Earning points on both sides of your business: payments out and payments in
FairPayments · · Last updated:
Most points advice for business owners focuses on spending: put supplier bills, tax and expenses on a rewards card. That covers money going out. Money coming in from customers can earn points too.
How do I earn points on money going out?
Card spend. Your business credit card earns points on purchases where the supplier accepts cards.
Bills and suppliers that don't take cards. Platforms such as pay.com.au and Sniip let you pay by card and settle with the supplier by bank transfer. Both charge a fee; see our guide to supplier payments for the numbers and a simple break-even test. The points only pay off if they are worth more to you than the fee.
Tax. See paying the ATO by credit card. In short, the ATO will accept credit cards directly until 30 June 2027 and says card payment fees do not apply. Whether your card earns points on direct ATO payments depends on your bank.
How do I earn points on money coming in?
This side gets less attention, and you don't pay a separate fee to earn.
Settlement-based points. pay.com.au's Get Paid feature lets you send platform payouts to a pay.com.au account and earn PayRewards Points. It warns these accounts can't be debited for refunds or chargebacks. Fees and details are in our pay.com.au fees guide.
Points built into your merchant rate. Some card acceptance providers include points in the deal. FairPayments (Nuvei Preferred Partner) is one: merchants pay 0.95% on Visa and Mastercard and a flat 25c per eftpos transaction (Amex optional at 1.65%, see our published rates) and earn Velocity Points at 1 point per $25 in card sales. Ongoing points need $10,000 a month in card sales.
To put that in real numbers: a business taking $40,000 a month in card sales would earn 1,600 Velocity Points a month, or 19,200 a year, at that rate. At $10,000 a month, it is 400 points a month.
New merchants may be eligible for a sign-on bonus of up to 20,000 points, at FairPayments' discretion. It isn't included in the figures above.
How do the two sides compare?
| Points on payments out | Points on payments in | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | A platform fee, often 1% or more | Built into your merchant rate, or check settlement platform terms |
| Earn rate | Your card's rate, plus optional platform points | e.g. 1 Velocity Point per $25 of card sales (FairPayments) |
| Main risk | Paying more in fees than the points are worth; card interest | Choosing a provider for points rather than total cost |
The outbound side can earn more points per dollar, but you pay for them. The inbound side earns fewer points per dollar, but if the merchant rate is already competitive, the points are an extra rather than something you bought.
Which side should I sort out first?
- Sort your merchant fees first. The rate you pay to accept cards usually matters more than any points. Compare your effective rate (total fees divided by card sales) with quotes.
- Then decide on payments out. Use a platform only where the sum works.
- Concentrate the points. Velocity Points from card sales and from Business Flyer are easier to use together than scattered across programs.
Who is the FairPayments offer for?
FairPayments (Nuvei Preferred Partner) is currently offered to auto businesses (mechanics, panel beaters, car dealers, auto parts), wholesale food (butchers, grocers) and trade supplies. If you are in another industry, call 1800 930 164 to ask.
Is it worth doing both?
Points on spending cost you a fee; points on card sales can come with a merchant rate you'd pay anyway. Look at both sides, start with your merchant fees, and only pay for points you will use. Pay less. Get more. That's fair.
Work out your own numbers with the Velocity Points calculator.
Related reading
Common questions
Can my business earn points on card sales?
Some merchant providers include points. FairPayments (Nuvei Preferred Partner) gives eligible merchants Velocity Points at 1 point per $25 in card sales, with 0.95% on Visa and Mastercard and a flat 25c per eftpos transaction.
How many Velocity Points would I earn from FairPayments?
At 1 point per $25, $40,000 a month in card sales earns 1,600 points a month. Ongoing points need $10,000 a month in card sales.
Is there a sign-on bonus?
New merchants may be eligible for a sign-on bonus of up to 20,000 points, at FairPayments' discretion.
What is pay.com.au Get Paid?
A feature where you point platform payouts to a pay.com.au account to earn PayRewards Points on eligible settlements. pay.com.au warns it cannot be debited for refunds or chargebacks.
Who can get the FairPayments offer?
Auto businesses, wholesale food businesses such as butchers and grocers, and trade supplies. Others can call 1800 930 164.