How much it costs to pay a bill with USDC
If you pay a bill with USDC on Artisan, you pay the bill plus a processing fee of 2% of the bill plus $2.50, an Artisan fee of 0.5% of the bill, and any network fee shown before you sign. On a $500 bill the first two fees come to $15.00, so $515.00 leaves your balance before any network fee.
You can pay rent, credit cards, utilities, phone and internet, mortgage and insurance, across a network of more than 100,000 billers.
The three fees
A bill carries up to three fees. Each one is its own line on the review screen, and the lines add up to the total you sign for.
- Processing fee. 2% of the bill plus $2.50. It goes to the payment processor that pays your biller, and Artisan does not keep it.
- Artisan fee. 0.5% of the bill, rounded to the cent, with no flat charge added and no cap on it.
- Network fee. Some payments carry one and some do not. When there is one, it is its own line on the review screen, so it is left out of the examples below.
What it costs on four example bills
Say you pay each of these bills. The total is the bill plus the two fees, before any network fee.
- A $100 bill. Processing fee $4.50, Artisan fee $0.50, total $105.00.
- A $500 bill. Processing fee $12.50, Artisan fee $2.50, total $515.00.
- A $1,840 bill. Processing fee $39.30, Artisan fee $9.20, total $1,888.50.
- A $5,000 bill. Processing fee $102.50, Artisan fee $25.00, total $5,127.50.
The arithmetic on a $1,840 bill
Say you pay a $1,840 bill. The processing fee is 2% of $1,840, which is $36.80, plus $2.50, so $39.30. The Artisan fee is 0.5% of $1,840, which is $9.20. Add both fees to the bill and the total is $1,888.50, before any network fee.
Why a small bill costs more in proportion
The $2.50 does not grow with the bill, so it is most of the cost on a small bill and barely shows on a large one. The two fees come to 5.00% of a $100 bill, 3.00% of a $500 bill, 2.64% of a $1,840 bill and 2.55% of a $5,000 bill.
Is the Artisan fee the only fee?
No. A bill can carry up to three fees, and Artisan keeps only one of them, its 0.5%. The processing fee goes to the payment processor that pays your biller, and any network fee is a separate line too. All of them show on the review screen before you sign.
Will my fees match these examples?
The Artisan fee is worked out by the same rule as the examples, 0.5% of the bill to the cent. The processing fee is priced when you ask for a quote, so it can differ a little from 2% plus $2.50. Any network fee depends on the payment. The review screen shows the exact figure for each one before you sign, and fees can change, so treat that screen as the final word.
What is the smallest bill I can pay?
The smallest bill is $20. On a $20 bill the processing fee is $2.90 and the Artisan fee is $0.10, so the two fees come to $3.00, which is 15.00% of the bill.
Do I have to sell my USDC first?
No. You pay from your USDC balance in the app. There is no sale to make and no bank transfer to set up first, and where the payment needs a regulated step, a licensed partner handles it. Adding money covers how USDC gets into your balance.
How long until my biller has the money?
The receipt in the app says usually within 2 days, so pay before the due date and not on it. Why something is pending explains the waits you may see.
Artisan is a software company, not a bank, and a USDC balance is not a deposit. Read how your money is held and the risk disclosures before you pay a bill.