Frequently asked questions
How is what you actually receive calculated?
The formula is: you receive = sale amount − gateway fee − VAT on that fee (if the gateway charges it separately) − withholdings (only if the customer pays by card). For example, on a 119,000 COP sale with 19% VAT, paid by card: the gateway charges its fee on the full 119,000; by law, the card-issuing or acquiring entity also withholds 1.5% income-tax withholding on the base excluding VAT (100,000) and 15% VAT withholding on the sale VAT (19,000); what is left after subtracting all of that is what you actually receive. This calculator only models VAT: if your sale carries a consumption tax instead of VAT, that amount also leaves the base before withholdings are calculated, but the tool does not include it.
Why are withholdings deducted when I get paid by card?
When the customer pays by credit or debit card, Colombian law requires the card-issuing or acquiring entity — not the gateway — to withhold a tax prepayment before paying you out: 1.5% income-tax withholding and the municipal tax withholding you declare (both 0% if your company is under the Simple Tax Regime, except for whatever your municipality decides on the municipal tax) and 15% VAT withholding on the sale's VAT. This is not a real cost or a gateway fee: it is a prepayment you later deduct on your tax return. With PSE, Nequi, DaviPlata, the Bancolombia button or cash, this withholding does not apply.
Which gateways does this tool compare, and why is PayU missing?
We compare the standard, publicly published rate of Bold, Wompi, ePayco and Mercado Pago for Colombia, read directly from each one's official rates page. PayU is missing: its payments business merged into Rapyd and we could not find a current, verifiable, standalone rate card for Colombia; we will add it back if one is published again.
Is this always the exact rate I will be charged?
It is the standard published rate for a new account, with no negotiation. If you process high volumes or already have a special plan with the gateway, you may get a different rate by talking to them directly. The rate also varies by plan, by which bank you get paid into, and by how fast you want the money: for example, Bold charges more if you get paid into a different bank, ePayco charges less if you link a Davivienda account, and Mercado Pago charges less if you wait 7 or 14 days instead of getting paid instantly.
What if my customer pays with an international card?
This calculator does not include the extra surcharge some gateways charge for international cards (Bold and ePayco both charge an extra fee on top of the commission); Wompi does not charge an extra fee for international cards on its Advanced Aggregator plan. Check the gateway's official page for your case.