QuickBooks Now Lets You Add Credit Card Surcharges to Invoices
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
If credit card processing fees have been eating into your bottom line, QuickBooks Online has introduced a feature that may help.
QuickBooks Payments is rolling out percentage-based credit card surcharging, allowing eligible businesses to pass the applicable credit card surcharge on to customers who choose to pay an invoice by credit card.
Previously, businesses that wanted to recover these costs often added a separate “Credit Card Processing Fee” line item to an invoice. The problem? That fee was already on the invoice regardless of how the customer ultimately paid.
With QuickBooks’ native surcharge feature, the fee is applied only when the customer chooses an eligible credit card at checkout.
How to Turn on Credit Card Surcharging in QuickBooks Online
If the feature is available in your QuickBooks account:
- Go to Settings ⚙️
- Select Account and Settings
- Select Sales
- Find Invoice payments and click Edit
- Turn on Percentage based surcharging
- Select Credit card
- Review and accept the applicable terms
- Click Save
You may also be able to enable surcharging directly from an invoice by going to Manage → Payment methods → Surcharging
A Few Things You Need to Know
Before turning the feature on, there are some important limitations.
QuickBooks determines the surcharge percentage. You cannot simply choose your own surcharge rate.
The surcharge applies when a customer pays an eligible invoice online using a Visa or Mastercard credit card.
When credit card surcharging is enabled on an invoice, certain other payment methods, including debit cards, prepaid cards, American Express, Discover, and Apple Pay, may not be available for that invoice.
QuickBooks calculates the surcharge separately and tracks the surcharge income separately, which can make the accounting cleaner than manually adding a processing-fee line item.
Finally, this feature is still being rolled out. If you don't see Percentage based surcharging in your QuickBooks Payments settings, it may simply not be available for your account yet.
Should You Use the QuickBooks Surcharge Feature or Add a 3% Fee to Your Invoice?
When the native QuickBooks feature is available, we generally prefer it over automatically adding a generic 3% credit card processing fee to every invoice.
Why?
Because you don't necessarily know how a customer is going to pay when you send the invoice.
If you add a 3% fee as a line item and the customer decides to pay by ACH, check, or another fee-free method, you're now charging a processing fee for a transaction that wasn't processed by credit card.
With QuickBooks' surcharge feature, the charge is triggered by the customer's actual payment choice. That makes the invoice cleaner and helps avoid unnecessary adjustments or conversations with customers.
What Should You Tell Your Customers?
It's a good idea to include clear payment instructions on your invoices so customers aren't surprised when they reach checkout.
For example:
“Payment can be made securely online using the payment link provided. ACH/bank transfer is available at no additional charge. Credit card payments are subject to the applicable processing surcharge, which will be calculated and displayed at checkout before payment is submitted.”
This gives customers the option to avoid the surcharge by selecting another available payment method while clearly explaining what happens if they choose to pay by credit card.
The Bottom Line
For businesses that invoice through QuickBooks Online, native credit card surcharging is a useful improvement
Instead of manually adding processing fees, adjusting invoices when customers pay another way, or absorbing every credit card fee as a cost of doing business, QuickBooks can now handle the surcharge as part of the payment process for eligible transactions.
Just remember that credit card surcharge rules can vary based on card-network requirements and state law, so businesses should make sure surcharging is appropriate for their particular situation before enabling it.
For setup instructions and current eligibility requirements, visit Intuit's QuickBooks guidance on adding surcharges to customer invoice payments.
If you have questions about credit card surcharging or would like help determining whether this QuickBooks feature is a good fit for your business, contact the team at J&S.
About J&S Accounting
At J&S Accounting, we provide expert bookkeeping services tailored to the unique needs of small businesses and non-profits. We recognize the challenges that come with maintaining accurate financial records and how vital this is for the smooth operation and growth of your business. As a woman and minority-owned firm, we’re proud to offer our expertise to businesses in Savannah, GA, and across the nation, helping them navigate financial complexities and achieve better financial management.
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Disclaimer:This content is for information purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting, or tax advice, or a substitute for obtaining such advice specific to your business from a professional accountant. Additional information and exceptions may apply. Applicable laws may vary by state or locality. No assurance is given that the information is comprehensive in its coverage or that it is suitable in dealing with a customer’s particular situation. J&S Accounting does not have any responsibility for updating or revising any information presented herein. Accordingly, the information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research. J&S Accounting does not warrant that the material contained herein will continue to be accurate, nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers and viewers should verify statements before relying on them.
© 2023 J&S Accounting. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
This content is for information purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting, or tax advice, or a substitute for obtaining such advice specific to your business from a professional accountant. Additional information and exceptions may apply. Applicable laws may vary by state or locality. No assurance is given that the information is comprehensive in its coverage or that it is suitable in dealing with a customer’s particular situation. J&S Accounting does not have any responsibility for updating or revising any information presented herein. Accordingly, the information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research. J&S Accounting does not warrant that the material contained herein will continue to be accurate, nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers and viewers should verify statements before relying on them.