PayPal fee calculator
Free PayPal fee calculator, no sign-up and no ads. See what PayPal takes and what you keep, or use it in reverse: type what you want to receive and get the price to ask. Covers goods and services (G&S), invoices, cards, Venmo, buyers abroad and 23 currencies. Rates checked on PayPal's fee page on 1 November 2026.
PayPal Checkout
You receive
$96.02
PayPal fees $3.98 on $100.00 (3.98% of it)
Cheaper for this payment: Goods and services, $2.99 in fees, $0.99 less than PayPal Checkout.
- A month (20 sales)
- $79.60 in fees · you keep $1,920.40
- A year
- $955.20 in fees · you keep $23,044.80
This payment with every PayPal method
| Method | Rate | Fee | You receive |
|---|
⬇ Download the free PayPal fee calculator Excel template (.xlsx, works in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers)
Tap a method to use it above. Rates for a US PayPal business account.
Where you keep the most of 20 sales of $100.00
The same product sold on each platform in a month: its own fee, the card processing on top and the monthly plan. US buyers paying by card.
Each platform on its plan that keeps the most at this price and volume, monthly prices; where you use your own Stripe, 2.9% + $0.30 is counted. Platform fees from each vendor's own pricing page, checked 1 November 2026.
PayPal, Venmo, Stripe, Klarna, Etsy and the other names and logos shown are trademarks of their owners, used here only to name them. Sellwares is not affiliated with them.
How much does PayPal charge?
For a US business account, PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 for a PayPal Checkout payment: on $100 that is $3.98, so you receive $96.02. A goods and services payment costs 2.99% with no fixed fee ($2.99 on $100), a card payment 2.99% + $0.49, and a buyer in another country adds 1.5%. Rates from PayPal's fees page, updated 1 October 2026.
PayPal fees 2026
PayPal fees 2026 for every way you get paid
What PayPal takes when a US account receives a payment in US dollars, and what is left of $100. The fixed fee changes with the currency you receive (see the table further down).
| How you get paid | PayPal fee | Fee on $100 | You receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout (buyer pays with PayPal) | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $96.02 |
| PayPal Guest Checkout (card through the PayPal button) | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $96.02 |
| Goods and services payment (sent to your email) | 2.99% | $2.99 | $97.01 |
| Standard credit and debit card payments | 2.99% + $0.49 | $3.48 | $96.52 |
| Invoice paid with PayPal or Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $96.02 |
| Invoice paid by card or Apple Pay | 2.99% + $0.49 | $3.48 | $96.52 |
| Pay with Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $96.02 |
| PayPal Pay Later | 4.99% + $0.49 | $5.48 | $94.52 |
| Advanced credit and debit card payments | 2.89% + $0.29 | $3.18 | $96.82 |
| QR code payment | 2.29% + $0.09 | $2.38 | $97.62 |
| Donation (Donate button) | 2.89% + $0.49 | $3.38 | $96.62 |
Buyer in another country: add 1.5% to the rate. Converting the money into another currency: a spread of about 3%. Source: PayPal Merchant Fees, checked 1 November 2026.
How to use it
How to use the PayPal fee calculator
This PayPal calculator works for any payment you receive with a US business account, and in both directions: from the payment to what you keep, or from what you want to keep to the price to ask.
Type the payment
The amount the buyer pays. Want a set amount to land in your account instead? Press Price to ask and type what you want to receive.
Choose how you get paid
PayPal Checkout on your website, a goods and services payment to your email, an invoice, a card, Venmo, Pay Later or a QR code, and the currency you receive.
Add the extras
Tick Buyer is in another country for the 1.5% international fee, and I convert it if the money changes currency. Type your sales a month for the totals.
Compare and share
The table under the result shows the same payment with every PayPal method; tap one to use it. Copy a link to this keeps your numbers, ready to send or bookmark.
