Is surcharging the same thing as dual pricing or cash discount?

No. Surcharging adds a fee only at the point of card payment without necessarily showing a second price up front, and it is restricted or banned in some states. Dual pricing and cash discount programs are structured differently and are compliant nationwide.

Dual Pricing vs Cash Discount Program | Elite Merchant Solutions (Benjamin Olivares)

Which one fits your business: dual pricing or cash discount?

Q: Which one does Elite Merchant Solutions recommend?

It depends on the business. Elite Merchant Solutions reviews a recent statement and current pricing structure before recommending which model fits.

Answer two quick questions below and get your answer instantly. No signup, no email, just your fit.

Benjamin built this after too many conversations where business owners picked the wrong structure just because it was the one they'd heard of first.

1. How do customers usually see your prices?

2. Do you know if your state restricts card surcharges?

Based on your answers

Dual Pricing

Since customers see your prices before they pay, showing both prices up front tends to feel more transparent, and it's the safer structure if surcharge rules are unclear where you operate.

Talk to Benjamin →

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Compliant in all 50 states

No long-term contract

How each one actually works

Cash discount

You set your regular price and post signage explaining the program.
Card customers pay a small disclosed fee added at checkout.
Cash and ACH customers pay the base price, no fee added.

Retail signage showing a cash price and a slightly higher card price side by side

Dual pricing

Every price on your menu, invoice, or shelf tag shows two numbers, cash and card.
The customer decides which price applies based on how they choose to pay.
There's no fee "added" at checkout since both prices were already shown up front.

Both are fully compliant

Neither program is a workaround or a gray area. Both are recognized by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, as long as pricing is disclosed clearly with proper signage and receipts. Elite Merchant Solutions builds every setup to meet those requirements from day one.

Frequently asked questions

Is one of these cheaper than the other?

Not usually. Both are structured to bring your processing cost to effectively zero. The difference is in presentation, not in how much you save.

Can I switch from cash discount to dual pricing later?

Yes, most processing setups can be adjusted if your business changes how it prices or bills customers.

Is surcharging the same thing as either of these?

No. Surcharging adds a fee only at the point of card payment without necessarily showing a second price up front, and it's restricted or banned in some states. Dual pricing and cash discount programs are structured differently and are compliant nationwide.

Which one does Elite Merchant Solutions recommend?

It depends on the business. Send Benjamin a recent statement and a description of how you currently price things, and he'll tell you which structure fits, not just which one's easier to set up.

Want Benjamin to confirm your fit?

Send a recent statement and pricing setup for a straight answer, no obligation.

Find Out Which Fits Your Business Call or text (702) 956-7156