

Hidden Payment Processing Fees: The Complete Merchant's Guide

PCI fees, regulatory fees, batch fees, statement fees — your processor invented all of them. Here's a line-by-line breakdown of every fee you shouldn't be paying, and what to do about it.

12 min read · April 2026 Read article →
Compliance Guide

Cash Discounting vs Surcharging: Compliance Guide for 2026

Both programs reduce your processing costs to near-zero. But the rules are different, the state laws are different, and the wrong choice can expose you to fines. Here's what you need to know.

10 min read · April 2026 Read article →
How-To

How to Audit Your Payment Processing Statement

Most merchants have never actually read their processing statement. Here's a step-by-step guide to find the fees you're overpaying — and calculate exactly how much you're losing every month.

8 min read · April 2026 Read article →
Comparison

Best Payment Processors for New England Small Businesses (2026 Comparison)

Heartland, Square, Shift4, Worldpay, Clover, or FeeShield? An honest side-by-side comparison with real pricing data, hidden fee warnings, and a clear recommendation for each business type.

14 min read · April 2026 Read article →
High-Risk Guide

High-Risk Merchant Account Guide: What New England Business Owners Need to Know

CBD, firearms, supplements, adult retail — what makes a business high-risk, which processors actually approve you, and how to avoid the 5–7% rate traps that prey on merchants with limited options.

13 min read · April 2026 Read article →
Restaurant Guide

Payment Processing for Restaurants: How to Stop Losing Money on Card Fees

Tip adjustments, POS integration fees, and tiered pricing cost New England restaurants thousands per year. Here's a breakdown of real costs — and how cash discounting changes the math entirely.

11 min read · April 2026 Read article →

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