Quick table
PayPal fees at common prices
The fee and what you receive with PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49) and with a goods and services payment (2.99%), for a buyer in the US.
| Payment | PayPal Checkout fee | You receive | Goods and services fee | You receive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $0.66 | $4.34 | $0.15 | $4.85 |
| $10.00 | $0.84 | $9.16 | $0.30 | $9.70 |
| $20.00 | $1.19 | $18.81 | $0.60 | $19.40 |
| $25.00 | $1.36 | $23.64 | $0.75 | $24.25 |
| $50.00 | $2.24 | $47.76 | $1.50 | $48.50 |
| $100.00 | $3.98 | $96.02 | $2.99 | $97.01 |
| $200.00 | $7.47 | $192.53 | $5.98 | $194.02 |
| $500.00 | $17.94 | $482.06 | $14.95 | $485.05 |
| $1,000.00 | $35.39 | $964.61 | $29.90 | $970.10 |
| $2,000.00 | $70.29 | $1,929.71 | $59.80 | $1,940.20 |
| $5,000.00 | $174.99 | $4,825.01 | $149.50 | $4,850.50 |
On a $5 payment the fixed $0.49 alone is almost 10%: small payments lose the most. Bundle items into one checkout where you can.
The formula
How to calculate PayPal fees by hand
PayPal takes a percentage of the payment plus a fixed fee, then rounds the total to the cent:
$50 with PayPal Checkout: $50 × 3.49% = $1.745, + $0.49 = $2.235 → $2.24. You receive $47.76.
How much to charge to receive a set amount
Turn the formula around: add the fixed fee to what you want and divide by one minus the rate.
To receive $100 with PayPal Checkout: ($100 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $104.12. Check: $104.12 × 3.49% + $0.49 = $4.12, and $104.12 − $4.12 = $100.00.
Because PayPal rounds every fee, the formula can land one cent short. The calculator's Price to ask tries the cents themselves and gives the lowest price that really leaves you the amount, for every method and currency.
Goods and services
The PayPal goods and services fee (G&S)
When a buyer sends money to your PayPal email and marks it as a payment for goods and services, a US account pays 2.99% to receive it, and PayPal's fees page lists no fixed fee for it. That makes it cheaper than PayPal Checkout on a website (3.49% + $0.49), most of all on small payments: on $20, goods and services costs $0.60 and PayPal Checkout $1.19.
- It is a payment for something you sell, so the buyer can open a dispute if the item never arrives. A dispute costs the seller $15.00.
- Don't ask buyers to send it as "friends and family" to save the fee. That option is for personal payments, and a PayPal business account can't receive personal payments at all (User Agreement).
- Invoices are not G&S payments. A paid PayPal invoice costs 3.49% + $0.49, which is why sellers who switch to invoices see a higher fee.
- No fixed fee is listed for G&S. PayPal's table shows 2.99% where every other row adds "+ fixed fee"; older posts quote 2.99% + $0.49.
- You can't add the fee on top for the buyer. PayPal's User Agreement rules out a surcharge for paying with PayPal; set one price that covers it with Price to ask.
- A buyer abroad still adds 1.5%: 4.49% on a goods and services payment from another country.
Invoices
PayPal invoice fees
The fee is taken when the invoice is paid, at the rate of the way the customer pays it:
| The invoice is paid with | PayPal fee | On a $500 invoice |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal, Venmo or guest checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | $17.94 |
| A card, Apple Pay or another wallet | 2.99% + $0.49 | $15.44 |
| PayPal Pay Later | 4.99% + $0.49 | $25.44 |
| Pay by Bank (ACH) | 1%, max $10 | $5.00 |
Choose Invoice (PayPal) or Invoice (card) in the calculator to use it as a PayPal invoice fee calculator. PayPal also sells an optional Invoicing subscription for $14.99 a month. For larger invoices, the bank option is by far the cheapest.
International
PayPal international fees and fixed fees by currency
Two things change when you sell abroad. When the buyer is in another country, PayPal adds 1.5% to the rate: PayPal Checkout becomes 4.99% + the fixed fee, so $100 costs $5.48. When the money is converted into another currency, PayPal keeps a spread in the exchange rate: 3% for most conversions, 4% when a buyer pays in a different currency than the one your listing shows.
The fixed fee follows the currency you receive: €0.39 for euros, £0.39 for pounds, C$0.59 for Canadian dollars. Choose it in the calculator: the result, the price to ask and the method table all switch to it. To avoid the conversion spread, keep a balance in the currency and spend it there, or withdraw to a bank account in that currency where PayPal allows it.
| Currency | Fixed fee | QR code |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.49 USD | 0.09 USD |
| EUR | 0.39 EUR | 0.07 EUR |
| GBP | 0.39 GBP | 0.07 GBP |
| CAD | 0.59 CAD | 0.11 CAD |
| AUD | 0.59 AUD | 0.12 AUD |
| NZD | 0.69 NZD | 0.13 NZD |
| CHF | 0.49 CHF | 0.08 CHF |
| JPY | 49 JPY | 9 JPY |
| MXN | 9.00 MXN | 1.79 MXN |
| BRL | 2.90 BRL | 0.50 BRL |
| SEK | 4.09 SEK | 0.76 SEK |
| PLN | 1.89 PLN | 0.34 PLN |
How to pay lower PayPal fees when receiving money
As a business you can't avoid PayPal's fee on a sale, but these seven steps keep it as small as it can be.
