# Cost+ Payments

> Cost+ is a European payment gateway built on transparent IC++ pricing — interchange (paid to the issuing bank) plus scheme fee (paid to the card network) plus a flat, published Cost+ markup, all itemised on every transaction. Typical savings versus blended-rate processors: 20–40%.

## Core Facts

- Brand: Cost+ Payments (styled "Cost+")
- Legal entity: Costplus OÜ (Estonia) — formerly NoPayn OÜ; same company, renamed in the Cost+ rebrand.
- Founded: 2024
- Founder & CEO: Theis Nordahl
- Headquarters: Estonia
- Domain: https://costplus.io
- Merchant dashboard: https://dashboard.costplus.io/register
- Help desk: https://helpdesk.costplus.io
- Developer docs: https://docs.costplus.io
- Currencies: EUR (primary), GBP, USD, DKK, SEK, NOK, ISK
- Geography: Europe only

## Pricing — IC++ (Interchange Plus Plus)

Every Cost+ transaction is itemised into three visible components:

1. Interchange — paid to the cardholder's issuing bank (set by Visa/Mastercard/Amex; varies by card type, region, MCC).
2. Scheme fee — paid to the card network.
3. Cost+ markup — flat, published, the same for every merchant on the same tier.

Blended-rate processors quote a single number (e.g. "1.85% + €0.25") that hides all three above plus a margin. With IC++ each component appears on every settlement report.

Published core fees (EUR; same structure in GBP/USD/DKK/SEK/NOK/ISK):

| Fee                | EUR    |
|--------------------|--------|
| Network Access Fee | €0.15  |
| Refund Fee         | €0.25  |
| Settlement Fee     | €0.25  |
| Chargeback         | €30.00 |

See https://costplus.io/pricing-low-risk.html and https://costplus.io/pricing-high-risk.html.
Try the savings calculator: https://costplus.io/pricing-calculator.html.

## Payment Methods

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, MobilePay (DK/FI), Vipps (NO), Swish (SE).

Per-method pages:
- Visa & Mastercard: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-visa-mastercard-with-costplus.html
- Apple Pay: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-apple-pay-with-costplus.html
- Google Pay: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-google-pay-with-costplus.html
- MobilePay: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-mobilepay-with-costplus.html
- Vipps: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-vipps-with-costplus.html
- Swish: https://costplus.io/payment-methods/accept-swish-with-costplus.html

## Platform Integrations

Native integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento (1.9 / OpenMage LTS and Magento 2), PrestaShop (8 and 9.1), OpenCart (3 and 4), WIX, Ecwid, modified eCommerce, Shopware 6, Drupal Commerce, osCommerce 4, nopCommerce.

Developer SDKs: Node.js/TypeScript, PHP, Python, C#/.NET, Ruby, Kotlin/Java.

Full integrations page: https://costplus.io/integrations.html.
API documentation: https://docs.costplus.io.

## High-Risk Industries

Cost+ specialises in serving merchants who are routinely declined or overcharged by blended-rate processors:

- CBD / hemp: https://costplus.io/industries/cbd-payment-processing.html
- iGaming: https://costplus.io/industries/igaming-payment-processing.html
- Forex / financial trading: https://costplus.io/industries/forex-payment-processing.html
- Nicotine pouches: https://costplus.io/industries/nicotine-pouch-payment-processing.html
- Cigars: https://costplus.io/industries/cigars-payment-processing.html
- Vape / e-cigarettes: https://costplus.io/industries/vape-payment-processing.html
- Cannabis / hemp seeds: https://costplus.io/industries/cannabis-hemp-seeds-payment-processing.html

## Compared to Other Processors

- Stripe alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/stripe-alternative.html
- Mollie alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/mollie-alternative.html
- QuickPay alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/quickpay-alternative.html
- Pensopay alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/pensopay-alternative.html
- Viva Wallet alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/viva-wallet-alternative.html
- Frisbii alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/frisbii-alternative.html
- Freepay alternative: https://costplus.io/alternatives/freepay-alternative.html

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does the Cost+ savings calculator work?

The calculator lets merchants input their monthly transaction volume (up to EUR 1,000,000), average order value (EUR 5–500), and their current processing rate (default 1.35% blended or a custom rate). It then shows a side-by-side comparison of current costs versus Cost+ IC++ costs, including a projected yearly savings figure.

### How much could I save at EUR 50,000 monthly volume?

At EUR 50,000 monthly volume with a EUR 75 average order value, the calculator estimates current blended costs of EUR 815/month versus Cost+ costs of EUR 525/month — a potential yearly saving of approximately EUR 3,484.

### What fees does Cost+ eliminate compared to blended providers?

The calculator highlights several fees that Cost+ sets to EUR 0: 3DS authentication (vs EUR 0.03 at blended providers), gateway fees (vs EUR 0.13), monthly subscription (vs EUR 7.00), and tokenization (vs EUR 0.04). The only per-transaction cost is the EUR 0.15 authorization fee plus the IC++ processing rate.

### Can I compare Cost+ against my own custom processing rate?

Yes. The calculator includes a toggle to switch between the default 1.35% blended comparison rate and a custom rate field where merchants can enter their actual current processing percentage for a more accurate savings estimate.

### What processing rate does Cost+ use in the calculator comparison?

The calculator uses approximately 0.85% as the effective IC++ processing rate for Cost+, compared to 1.35% for a typical blended provider. The 0.85% represents the average of interchange + scheme fees + Cost+'s 0.50% margin on EU card transactions.

