# Card Fees, PayID or Bank Transfer: What Costs a Cleaner Less?

Canonical URL: https://tidyly.au/resources/cleaning-business-payment-fees
Markdown URL: https://tidyly.au/resources/cleaning-business-payment-fees/content.md
Author: Tidyly Editorial Team
Category: Pricing & quoting
Published: 2026-08-02T09:00:00+10:00
Updated: 2026-08-02T09:00:00+10:00
Primary keyword: payment methods for cleaning business Australia
Language: en-AU
Geographic focus: Australia

> Compare card, online invoice, PayID and bank-transfer costs for cleaners, including payment speed, unpaid admin and Australia's changing surcharge rules.

## Key Takeaways

- Compare payment cost at the actual invoice values the business uses.
- Include time spent matching transfers and chasing missing references.
- Australia's card-surcharge rules change from 1 October 2026.
- Payment choice should protect both margin and payment speed.

The cheapest payment method is not always the one with the lowest visible fee. Bank transfer may have no transaction charge but create more checking and follow-up. Card payments cost a percentage but can remove friction and shorten the wait. The useful comparison includes the fee, administration, customer convenience and likelihood of being paid promptly.

## Current advertised card costs

As checked on 2 August 2026:

- Stripe advertises 1.7% plus A$0.30 for domestic online card payments, with fees including GST.
- Square advertises 1.6% for in-person card transactions and 2.2% for online transactions. Account history or custom pricing may change the actual rate.

Always check the provider account and current pricing page before publishing a fixed comparison.

## What the fee looks like on normal cleaning invoices

*Comparison table*

| Invoice | Stripe domestic online | Square in person | Square online |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A$100 | A$2.00 | A$1.60 | A$2.20 |
| A$250 | A$4.55 | A$4.00 | A$5.50 |
| A$500 | A$8.80 | A$8.00 | A$11.00 |

These examples use the advertised base rates above and do not include international cards, currency conversion, disputes, instant transfers, Afterpay or custom pricing.

## Bank transfer and PayID

Bank transfer or PayID can be simple and low-cost when:

- the customer uses the correct reference
- the cleaner checks payments regularly
- the invoice system makes the bank details clear
- late payments are followed up consistently

The hidden cost appears when the owner spends time searching bank transactions, asking which payment belongs to which job or reminding customers who intended to transfer later.

A zero transaction fee is not a zero-cost process if it creates unpaid admin every week.

## Payment links and online invoices

A customer who can tap a link and pay immediately has fewer steps between receiving the invoice and completing it.

That can be worth more than the transaction fee when it:

- reduces late payment
- removes manual bank matching
- gives the customer a clear receipt
- allows deposits or balances to stay linked to the job

Do not claim that card payments guarantee faster payment. Measure the business's own result.

## Card surcharges are changing

Until 30 September 2026, businesses must follow the current Australian rules, including limits on card surcharges and price-display requirements.

From 1 October 2026, eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and American Express have decided to apply no-surcharge rules to the relevant card payments. Businesses will still incur card-acceptance costs, but those costs may need to be reflected in overall pricing rather than charged as a separate card surcharge.

## Pick a primary method and keep an alternative

A practical setup might be:

- online card payment as the fastest default
- bank transfer or PayID as the fee-free alternative
- in-person Square payment for onsite collection

The best mix depends on customer type and invoice value. Commercial clients may prefer bank transfer. Residential customers may pay a card link instantly.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I add card fees to the invoice?

The rules change from 1 October 2026. Check the current ACCC, RBA and provider rules at the time of charging. Do not rely on an old article or contract setting.

### Is PayID safer than putting bank details on an invoice?

Both require accurate account controls and scam awareness. Use verified business details, protect account access and confirm unusual payment-change requests independently.

### Should I absorb the card fee?

Often it is simpler to include normal payment costs in overall pricing. Compare the fee with the admin and payment delay created by alternatives.

## Summary

Compare payment cost at the actual invoice values the business uses. Include time spent matching transfers and chasing missing references. Australia's card-surcharge rules change from 1 October 2026. Payment choice should protect both margin and payment speed.

## Sources

- [Pricing and fees](https://stripe.com/au/pricing) — Stripe Australia; checked 2026-08-02.
- [Square processing fees and pricing](https://squareup.com/au/en/pricing) — Square Australia; checked 2026-08-02.
- [Card surcharges](https://www.accc.gov.au/business/pricing/card-surcharges) — Australian Competition and Consumer Commission; checked 2026-08-02.
- [Review of Retail Payments Regulation: conclusions paper FAQs](https://www.rba.gov.au/payments-and-infrastructure/review-of-retail-payments-regulation/2026-03/conclusions-paper/faqs/) — Reserve Bank of Australia; checked 2026-08-02.

## Related Tidyly Resources

- [Cleaning Business Invoices: What Australian Cleaners Need to Include](https://tidyly.au/resources/cleaning-business-invoicing-101)
- [How to Reduce Late Payments in a Cleaning Business](https://tidyly.au/resources/how-to-reduce-late-payments-cleaning-business)
- [The Real Cost of Running Cleaning Business Software in Australia](https://tidyly.au/resources/cleaning-business-software-cost-australia)
- [Should a Cleaning Business Take a Deposit?](https://tidyly.au/resources/cleaning-business-deposits)