SurchargeCalc

Help small merchants legally pass card fees and payout delays to customers

Problem

Merchants pay Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 and often wait weeks for payouts. One asked publicly whether it is fair to add a 2% APR-equivalent surcharge based on how long funds take to arrive, but they don't know what's legal where, how much to charge, or how to explain it to customers.

Solution

A tool where you enter payment provider, amount, payout delay and region, and get a legal surcharge range, suggested percentage, customer-facing explanation copy, and compliance flags.

Users

Indie developers, small e-commerce shops and freelancers, especially those collecting cross-border payments.

MVP

Stripe/PayPal fee presets; input average payout days; output suggested surcharge percentage; regional legality notes; copy-paste customer explanation templates.

Revenue

Free basic calculation; paid unlock for multi-region compliance database, invoice templates and API; affiliate deals with payment providers.

Why now

Payment cost sensitivity is rising among indie makers and cross-border sellers, and the question is surfacing in forums. Compliance info is scattered and poorly tooled.