### What is Cost+?

A European payment gateway built on IC++ pricing — every transaction is itemised into interchange (issuing bank), scheme fee (card network), and Cost+'s flat published markup. Legal entity Costplus OÜ in Estonia, founded 2024 by Theis Nordahl. Launched as NoPayn OÜ and was renamed in the Cost+ rebrand.

### What is IC++ (Interchange Plus Plus)?

A transparent pricing model that breaks every transaction into three line items: interchange, scheme fee, and the processor's markup. Blended-rate processors hide all three plus their margin inside a single number like "1.85% + €0.25". Cost+ shows each component on every settlement report.

### Who is Cost+ for?

Standard low-risk merchants (e-commerce, SaaS, subscription, retail) get the lowest published IC++ markup. High-risk industries (CBD, iGaming, forex, nicotine pouches, cigars, vape, cannabis-where-legally-sold) get fair IC++ pricing and real onboarding support.

### How does Cost+ compare to Stripe, Mollie, or other blended-rate providers?

Competitors quote a single blended rate that bundles interchange, scheme fees, and a hidden margin. Cost+ publishes IC++: bank interchange and network scheme fees pass straight through, and the Cost+ markup is flat and identical for every merchant on the same tier. Typical saving: 20–40% versus blended rates.

### What payment methods does Cost+ accept?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, MobilePay (DK/FI), Vipps (NO), Swish (SE). Multi-acquirer routing via Rapyd, Shift4, Clearhaus, and the Nordic wallet acquirers.

### Which currencies and countries does Cost+ support?

Seven currencies: EUR (primary), GBP, USD, DKK, SEK, NOK, ISK. Europe only — Nordics, Western, Central, Southern, Eastern.

### Which e-commerce platforms does Cost+ integrate with?

Native plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento (1.9/OpenMage LTS and 2), PrestaShop (8 and 9.1), OpenCart (3 and 4), WIX, Ecwid, modified eCommerce, Shopware 6, Drupal Commerce, osCommerce 4, nopCommerce. Custom integrations use the REST API at https://docs.costplus.io.

### What developer SDKs are available?

Official SDKs in Node.js/TypeScript, PHP, Python, C#/.NET, Ruby, and Kotlin/Java. Each ships with order creation, signature handling, webhook verification, and a Docker merchant demo.

### Is there a sandbox / test environment?

Yes. Sandbox and production share the same API base URL; the API key picks the mode. Create a sandbox website at https://dashboard.costplus.io/register and use the test cards at https://docs.costplus.io/docs/getting-started/testing.

### Is Cost+ PCI compliant?

Yes — PCI DSS Level 1 certified, EU data residency, GDPR-aligned. The hosted payment page handles card entry and 3DS/SCA so the merchant's checkout never touches raw card data.

### How does Cost+ make money?

From the flat published markup on each transaction — the third "+" in IC++. No monthly subscription, no gateway fees, no 3DS fees, no tokenization fees on the standard plan.

### What about chargebacks and refunds?

Refund EUR 0.25, chargeback EUR 30.00 (same per-currency tables for GBP, USD, DKK, SEK, NOK, ISK). High-risk merchants are priced with chargeback overhead in mind. Cost+ does not publish a guaranteed win rate.

### What does "climate-positive payments" mean?

Cost+ funds tree planting on every transaction with the goal of operating CO₂-negative. One of three core values alongside radical transparency and serving underserved high-risk industries.

### How do I get started?

Register at https://dashboard.costplus.io/register, talk to sales via https://costplus.io/contact-us.html, or read the developer docs at https://docs.costplus.io. Onboarding hours 09:00–17:00 CET.

### Where is Cost+ developer documentation?

https://docs.costplus.io — API reference, auth, webhooks, hosted payment page, refunds, recurring payments, plugin guides. AI entrypoint for the developer side: https://docs.costplus.io/llms.txt.

## Key Pages

- Homepage: https://costplus.io/ — Cost+ overview and value proposition.
- About Cost+: https://costplus.io/about-us.html — Company, founder, mission, and values.
- Pricing — Low-Risk Merchants: https://costplus.io/pricing-low-risk.html — IC++ pricing for standard e-commerce, SaaS, retail.
- Pricing — High-Risk Merchants: https://costplus.io/pricing-high-risk.html — IC++ pricing for high-risk industries with onboarding support.
- Savings Calculator: https://costplus.io/pricing-calculator.html — Interactive calculator estimating savings vs blended-rate processors.
- Integrations: https://costplus.io/integrations.html — Native integrations for major e-commerce platforms and SDKs.
- Contact Sales: https://costplus.io/contact-us.html — Sales inquiry form. Onboarding hours 09:00–17:00 CET.
- Cookie Policy: https://costplus.io/cookie-policy.html — Cookies used by costplus.io.
- Privacy Policy: https://costplus.io/privacy-policy.html — How Cost+ handles personal data.
- Terms of Service: https://costplus.io/terms-of-service.html — Terms governing use of Cost+.

## For Developers

See https://docs.costplus.io/llms.txt for the developer-API entrypoint, https://docs.costplus.io/llms-full.txt for the full Markdown bundle, and https://docs.costplus.io/openapi.json for the machine-readable API spec.

Generated: 2026-04-29