cardvera
Request access →
Card-testing impact

Card testing bills you before a single chargeback arrives.

Every authorization attempt carries fixed network and processing fees, whether it approves or declines. A testing wave is thousands of declines, and each one lands on your statement. Here is the fee stack, then a calculator you can put your own numbers into.

01 — The mechanics

Three fees that land on every attempt.

These are always-on, per-attempt pass-through fees. They are charged when the authorization request reaches the network, so a declined card test is billed just like a real order. Figures shown are representative; exact amounts vary by processor.

Visa APF
$0.0195/auth
Acquirer Processing Fee. Charged on every authorization attempt — approved or declined.
Every attempt, approved or declined
Mastercard NABU
$0.0195/auth
Network Access & Brand Usage. Same shape, same rule: every attempt counts.
Every attempt, approved or declined
Visa Misuse
$0.09/auth
Misuse-of-Authorization fee. Recently tripled. Hits authorizations not followed by settlement.
Declines (auth, no settlement)
02 — Your exposure

Put your own numbers in.

Enter the declined attempts from one card-testing event. The network fees above are fixed; add your gateway's per-authorization fee for a fuller picture. Nothing leaves your browser.

Typical $0.15–$0.30. Leave blank for network fees only.

Enter a decline count to see the floor.

03 — Where this gets stopped

These fees start the moment the attempt reaches the network.

Gateway-native scoring runs after the attempt is already there, so the per-attempt fees are charged whether it blocks the card or not. Cardvera sits in front of the gateway and turns card testing away before the meter starts.

04 — Get in touch

Get in touch with our experts.

See what this looks like on your own traffic. Tell us what you're seeing and we'll walk you through where Cardvera turns card testing away, before the meter starts.

  • A read on your current per-attempt exposure
  • Where Cardvera sits in front of your gateway
  • No demo booking required. Just a reply.

Talk to an expert

Reply within 48h

Thanks. We're on it.

An expert will reply within 48 hours.
In the meantime, see how Cardvera works →

No spam. No drip campaigns. Just a reply from a human.