PPI still has several types of plans according to my understanding. I choose to forgo the plan with the monthly charge of about $25 (at least that's what it was when I gave it up) with the lower service rate (I don't know what they are) as there are months when I don't do any processing. In exchange for not paying the monthy charges, I pay a higher service rate on Visa, MasterCard and Discover (no AMEX).  For US transactions, it's 3.5% and for international transacations 4.5%. There are additional fees and charges will usually add a few more dollars to each $1000 I process. I have found the charges a bit confusing at times, but have found PPI helpful with explaining the charges. Nevertheless, I am looking around for a less expensive merchant account if I can find a company that provides equally responsible customer service.