Sell bundles, not single small items
The fixed $0.49 is the same on $5 and $500. One $30 bundle costs $1.54 in fees; six $5 sales cost $3.96.
Check how cards reach you
A card paid through the PayPal button (guest checkout) costs 3.49% + $0.49; PayPal's standard credit and debit card payments cost 2.99% + $0.49, half a point less.
Use QR codes in person
A QR code payment is 2.29% + $0.09, the lowest PayPal rate for a sale at a market or event.
Send large invoices with the bank option
Pay by Bank is 1% with a $10 cap, so a $2,000 invoice costs $10 instead of $70.29.
Price in your buyer's currency
A buyer paying in a different currency than your listing pays PayPal's 4% spread; listing in their currency avoids it, and keeping that balance avoids your own 3%.
Ask an integrator about advanced card payments
With PayPal's advanced card payments on your own checkout, cards cost 2.89% + $0.29.
Don't add a platform fee on top
Many shop builders take their own cut before PayPal takes its fee. Compare the totals in the table under the calculator.
Selling online
PayPal is one fee. Your shop can be a second one.
Selling a $25 digital product 40 times a month ($1,000), here is what you keep on each platform after its own fee, card processing and the monthly plan, each on its plan that keeps the most at this volume. The calculator above works this out for your price.
| Platform | Plan | Fees a month | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sellwares | Free plan | $41.20 | $958.80 |
| Lemon Squeezy | No plan, 5% + $0.50 | $70.00 | $930.00 |
| Stan Store | Creator, $29 a month | $70.20 | $929.80 |
| Payhip | Plus, $29 a month, 2% | $90.20 | $909.80 |
| Etsy | Standard, 6.5% + $0.20 listing | $113.20 | $886.80 |
| Teachable | Builder, $89 a month, 0% | $130.20 | $869.80 |
| Podia | Mover, $49 a month, 5% | $140.20 | $859.80 |
| Gumroad | No plan, 10% + $0.50 | $161.20 | $838.80 |
| Kajabi | Basic, $179 a month | $220.20 | $779.80 |
Sellwares takes 0% of your sales on every plan; buyers pay into your own Stripe, PayPal, Mollie or Revolut, so the only fee is theirs. The Free plan has 3 products; Creator is €29 a month. Other platforms' fees from their own pricing pages, checked 1 November 2026.
Other fees to check
Stripe fee calculator
2.9% + $0.30 on cards, ACH, Klarna, international cards and Stripe's add-ons.
Etsy fee calculator
Listing, transaction, processing and Offsite Ads fees, with your profit and margin.
Sell digital products
How to sell ebooks, courses and templates from your own store with no platform fee.
Questions about PayPal fees
Is the PayPal fee 3%?
Close, but not quite. Most online payments cost 3.49% + $0.49 (PayPal Checkout and invoices paid with PayPal), card payments cost 2.99% + $0.49, and a goods and services payment costs 2.99%. Because of the fixed fee, the real share is higher on small payments: $0.84 on $10 is 8.4%.
How much is the PayPal fee on $100?
With PayPal Checkout, PayPal takes 3.49% + $0.49, which is $3.98, so you receive $96.02. A goods and services payment costs 2.99% with no fixed fee, $2.99. If the buyer is in another country, add 1.5%: $5.48 with PayPal Checkout.
How much is the PayPal fee on $5,000?
With PayPal Checkout, $174.99 (3.49% + $0.49), so you receive $4,825.01. A goods and services payment of $5,000 costs $149.50. For a large invoice, Pay by Bank costs 1% with a $10 cap, so $10.
What is the PayPal goods and services fee?
For a US account, receiving a goods and services (G&S) payment costs 2.99% of the payment. PayPal Checkout on a website costs 3.49% + $0.49, and an invoice paid with PayPal costs the same. Choose "Goods and services" in the calculator to see what you receive.
