How ATM Processing Works
A plain-English walkthrough of surcharge, settlement, and what a processor actually does for your machine.
An ATM processor connects your machine to card networks so it can authorize withdrawals, apply the surcharge the customer pays, and settle funds back to your account. Every ATM needs a processing relationship to function — the question is who provides it and on what terms.
Processing is typically billed per transaction rather than as a flat fee, since machine traffic varies widely by location. Blueprint bills a flat rate per billable transaction with no ordinary monthly, statement, or setup fees, and the rate improves with longer commitment terms.
If you already own a machine on another processor, switching does not necessarily require buying new hardware — see Bring Your Own ATM for how that works.