What Gravity Payments Merchants May Actually Pay
July 12, 2026
By Jordan Lee, merchant-pricing documentation editor, nine-year payments-support beat (editorial persona)
Last reviewed: July 12, 2026
Gravity Payments advertises 2.5% plus $0.10 per transaction, but that rate is limited to qualifying in-person payments. Software-integrated and card-not-present transactions may receive different pricing, while PCI costs, hardware, account terms and chargebacks can affect the full expense.
This independent guide is not operated by Gravity Payments and cannot quote, cancel or modify an individual merchant agreement.
What is Gravity Payments?
Gravity Payments is a U.S. merchant-services provider offering in-person terminals, online acceptance, ACH, text payments, virtual-terminal tools and integrated payment options. Its public pricing includes a flat-rate plan and customized processing arrangements.
The advertised 2.5% rate has a boundary
The current Gravity Payments pricing page presents a flat-rate option of 2.5% plus $0.10 for qualified, in-person transactions. It also includes access to standalone terminals and U.S.-based support.
The qualifier sits directly beneath the price: payments integrated into software or accepted when the customer is not physically present may not qualify. An online invoice, keyed payment or software-connected transaction should not automatically be budgeted at the advertised in-person rate.
The headline rate is not the whole bill.
Gravity also offers customized pricing with merchant-specific processing rates and fees. The public page does not display a universal markup, monthly minimum, gateway charge or hardware price for that option. Those terms must be checked in the business’s actual quote and agreement.
| Published item | Current disclosure | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified in-person processing | 2.5% + $0.10 | Which card types and transaction methods qualify |
| Integrated or card-not-present processing | May not qualify | Quoted rate and additional gateway or software charges |
| Customized plan | Custom rates and fees | Markup, monthly charges and equipment terms |
| PCI compliance for integrated setups | $115 annually | Whether it applies to the specific merchant configuration |
| Additional integrated location | $55 | Whether each location has a separate merchant account |
| Listed noncompliance charge | $19.95 monthly | Compliance status and applicable program |
Sources: Gravity Payments’ current Pricing and PCI-DSS pages.
Calculate the effective rate from the statement
A merchant’s effective rate combines the visible percentage, transaction charges and the other processing fees appearing during the month. Gravity defines it as total monthly processing fees divided by total monthly card sales.
Its pricing page provides calculator fields labeled Monthly credit card sales and Monthly credit card fees. Entering both produces a high-level percentage, although that figure does not explain which line item caused the cost.
Gravity’s own educational example uses $691.11 in fees and $11,132.58 in sales:
$691.11 ÷ $11,132.58 = 6.2%
The company notes that an effective rate between 2% and 4% may be reasonable for many businesses, while transaction method, card mix, risk classification, international activity, downgrades and compliance costs can push it higher. That range is educational guidance, not a promised Gravity rate.
Check the statement first. Skip comparisons based only on the quoted percentage, because two processors can advertise similar rates while assessing different monthly, transaction or compliance charges.
PCI charges depend on the account setup
Gravity’s PCI page separates integrated payment solutions from non-integrated processing. For integrated merchants, it currently lists a $115 annual PCI Compliance fee, $55 for each additional location and a $19.95 monthly noncompliance charge.
The company says integrated merchants are boarded with SecureTrust after their first 90 days of processing. It also says merchants must complete an applicable Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) at least annually, and that SecureTrust performs vulnerability scans for relevant environments.
A separate subsection describes breach protection at $85 per year, with stated coverage limits and no deductible. The page does not make it sufficiently clear whether every merchant sees that amount as a separate charge, a replacement program or part of another PCI package. Confirm the exact statement descriptors and program terms with Gravity before treating all listed figures as cumulative.
PCI DSS v4.0.1 remains the version featured in the PCI Security Standards Council’s document library. PCI DSS supplies baseline technical and operational requirements for environments that store, process or transmit payment-account data.
Does Gravity Payments require a contract?
Gravity’s current pricing page does not publish a standard contract length or a current early-termination amount. Customized rates and fees are offered, meaning contractual terms may vary by merchant, bank relationship, equipment and processing arrangement.
An older Gravity program guide hosted by the American Booksellers Association contains a three-year initial term and a $495 early-termination fee. It also mentions a possible monthly minimum processing fee determined by the service-fee schedule.
Do not apply that old document to a current account without checking.
The guide involves a specific Gravity and Wells Fargo arrangement and is not proof that every merchant signing in 2026 receives those terms. An independent processor review similarly notes that Gravity has not publicly confirmed one universal contract structure.
Before approval, verify the actual application, service-fee schedule and incorporated program guide for:
- Initial term and renewal language
- Cancellation notice method
- Early-termination calculation
- Monthly minimums
- Equipment ownership or lease terms
- Gateway and statement charges
Use the signed agreement. Skip assumptions drawn from a review written for another merchant or an archived partner program.
Chargebacks use a separate Dispute Manager
Gravity’s Dispute Manager is the portal for viewing and responding to retrieval and chargeback notices. Merchants can also enroll for email notifications when a dispute is issued.
Enrollment depends on the account structure. Gravity tells merchants whose merchant ID begins with 3, as well as businesses with multiple accounts or locations, to contact support for additional instructions. A single-location account beginning with 5 can follow the published enrollment path.
Two concrete problems make the process appear broken:
- The enrollment confirmation may take 24 to 48 hours.
- Dispute Manager opens in a new window, so a pop-up blocker can prevent the portal from appearing.
Do not treat a chargeback like an ordinary refund. Dispute Manager is intended for the formal card-dispute workflow, while voids and refunds are handled through transaction tools. Gravity does not publish one universal response deadline on the reviewed FAQ, so the date displayed on the actual notice should control.
Merchants unable to enroll or sign in are directed to Gravity’s verified support number, 866-701-4700.
Can merchants add a surcharge?
Gravity promotes a compliant surcharging option intended to offset up to 3% of credit-card processing costs, excluding debit cards.
Visa’s U.S. guidance limits a surcharge to the merchant discount rate for the applicable credit card or 3%, whichever is lower. Debit and prepaid cards cannot be surcharged, and the merchant must provide required customer disclosures. Visa also says the acquirer must be notified 30 days before surcharging begins.
State restrictions may apply. Confirm the current card-brand rules, state law and Gravity setup before adding a fee; copying another business’s receipt language is not a compliance process.
FAQ
How much does Gravity Payments charge?
Its published flat rate is 2.5% plus $0.10 for qualifying in-person payments. Other transaction types may receive customized rates.
Is 2.5% the final effective rate?
Not necessarily.
The effective rate includes total processing fees divided by total card sales. PCI charges, transaction fees, card mix, downgrades and other statement items may move the result above the advertised percentage.
Does Gravity Payments charge a PCI fee?
Its current PCI page lists a $115 annual compliance fee for integrated merchants, $55 for additional locations and a $19.95 monthly noncompliance charge. Account setup matters, so verify which program applies.
Is there a $495 cancellation fee?
An older partner program guide contains that amount and a three-year term. Gravity’s current public pricing page does not identify $495 as a universal present-day cancellation fee, so the merchant’s own signed agreement takes priority.
Where are Gravity Payments chargebacks handled?
In Dispute Manager.
Why did the Dispute Manager window not open?
The portal launches in a separate window, and Gravity specifically warns that a pop-up blocker may stop it from appearing.
Can a merchant surcharge debit cards?
No. Gravity and Visa both describe surcharging as a credit-card practice that excludes debit cards.
The practical check is simple: compare the quote with one complete processing statement, identify every recurring fee, and read the cancellation section before equipment is installed.