Also called: Assessments, Dues and assessments, Network fees, Card brand fees, Scheme fees
What assessment fees are
Assessment fees are charges card networks collect for transactions using their networks. They are one of the three main layers in your card costs: interchange goes to the issuing bank, assessment fees go to the network, and your processor charges a markup. You might see these charges grouped as assessments, dues and assessments, or network fees.
The network charge is not always just a percentage of each sale. As of 2026, Visa charges an assessment of 0.14% on credit sales and 0.13% on debit and prepaid sales. Visa also charges an Acquirer Processing Fee per authorization, plus a monthly Fixed Acquirer Network Fee based on location count for card-present businesses and card-not-present volume.
The network fee is not negotiable; an extra processor markup disguised as a network fee is.
How the charges work
Each network has its own fee schedule. As of 2026, Mastercard charges a 0.14% assessment on sales, plus another 0.01% on transactions of $1,000 or more. Its Network Access and Brand Usage fee is $0.0195 per authorization. Visa’s Acquirer Processing Fee is $0.0195 per credit authorization and $0.0155 per debit authorization in the United States.
These amounts are network charges, not processor markup. A processor collects the charges as part of your payment bill, but the network sets the fees. Your processor’s separate markup is the negotiable part. Visa’s monthly Fixed Acquirer Network Fee is a different kind of network charge, so a monthly fee should not be mistaken for a percentage assessment.
Illustrative Visa credit assessment
| Monthly Visa credit sales | $100,000 |
|---|---|
| Assessment rate, as of 2026 | 0.14% |
| Assessment amount | $140 |
Illustrative calculation only. It excludes authorization charges, monthly network fees, interchange, and processor markup.
What assessment fees mean for your costs
Assessment fees are usually smaller than interchange, but percentage fees and per-authorization fees add up across your sales. For an illustrative month with $100,000 in Visa credit sales, the 0.14% assessment equals $140, before per-authorization charges and any monthly network fees.
You cannot negotiate the network’s published fee. You can still challenge a processor bill that appears to charge more than the network cost, or that adds a separate markup under a network-fee label. A low quoted processor margin does not tell you whether these pass-through charges are being billed accurately.
Where assessment fees appear on your statement
On an interchange-plus statement, look for lines labeled Assessments, Dues & Assessments, Network Fees, or Card Brand Fees. Some statements also list specific charges such as Visa APF or FANF, or Mastercard NABU. Compare the percentage assessment with the card network, card type, and sales volume, then compare per-authorization fees with your authorization activity.
With flat-rate or tiered pricing, assessment fees are usually included in the quoted rate instead of appearing as separate pass-through lines. In that case, you cannot verify the network charge from a single line. Compare the total processing cost and the processor’s stated markup with an interchange-plus quote that itemizes network charges.
What you can actually change
- Separate the layers. On an itemized statement, identify interchange, network charges, and processor markup separately. The markup is the part you can negotiate.
- Check the network math. Compare assessment percentages with the card network and card type. Check per-authorization fees against your authorization counts, and review monthly fees separately.
- Question extra charges. Ask for the calculation behind any processor-added amount labeled network fee or assessment. Compare it with the published network charge and your agreement’s processor markup.
Frequently asked questions
Are assessment fees negotiable?
No. Card networks set assessment fees, and your processor passes them through. Your processor’s markup is negotiable, so check that any additional amount labeled as a network fee is not processor markup in disguise.
What is the difference between assessment fees and interchange?
Assessment fees go to the card network. Interchange goes to the bank that issued the customer’s card. Both are separate from your processor’s markup and form distinct parts of your card-processing costs.
How do assessment fees show up on a merchant statement?
Look for lines such as Assessments, Dues & Assessments, Network Fees, or Card Brand Fees. Network-specific charges can also appear by name, such as Visa APF or FANF and Mastercard NABU. Flat-rate and tiered pricing usually bundle these costs.