Delivery service payment control: what it is, who pays the commission, and how to choose a plan

Standard cash on delivery (COD) is when you send goods as a private individual, without a contract. The buyer picks up the parcel, pays for the goods, and separately pays NovaPay's transfer fee: 2% + $0.5 cash or with another bank's card, or 1% + $0.2 with a NovaPay card. You receive the full amount, but as a private individual.

Payment Control is the business option. You sign a contract, and COD money goes to your FOP or company business account: either with NovaPay or another bank. Who pays and how much for the transfer depends on the plan, and the seller covers part or all of the fee.

For single-product e-commerce, the difference is noticeable in two places: how much extra the buyer pays at the branch and how much money reaches you from each order.

Payment Control has two plans. They differ in how the fee is split between you and the buyer, and the seller's rate also depends on where the money is credited: to a NovaPay account or another bank.

With Standard, the seller pays the entire fee; the buyer pays nothing for the transfer. With Universal, the fee is split: your rate is lower, but the buyer pays the transfer fee at the branch just like with regular COD.

The rates below are effective from May–June 2026. Carrier and payment service rates change, so verify them on the NovaPay website or app before launching.

Let's take a hypothetical order for $24 and calculate only the transfer fee, excluding delivery costs. This is our calculation based on the rates above.

Standard. With a NovaPay account, you receive $23 (commission $0.6); with an account at another bank, you receive $23 (commission $0.8). The buyer pays exactly $24.

Universal. You receive $24 with a NovaPay account ($0.1) or $24 with another bank account ($0.3). The buyer pays $25 with a NovaPay card or $25 with cash or another bank's card.

Without a contract, you receive $24, and the buyer pays the same 1020 or $25.

Summary: Universal saves you $0.5 on each $24 order compared to Standard, but the buyer pays an extra $0.5–$1 at the post office.

Standard is convenient when you want no surprises at the branch. The customer pays the price they saw on the landing page plus shipping. With cash on delivery, the person decides whether to pick up the parcel right at checkout, and every extra charge is another reason to reconsider.

Universal is cheaper for you. But then be honest on the landing page and mention during the confirmation call that the customer pays separately for the transfer — otherwise you risk a refusal at the branch.

Calculate both options with your numbers: average check, margin, unclaimed parcel rate. For inexpensive goods, a fixed $0.2–$0.5 from the buyer is more noticeable than for expensive ones.

If you're also shipping by mail: the COD transfer fee there is 2% + $0.4 and typically the recipient pays it, but it's worth confirming when placing the order.

On Standard, you pay the commission, so factor it into the price upfront. Formula: price = amount you want to receive / (1 − rate).

Example (our calculation): to receive $24 to an account in another bank at a 3,3% rate, the price should be around $25. With a NovaPay account (2,5%) — around $25. On the Universal plan, your share is smaller, but it's worth showing the buyer in advance that there will be an additional transfer fee.

To avoid manual calculations, open our free COD commission calculator on our website, and for full order economics including shipping, ads, and unclaimed parcels — use the unit economics calculator for single-product e-commerce.

Next, the price goes on the landing page. In LandEmpire, old and new prices, the guarantees block, and the order form are edited in the editor. If you're creating a page from a link to a product card in Prom, the name, photo, and price will pull in automatically — you'll just need to adjust the price for the commission.

Payment Control is available for sole proprietors (FOP) and LLCs. You need a settlement account—either with NovaPay or another bank—and a contract with NovaPay, which can be arranged through NovaPay or the delivery service. Check their website or support for the list of documents and connection procedure: business conditions change from time to time. When connecting, you choose a plan—Standard or Universal.

Money arrives in your account after the customer pays for the parcel upon delivery. Exact settlement times depend on your agreement and the bank where your account is held — clarify them before launch, as they affect how quickly money returns to inventory and advertising.

You can change your plan or opt out of the service the same way through NovaPay under your agreement. Without payment control, you return to regular COD, where the customer pays the transfer commission.