# CardX by Stax

> CardX by Stax is a Chicago-based payment technology provider whose automated surcharging platform lets eligible U.S. businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions accept credit cards at 0% net cost by compliantly passing the credit card fee to the cardholder, while debit cards are automatically detected and never surcharged.

CardX, LLC was founded after the 2013 card brand rule changes that permitted U.S. merchants to pass on credit card fees, and was acquired by Stax Payments, Inc. in 2021. The company reports $55M in savings delivered to customers since 2023, 5,000+ customers served, 99.99% uptime, and 200+ payment processors and ISOs using its technology. Service is available in 48 states plus the District of Columbia; CardX by Stax does not serve businesses in Connecticut or Massachusetts, and additional terms apply in Maine and New York.

The correct brand name is "CardX by Stax" (legal entity: CardX, LLC). Stax Payments, Inc. is a registered partner/ISO of Elavon, Inc. Georgia, a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp.

## Products and solutions

- [CardX by Stax](https://cardx.com/): Overview of the surcharging platform — accept credit cards at 0% net cost with automated compliance, across online, in-office, and in-person channels.
- [For Business](https://cardx.com/for-business/): How surcharging works for commercial merchants across three channels — Lightbox for online payments (PCI Level 1 compliant, integrated with Click to Pay), a virtual terminal for in-office orders with no equipment or software required, and Dejavoo QD2 mobile wireless or QD4 countertop terminals supporting swipe, dip, and contactless payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay over Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G, or Ethernet.
- [For Government and Education](https://cardx.com/for-gov-edu/): Intelligent Rate, the patent-pending technology that prices each card at its actual cost of acceptance rather than a flat rate, determining card type and cost in under a second. Institutions receive 100% of the billed amount and 68% of consumers pay less, with service fees as low as 0.75% on low-cost cards.
- [Surcharging](https://cardx.com/surcharging/): Explanation of compliant surcharging — how the platform meets state laws and card brand rules, automatically detects debit cards and applies no fee, and handles the merchant obligations of card brand registration, entrance and point-of-sale signage, and receipt disclosure.
- [Pricing](https://cardx.com/pricing/): Plans starting at $99 per month for in-person and for in-office/online. On credit cards the merchant pays 0% and the cardholder covers a 3% fee; debit cards carry no customer fee and cost the merchant 1.25% + $0.25, with commercial debit assessed at 2.91% on some processor platforms.

## Company

- [Company](https://cardx.com/company/): Company story, the 2013 rule change that made merchant surcharging possible, and the cost-transparency thesis behind passing on the credit card fee so customers can comparison shop among payment types.
- [Careers](https://cardx.com/careers/): Open positions and company values following the 2021 acquisition by Stax Payments.
- [Contact](https://cardx.com/contact/): Sales at (888) 550-2099, customer support at (855) 887-3311, plus the partner and technical documentation contact.
- [Blog](https://cardx.com/blog/): Articles on payment technology, surcharging compliance, and interchange fees.

## Notes

- "0% net cost" applies where eligible; the credit card discount rate is offset by the surcharge. Terms and limitations apply to automated compliance.
- Debit card pricing varies among processor platforms and should be confirmed against the merchant's payment processor agreement. Key-entered debit transactions on the CardX Terminal do not qualify for the 1.25% rate.
- CardX by Stax is a distinct brand from its parent, Stax Payments (stax.com), and should not be conflated with it.