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card payment options logo
  • Compare Merchant Services
    • E-Commerce Credit Card Processing
    • Restaurant Point-of-Sale
    • Healthcare Merchant Accounts
    • High-Risk Merchant Services
    • More…
  • Reveal Your Hidden Fees
  • Merchant Account Reviews
Menu
  • Compare Merchant Services
    • E-Commerce Credit Card Processing
    • Restaurant Point-of-Sale
    • Healthcare Merchant Accounts
    • High-Risk Merchant Services
    • More…
  • Reveal Your Hidden Fees
  • Merchant Account Reviews
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Merchant Account Glossary:

Mid-Qualified Rate Definition

Mid-Qualified Rate Explained:

What is a Mid-Qualified Rate? The Mid-Qualified rate is most often found in three-tier merchant account pricing schemes, with the other two tiers referred to as “Qualified” and “Non-Qualified.” This fee is often referred to in the credit card processing industry as a “Mid-Qualified Transaction Fee” or “Mid-Qualified Downgrade Fee,” or just as “Mid-Qual.” This fee is actually a surcharge that is added on top of the base tier (Qualified Rate) for certain card types.

Generally, the Mid-Qualified surcharge costs merchants an additional 1% and is applied because of cards that have a rewards program such as miles or points. However, merchant account providers can define the fee tiers however they choose because there are no industry standards dictating how fees must be defined. One provider may define Mid-Qualified transactions very differently than another, which makes comparing provider costs nearly impossible.

Learn how everything thing you need to know about rates and how to get the lowest fees from any provider in “Fee Sweep: How to Get the Merchant Services You Need Without Getting Scammed.”

Also See:

  • Qualified Rate Definition
  • Non-Qualified Rate Definition
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About The Author

Phillip Parker is a Payments Industry Analyst and creator of this blog, CardPaymentOptions.com. Phillip is passionate about researching merchant service providers and payment industry trends. He is often quoted as an expert source in national publications such as INC Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Entrepreneur, and many others.

“I started this blog because I was disgusted by the business practices of the merchant services industry. I wanted to empower business owners by providing insight on how to avoid shady merchant account providers and costly credit card processing mistakes.” 

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