GUIDE / PAYMENT FINANCE
Payment fees, settlement and rolling reserves explained
The costs and timing merchants should actually compare: percentage fee, fixed amount, FX, refunds, payout, reserve and holdback—with a provider-neutral review model.
- Last expert review
- 30 July 2026
- Reviewed by
- FoxPay Product & Compliance
01Fees
Calculate the effective price
Variable fee
Percentage of payment value by method, market or risk scope.
Fixed amount
Fixed fee per transaction—especially relevant for small baskets.
Additional costs
Review refund, FX, dispute, minimum-volume or platform charges separately.
Net effect
Model cost per successful and refunded order rather than list price alone.
02Settlement
When revenue becomes available
Settlement cycle
Frequency and delay between confirmed payment and payout.
Cut-off
Daily cut-offs, weekends and holidays affect the payout run.
References
Payout and payment IDs enable matching with orders.
Exceptions
Open reviews, refunds or technical corrections can change amounts.
03Reserve
Read rolling-reserve terms precisely
Calculation base
Which share of which revenue is retained?
Holding period
When is each reserve portion normally released?
Triggers
Which risk, volume or complaint signals can change the reserve?
Termination
How are remaining amounts handled after termination or account closure?
04Workflow
Make offers comparable
One shared model prevents different definitions from looking like identical prices.
- 01
Volume
Set monthly volume, basket size and method mix.
- 02
Outcomes
Model success, abandonment and refund share.
- 03
Costs
Enter variable, fixed and event-based charges.
- 04
Liquidity
Translate settlement and reserve into cash flow.
- 05
Scenarios
Compare normal, growth and stress cases.
05Evidence
Questions for every offer
Answers should be explicit and in writing.
| Topic | Question | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | What does success/refund cost? | Margin |
| Settlement | When is payout? | Liquidity |
| Reserve | How much and how long? | Tied capital |
| Change | When can terms change? | Predictability |
Concrete FoxPay terms depend on merchant, product and payment scope and the current offer.
06FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers for the current, expert-reviewed scope.
Is a rolling reserve an extra fee?
Not necessarily. It is a temporary holdback. The calculation base, duration, release rules and possible offset matter.
What does settlement mean?
Settlement is the financial accounting and payout of confirmed payments to the merchant, including references and adjustments.
Why is the percentage fee not enough to compare?
Fixed fees, refunds, FX, reserves and payout timing can materially affect cost and liquidity.