The Statement Review Resource Center organizes the method, terminology, examples and checklists used to understand merchant-processing statements without assuming every unfamiliar charge is improper or that savings are guaranteed.
Written and reviewed by Raied Muheisen · Last reviewed June 21, 2026
Start here
- Statement review methodology
- Illustrative statement breakdown
- Statement Review Checklist
- Hidden processing fees explained
- Compare proposals line by line
- Interchange-plus vs flat-rate
Review principles
- Define the period and merchant context.
- Separate fee categories before judging them.
- Calculate effective rate with a consistent numerator.
- Review equipment, software and agreement terms separately.
- Record questions one statement cannot answer.
What a complete statement review should produce
A useful review identifies the statement period, sales and transaction totals, pricing structure, transaction categories, processor and network charges, monthly or incidental fees, equipment obligations and missing contract information. It should show the effective-rate arithmetic without treating one percentage as the entire decision.
Review boundaries
- Use complete statements and confirm whether multiple merchant accounts are involved.
- Separate observed charges from assumptions about why a fee appears.
- Do not project savings without a comparable written proposal and documented assumptions.
- Review equipment ownership, software, support and cancellation terms with processing rates.
- Redact account numbers, tax identifiers and other sensitive data.
Final pricing, underwriting, availability and contract terms must come from the responsible provider in writing.