How Are Contractors Handling Processing Fees Legally with Jobber Payments?

We love Jobber Payments but are exploring an Authorize.net integration for this same issue (and seeing if there is a lower processing rate out there). Working to get a demo of the integration set up to see how it works but we are just starting down this path. 

I anyone is curious, message me. Wanting to have this discussion with other operators and see how they are working through it.

MMoody348 big_G Thank you both for sharing your perspective. Processing fees can have a meaningful impact on your margins, and I understand why suggestions to build them into your pricing don’t fully address the request for more control at checkout.

MMoody348, your comparison with Clover helps explain the functionality you’re looking for: identifying the card type and applying an eligible fee based on the payment method selected. I’ll share that specific feedback with our Product team, along with the added cost you’re considering to manage this through another provider.

big_G, to clarify the “included” wording: access to Jobber Payments comes with your subscription without an additional monthly payment-service charge. Transaction processing fees still apply when you collect a payment. I can see how that wording could leave room for confusion.

I also want to acknowledge the concern about previous advice to add a fee as a line item. That suggestion alone doesn’t resolve the payment-method restrictions raised here, and we shouldn’t present it as a solution that works for every business. Thank you for explaining where the current experience falls short.

I am going to be watching this thread as I have been recently more aware of this charge. 3% isn't peanuts, so I do need to make a decision about what to do about that charge myself. I have been eating it, but recently have been thinking about what 3% represents to my day to day, month to month, year to year.

And, roselvaggio​ $29K!?!? DAYUM!

Man, you hit the nail right on the head—this is a huge headache that trips up so many guys in the trades. software companies love to tell you to "just add a line item," but they completely ignore the legal landmine they're handing you when the checkout system can't tell a debit card from a credit card.

​Credit card networks and federal law explicitly prohibit putting a surcharge on debit cards, even when they're run as credit without a PIN, and credit card surcharges themselves are capped at actual processing costs.

​When a platform doesn't have card-type detection built into the checkout screen to catch this automatically, throwing a flat processing fee line item on an estimate or invoice leaves you wide open to merchant agreement violations the second a customer pays with a debit card or bank transfer.

​To dodge that mess, a lot of guys switch over to a cash or ACH discount setup. You set your standard pricing to cover the card fee, then offer a discount if they pay by check, cash, or bank transfer. Card brand rules explicitly allow that, and it gets you around the debit card surcharge traps entirely.

​Another way to handle it is dual pricing, where you state the terms upfront but only attach that fee line item after the client confirms they are using an actual credit card.

​Otherwise, plenty of contractors just bake a couple percent right into their overall overhead and job margins. It stings a little to absorb it, but it completely removes the headache, customer pushback, and compliance risk.

We absorb processing fees rather than adding a separate surcharge. We factor those costs into our annual rate increases every January.

We’ve also run campaigns encouraging clients to switch to ACH, but adoption has been challenging. A lot of our recurring clients simply prefer keeping their cards on file.

At our volume, processing fees are definitely significant ($29.7k YTD!!!), but we’ve found it easier to build them into our pricing rather than complicate the payment experience for clients.

Just add the 3%. 

I highly doubt you're winning jobs because of 3%.

Just add 3% to the cost of your line items then add a line item at the bottom of your quote that's "Cash/Check Discount" and make that a negative amount. Make it optional so they can choose to select it if that's how they pay, then you can disable credit card payments for them. I haven't heard anyone complain about this and it positions it as "you're trying to save them money" rather than charging them additional fees. In California, we aren't legally supposed to do a credit card surcharge anyway - or at least it needs to be on their quote that they sign. 

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with bumping your price up a small percentage to help with your business costs - same as any other expense you incur in the business. Do I wish the jobber fees were less? yes! Is it more professional to pay directly from invoices? Definitely. 

My Chat gpt that I use to produce quote automatically adds that 3% in, then on all my templates I have the cash/ check discount so I don't forget about it. Also, all the time I get asked - If I pay cash, can you give me a discount?? I think they are expecting some drastic savings but I can always respond with yes! 3% haha

Our company is in the same position. I don't understand why Jobber cannot automatically incorporate the surcharge fees into an invoice through the client hub depending on the selection of payment that is made. I am to the point of bringing in another copy that integrates with Jobber to do this for us which of course is going to cost our company more but protect us from absorbing the surcharges. It doesn't seem that Jobber has a way of differing between a debit card and a credit card. We also use Clover for point-of-sale items, and they have integrated the recognition of debit vs credit cards to add the 3% surcharge to credit cards only. This definitely puts all companies associated with Jobber at risk.

We have the same challenge as well..
On top of that, it is illegal to directly charge these fees as a line item in the area where we work.
The best way to handle it for us is to always bake the 3% into the price. For clients who pay credit, it is already there, for those who don't, we make 3% more.

However I am still curious to see how everyone else is handling it.

I have the same feeling about this: Additionally, if Jobber Payments is advertised as being "included" in our program fee, why are we being charged these additional processing fees without the tools necessary to pass them along compliantly? This raises serious concerns for us.