Pricing
This page explains how Mercurie prices subscriptions, applies discounts, and handles fees and renewals. It is intended for finance teams, CFOs, and business owners evaluating cost.
How Mercurie pricing works
Mercurie buys subscriptions from partners like Google in USD and resells to Nigerian businesses in NGN. Google Workspace prices are sourced live from the provider catalog, then localized to Naira before checkout or renewal.
The flow is:
- Partner USD price — the list price set by Google or AWS.
- FX localization — converted to NGN using the current USD/NGN exchange rate used by Mercurie at the time of quote or renewal.
- Discount applied — subtracted from the NGN subtotal.
- Fees applied — VAT and payment processor fees calculated on the discounted amount.
Important: Discounts are applied before VAT and payment fees. You do not pay tax on the pre-discount amount.
Discount tiers
| Service type | Plan | Discount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| New subscription | Annual (yearly payment) | 50% first year | New customer, first checkout |
| New subscription | Flexible (monthly payment) | 15% first year | New customer, first checkout |
| Transfer existing subscription | Any | 2.5% first year | Moving from another reseller or Google direct |
| Renewal after first year | Any | 5% ongoing | Automatic from second year onward |
Example — new annual Business Starter subscription:
- Google USD price: USD 84/year per user
- FX rate: ~₦1,500/USD (example)
- Localized NGN price: ₦126,000 per user/year
- After 50% discount: ₦63,000
- VAT (7.5%): ₦4,725
- Total before payment fee: ₦67,725
Fee breakdown
| Fee | Rate | Applied to |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge | 0% | — |
| VAT | 7.5% | Discounted subtotal |
| Payment processor fee | ~1.5% (Paystack) | Discounted subtotal + VAT |
The payment processor fee varies by method. Paystack is the most common and averages ~1.5%.
Google Workspace plan pricing reference
Mercurie sources Google Workspace prices live from Google. For Business Starter, Standard, and Plus, Google commonly publishes these USD list prices:
| Plan | Flexible monthly | Annual monthly | Annual yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Starter | USD 8.40 | USD 7 | USD 84 |
| Business Standard | USD 16.80 | USD 14 | USD 168 |
| Business Plus | USD 26.40 | USD 22 | USD 264 |
These are documented Google list prices, not Mercurie discounts. The NGN equivalent is dynamic and set by the prevailing exchange rate at the time of purchase. If Google changes its price, the live Mercurie quote updates automatically after the provider catalog refreshes.
How renewal pricing works
Renewal invoices are generated automatically before the subscription's next billing date.
- The NGN amount may change if the USD/NGN exchange rate has moved since the original purchase.
- Seat-count changes are reflected in the next renewal estimate after the provider and invoice sync completes.
- If the rate movement causes a material change in the renewal total, Mercurie emails the billing contact in advance.
- Renewals after the first year receive the 5% renewal discount automatically.
For finance teams
Invoice format
Invoices include:
- Billed by: Mercurie
- Billed to: business name and billing address
- Currency: NGN
- Line items: plan, licence count, domain, proration details (if applicable)
- Subtotal (after discount), VAT, and total
The dashboard may also show an Outstanding balance. That is different from the next renewal amount: it represents invoices that have already been created, such as prorated charges for seats added mid-cycle.
Tax treatment
- VAT is charged at 7.5% on the discounted subtotal.
- Service charge is 0%.
Currency risk
- Mercurie absorbs short-term FX volatility between Google's USD pricing and the customer's NGN invoice.
- If the FX rate moves significantly before renewal, Mercurie notifies the customer and the renewal total may adjust accordingly.
Common questions
Can I pay in USD? No. All customer-facing pricing is in NGN.
Why does my renewal total differ from last year? The Google USD price is fixed by plan, but the NGN total depends on the exchange rate at renewal time.
Are there setup or onboarding fees? No. Mercurie does not charge separate setup fees for Google Workspace.
Do discounts stack? No. Only one discount applies per order. New-service, transfer, and renewal discounts are mutually exclusive per transaction.
How is VAT calculated on a discounted subscription? VAT is calculated on the amount after the discount is applied, not the original list price.
What happens if Google changes its USD list price? Mercurie passes through Google's list price. If Google changes it, the localized NGN price will change proportionally.
Why do I see both Next Bill and Outstanding? Next Bill is the next scheduled renewal. Outstanding is an invoice that already exists and still needs payment or reconciliation. Seat increases can create a prorated outstanding invoice before the next renewal date.
Need help?
If you have questions about a specific invoice, renewal, or FX adjustment, open a Support ticket from the Mercurie sidebar. Most billing questions are answered same-day.