Food Business Launch Planner
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The headline percentage is rarely the amount an Irish business actually pays. This neutral calculator models Square, SumUp, Stripe and Revolut Business using your monthly turnover, average sale and payment channels, then adds fixed transaction charges, higher-cost cards, hardware, subscriptions, VAT and chargebacks to rank the true monthly cost.
Reviewed 23.07.2026
Use it right here — nothing is saved, and there’s no sign-up.
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The difference between 0.95% and 1.75% looks decisive until the monthly plan, average ticket and card mix are included. Fixed cents per transaction punish small basket sizes, international and commercial cards can carry a much higher rate, and a phone-only setup has a different cost from several standalone terminals. Square also publishes its Irish processing charges plus VAT, which matters to a business that cannot recover it.
The cheapest row is a shortlist rather than a sales recommendation. POS features, ecommerce integration, settlement, support, contracts and negotiated pricing can outweigh a modest fee difference. The calculator therefore shows every cost component, lets you add a bank or merchant-service quote, and prompts higher-volume businesses to test a written custom offer against the same assumptions.
No sign-up, nothing saved — here is what it does with your answers.
There is no single winner. The result changes with turnover, average sale, channel mix, card origin, hardware and whether a monthly plan earns back its fee. That is why the tool uses your numbers rather than one sample business.
Square's published Irish processing fees are stated plus VAT. A VAT-registered business may be able to recover that VAT, while another business may bear it as a cost. The calculator lets you model either case; confirm your own treatment with an accountant.
It covers the main public standard fees, hardware spread over time, plans and chargebacks. It excludes optional POS software, integrations, payout upgrades, currency conversion, contract penalties and negotiated terms, so the final step is always a written provider quote.
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These tools give honest indications using current published rates and guidance, not professional advice. Rules, prices and provider terms change — always confirm the current figures with the relevant official body, provider or qualified professional before you commit.