Is there a fixed fee on PayPal goods and services payments?
PayPal's US fees page lists "Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services" at 2.99%, while every other row says "+ fixed fee", so the calculator charges no fixed fee on it. Older posts quote 2.99% + $0.49; check the fee shown in your PayPal activity.
Why was I charged 3.49% instead of 2.99%?
Because the payment was not a goods and services payment sent to your email. A paid PayPal invoice, PayPal Checkout on a website and guest checkout all count at 3.49% + $0.49. Only money sent to you as goods and services is 2.99%, and card payments through PayPal's standard card processing are 2.99% + $0.49.
Can I make the buyer pay the PayPal fee?
Not as an extra fee. PayPal's User Agreement says you will not impose a surcharge or any other fee for accepting PayPal. What you can do is set your price so that what you receive covers the fee, the same price for everyone: the "Price to ask" button works it out.
Does PayPal charge to move money to my bank?
A standard transfer to your bank is free when no currency conversion is involved. An Instant Transfer costs 1.5% of the amount, with a $0.50 minimum. Tick "Instant Transfer" in the calculator to include it.
How do I calculate PayPal fees by hand?
Multiply the payment by the rate and add the fixed fee: for $50 with PayPal Checkout, $50 × 3.49% = $1.745, plus $0.49 = $2.235, which PayPal rounds to $2.24. You receive $47.76. Add 1.5% to the rate when the buyer is in another country.
How much should I charge to receive a set amount after PayPal fees?
Add the fixed fee to the amount you want and divide by one minus the rate: to receive $100 with PayPal Checkout, ($100 + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) = $104.12. The "Price to ask" button does this for every method and currency, exact to the cent after PayPal's rounding.
What does PayPal charge for an invoice?
An invoice paid with PayPal or Venmo costs 3.49% + $0.49, and an invoice paid by card or Apple Pay costs 2.99% + $0.49. Pay Later costs 4.99% + $0.49, and an invoice paid by bank (ACH) costs 1%, capped at $10.
What is the PayPal international fee?
When the buyer is in another country, PayPal adds 1.5% to the rate of the payment. If the money is converted into another currency, PayPal also keeps a currency conversion spread, 3% for most transactions or 4% when a buyer pays in a different currency than the listing.
Does PayPal give the fee back when I refund a payment?
No. Refunding is free, but PayPal keeps the fees it took to receive the payment, for full and partial refunds. A dispute costs $15 (or $30 for high-volume sellers), and a card chargeback outside a PayPal account costs $20.
Are these the fees for every country?
The percentages are for a US PayPal business account, from PayPal's US fees page, updated 1 October 2026. The fixed fee depends on the currency you receive, for example €0.39 or £0.39, and the calculator has all 23 currencies. Accounts in other countries have their own rates.
Is this PayPal fee calculator free, and can I put it on my site?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up and no ads, and nothing you type leaves your browser. Open "Add this calculator to your site" under the calculator and paste the code into your page.
Sources
- PayPal Merchant Fees (US), updated 1 October 2026: rates, fixed fees, international and conversion fees, transfers, disputes and refunds.
- PayPal User Agreement (US): no surcharges, personal payments and business accounts.
- Platform fees: each platform's own pricing and help pages (Stan Store, Lemon Squeezy, Payhip, Etsy, Podia, Teachable, Gumroad, Kajabi).
Rates checked 1 November 2026. PayPal can change its fees; the calculator is updated when it does.
Keep PayPal's fee the only fee.
Sell your digital products, courses and memberships from your own Sellwares store: buyers pay into your own PayPal or Stripe, and Sellwares takes 0% of every sale, on every plan.
Start selling for free
Written by
Simon William Founder
Founder of SellWares.com
Simon is the visionary founder of Sellwares, where he leverages a decade of deep experience in software development and technical project management. With a strong track record at both industry giants like Spotify and nimble startups, he has successfully directed complex tech projects from conception to launch. Simon's unique blend of software engineering acumen and strategic product management enables him to build intuitive, scalable platforms that bridge technical possibilities with genuine market needs, earning him trust as a reliable voice in E-commerce and technology solutions.
- E-commerce Platform Development
- Software Architecture
- Technical Product Management
- Scalable Cloud Solutions
- UI/UX Design for E-commerce