Online Booking · updated 2026-08-08
How to choose who pays the card processing fee in Dumpster Controls
The Advanced tab's Processing Fee Strategy decides whether the card processing fee on online bookings is paid by the customer, absorbed by your company, or split.
Before you start
- Access to the Online Booking section
- ## Open the Advanced tab
In "Online Booking", select "Advanced". The "Processing Fee Strategy" card explains: "Choose who pays the card processing fee on online bookings. This affects the final price your customers see at checkout." - ## Pick a strategy
Click one of the three options. "Customer pays the fee": "The processing fee is added to the customer's total at checkout. Your invoice amount stays the same." "Company absorbs the fee": "No extra charges for your customers. The processing fee is deducted from your payout. Great for a transparent, no-hidden-fee experience." "Split 50/50": "You and your customer each pay half the processing fee. A balanced approach." The selected option shows an "Active" badge and saves immediately.
What happens next
- In the customer's Order Summary, the line reads "Processing Fee" when the customer pays, "Processing Fee (your half)" on a split, or "Processing Fee" with the value "Covered by company" when you absorb it.
- The note clarifies: "This setting applies only to new online bookings. Existing orders are not affected. You can change this at any time."
Troubleshooting
The fee amount at checkout looks different from my estimate.
Before payment starts, the page shows an estimate marked "(est.)". The exact fee is computed server-side from your plan when the payment is initialized, and the final total is confirmed before the customer pays.
Related guides
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Frequently asked questions
Is Dumpster Controls really free?
Yes. The software is free: dispatch, online booking, the driver app, invoicing, the Tresha AI assistant and every other feature, with no monthly fee, no trial period and no credit card to sign up. The only cost on the free plan is optional card processing when a customer pays by card through the platform: 2.99% plus $3.99 per transaction on the free plan. An optional Unlimited plan at $169 per month lowers that to 2.99% plus $0.30. Prices as published on dumpstercontrols.io/pricing on 2026-09-23.
Do you charge per driver, per truck or per order?
No. There is no per-driver, per-truck, per-user or per-order fee, and no order limit. A company with one truck and a company with twenty pay the same for the software: nothing.
Is there a contract?
No. There is no contract, no minimum term and no setup fee. You create the account yourself, and on the free plan there is nothing to cancel because nothing is billed. The optional Unlimited plan is billed month to month.
Which countries and languages are supported?
Dumpster Controls serves hauling companies in the United States and Canada. The app interface and the Tresha AI assistant are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The public pages, such as the blog, the help center and the landfill finder, are in English.
How do I switch from another dumpster software?
Create a free account at dumpstercontrols.io/login, with no sales call and no credit card. Then import your customers from a CSV file using the template provided in the app; past orders can also be imported from a CSV. Container sizes and pricing are set up in Settings. The landfill database, with 1,750 active US and Canadian landfills as counted on 2026-10-01, is already loaded, so disposal sites do not need to be typed in. Step-by-step guides are at dumpstercontrols.io/help.