#pricing
Pricing
Pricing plans, comparisons, and value propositions
The $38 Billion Visa–Mastercard Swipe-Fee Settlement: What Small Businesses Can Now Surcharge, Decline, and Discount at the Register
In June 2026 a federal judge preliminarily approved the $38 billion Visa–Mastercard settlement, cutting average credit interchange by about 0.1 point for five years, capping standard consumer cards at 1.25% for eight years, and — with no sunset date — letting merchants surcharge by card type or decline premium card categories. Here is what the settlement permits, which states still ban or cap surcharging, and the network compliance checklist to follow before changing point-of-sale pricing.
ERPNext vs. Odoo for a Bootstrapped Product Business: Why the Open-Source Licensing Split Changes Your Real Total Cost of Ownership
ERPNext ships every module — accounting, payroll, manufacturing — free under AGPLv3, while Odoo paywalls those features in a proprietary Enterprise edition priced around $24–36 per user per month. Five-year cost estimates run roughly $0–$30K for self-hosted ERPNext versus $10K–$80K for Odoo Enterprise, a gap that matters most for cash-constrained, headcount-growing businesses.
Malta's New VAT-Inclusive Pricing Rule: What Freelancers and Small Businesses Need to Know
Malta's 2026 Budget Implementation Act makes displayed prices presumed VAT-inclusive by law, with only two carve-outs. The domestic small-enterprise exemption holds at €35,000 turnover, new Articles 11A/11B open a €100,000 EU-wide cross-border SME scheme with quarterly declarations, and mandatory e-invoicing is coming as Malta targets its 24.2% VAT gap.
NFIB Optimism Hits 97.4 as Inflation Reclaims the Top Worry: A Small-Business Pricing Guide for Mid-2026
The June 2026 NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.1 points to 97.4 — a four-month high — while 21% of owners named inflation their top problem and 38% raised prices, the most since January 2023. Here's how to turn those numbers into a data-driven pricing decision.
Ramp's $44 Billion Valuation: What the Corporate-Card Land Grab Means for Small Business Fees
Ramp raised $750 million at a $44 billion valuation in June 2026 — nearly triple its worth a year earlier — while Capital One closed its $5.15 billion Brex acquisition. Here's how interchange-funded 'free' corporate cards turn into platform fees, what to check before renewal, and why the spend-management arms race is a pricing signal for small businesses.
The FTC Junk Fees Rule: A Compliance Guide for Ticket Sellers and Short-Term Rental Hosts
The FTC's Junk Fees Rule, in effect since May 2025, requires live-event ticket sellers and short-term lodging hosts to display all-in total prices upfront, with violations carrying civil penalties of up to $51,744 each and a $10 million StubHub settlement already on the books.
Gusto vs. OnPay for Teams Under 10: Which Payroll Pricing Model Actually Fits?
Gusto's Simple tier runs $49/month + $6 per employee but gates multi-state payroll behind an $80 Plus tier; OnPay's single ~$40–59 + $6 plan includes it standard. A feature-by-feature cost comparison for businesses with 2–9 employees, covering PTO, direct deposit, benefits availability, support, and integrations.
Jobber vs. Housecall Pro vs. ServiceTitan: Which Field Service Software Fits Your Business Size?
Jobber ($25–$249/month) fits growing teams of 5–20 technicians, Housecall Pro ($49–$300+/month) suits solo operators under $500K revenue, and ServiceTitan's 5–10× higher cost only pays off past $2M or multiple locations. Here's how to match the platform to your current size — and the per-job fees, data lock-in, and paywalled support to check before signing.
How to Start a Bookkeeping Business in 2026: Certifications, Costs, Pricing, and Your First Clients
A solo bookkeeper with 15–20 clients on $300–$500 monthly retainers can earn $54,000–$120,000 a year, often with under $3,000 in startup costs. This guide covers certification tiers (free QuickBooks/Xero, NACPB CPB at $80–$100, AIPB CB at $479–$574), a realistic startup budget, 2026 retainer benchmarks by client size, niche selection, and the client-acquisition channels that work for new practices.
Snow Cone and Shaved Ice Truck Bookkeeping: Pricing and Cash Flow for a Four-Month Season
A snow cone costs $0.15–$1.25 to make and sells for $2–$5, but that 200–300% margin only covers costs if fixed expenses like truck payments and insurance are spread across a realistic 12–16 week selling season instead of a full year.
Meal Prep Delivery Bookkeeping: Why Your COGS Might Secretly Be Over 100% of Revenue
Meal prep and meal-kit subscriptions must defer prepaid revenue until meals are delivered and roll packaging, delivery, labor, and spoilage into COGS — early-stage operators who skip this often find total COGS above 55%, sometimes exceeding 100% of revenue on specific SKUs.
Algorithmic Pricing and Antitrust Risk: A 2026 Compliance Guide for Small Businesses
DOJ's 2025 RealPage settlement and new 2026 laws in New York, Maryland, and California mean small businesses using algorithmic pricing tools — from Amazon repricers to short-term rental software — now face real antitrust and disclosure compliance risk, not just large landlords.