Payments: RBA card surcharge changes and what they mean for Funraisin

Payments: RBA card surcharge changes and what they mean for Funraisin

We know that changes to payment regulations can raise questions, especially when you want to give supporters a clear and straightforward donation experience.

Here’s what’s changing and how card surcharges differ from Funraisin platform fees and optional user contributions.

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Understanding the RBA card surcharge changes

From 1 October 2026, businesses in Australia will no longer be able to add a surcharge when customers choose to pay using eftpos, Mastercard or Visa debit, prepaid or credit cards.

A card surcharge is an additional fee a customer is required to pay because of the payment method they choose to use. Currently, where a business applies a card surcharge, the customer must pay the additional fee to complete the transaction using that card.

For more information about the change and the payment methods it covers, see the Reserve Bank of Australia’s FAQs on the removal of card payment surcharges.

How Funraisin platform fees work

The RBA changes relate to card processing surcharges for the end user. This is very different from how the Funraisin platform fee works. The Funraisin platform fee is charged to the charity, not the end user.

Under the User Contribution model, Funraisin charges a small service fee to its customer equal to the amount the donor includes on top of their transaction. If the donor opts out, the fee is $0.

Under the Fixed Fee model, the customer is charged a small service fee. The customer may also choose to offer its supporters the option to add an additional contribution on top of their transaction, which the charity collects to help cover its costs. The contribution is optional, and the donor can always opt out.

With both models, the Funraisin platform fee is not a card processing fee, and no mandatory Funraisin fee is added to the donor’s transaction.

How optional user contributions differ from card surcharges

There are three key differences between optional user contributions through Funraisin and card processing surcharges:

• Optional user contributions are voluntary, not imposed: Donors choose whether to contribute towards reducing your platform costs and can easily opt out. A card surcharge does not give the donor this choice when using the affected payment method.
• Optional user contributions are unrelated to the payment method: The option appears for each donor regardless of how they pay, and the amount does not vary by card type. The RBA changes target surcharges applied because a card is used.
• Optional user contributions help reduce your platform costs: The optional contribution supports the fundraising platform your campaign runs on and ensures your platform costs are minimal. It is not a recovery of card processing costs, which is what the surcharge rules regulate.

What this means for your charity

The RBA changes do not impact how Funraisin platform fees or optional user contributions currently work. Your platform fee continues to be charged to your charity under the existing models. If you invite donors to contribute towards that cost, they can choose whether to do so.

If you’re unsure which fee model your organisation uses, log a support ticket through your Funraisin platform. Our team will be happy to help.