PayPal Fee Calculator: Processing Fee on a Payment
Work out exactly what PayPal takes from a payment — the percentage plus the fixed fee — what you actually receive, and the amount to charge if you want to fully net a target after the fee.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | PayPal fee | You receive | Charge to fully net your target |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 · 2.99% + $0.49 (Standard card) | $15.44 | $484.56 | $515.92 |
| $200 · 3.49% + $0.49 (PayPal Checkout) | $7.47 | $192.53 | $207.74 |
| $5 · 4.99% + $0.09 (micropayment) | $0.34 | $4.66 | $5.36 |
| $1,000 · 4.99% + $0.49 (intl Checkout) | $50.39 | $949.61 | $1,053.04 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the payment amount, PayPal's percentage rate for the transaction type (U.S. Standard card is 2.99%), and the fixed fee ($0.49 for most commercial payments). The calculator computes the fee (amount × rate% + fixed), the net you receive (amount − fee), and the true gross-up — the amount to charge so you net your target after the fee.
The Formula
Payment processing fee (percentage + fixed)
Rate% is the percentage fee and Fixed is the flat per-transaction fee
Worked Example
On a $500 payment at PayPal's Standard 2.99% + $0.49, the fee is $15.44 and you receive $484.56. To actually net $500 after the fee, charge about $515.92 — note that simply adding 2.99% ($514.50) does not cover the flat $0.49. PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49) costs more; on $200 the fee is $7.47.
Key Insight
The fixed $0.49 dominates on small payments: on a $5 sale a Standard card fee is about $0.64 (≈13%). That is why PayPal's micropayments pricing (4.99% + $0.09) is cheaper for very small payments — a $5 micropayment fee is about $0.34. Match the fee structure to your typical payment size, and remember international (+1.50%) and currency conversion (3-4%) raise the effective rate.
PayPal U.S. fees by transaction type
PayPal's fee is a percentage plus a fixed fee, and both vary by product: PayPal Checkout 3.49% + $0.49; Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments 2.99% + $0.49; QR code 2.29% + $0.09; approved 501(c)(3) charity 1.99% + $0.49 (requires eligibility and pre-approval); micropayments 4.99% + $0.09 (must be enabled on the account).
International commercial transactions add 1.50% to the applicable domestic rate — so a PayPal Checkout payment from abroad is 4.99% + $0.49, before any currency conversion. Currency conversion adds 4.00% above the base exchange rate for goods/services, payouts and friends & family, and 3.00% for other transactions.
Chargebacks and disputes are separate from processing fees: the chargeback fee is $20, while dispute fees are $15 (standard) or $30 (high-volume). Some products (Payflow recurring billing, the invoicing subscription at $14.99/month) carry their own charges.
Reprice from PayPal's current U.S. merchant-fees page before relying on any figure — these rates change, and the fixed USD fee moved to $0.49 for most commercial payments.
Small payments, micropayments, and processor comparison
The fixed fee makes small payments expensive: at 2.99% + $0.49, a $5 Standard card payment pays about $0.64 (≈13%), while a $500 payment pays $15.44 (≈3.1%). PayPal's micropayments pricing (4.99% + $0.09) is cheaper below roughly $10 — a $5 micropayment fee is about $0.34.
Standard U.S. online comparison (check the specific product/plan): PayPal 2.99% + $0.49 Standard card (3.49% + $0.49 PayPal Checkout); Stripe 2.9% + $0.30; Square 2.9% + $0.30 online on paid plans (3.3% + $0.30 on the free plan; in person 2.6% + $0.15 on the free plan).
Because the mix of percentage and fixed fee differs, the cheapest processor depends on your typical payment size: PayPal's higher fixed fee hurts small tickets, while the percentage dominates on large ones. Run your real average ticket through each before switching.
PayPal U.S. merchant fees
Current PayPal U.S. merchant fees by transaction type (percentage + fixed). Verify against PayPal's merchant-fees page before relying on these figures.
| Transaction type | Fee | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | merchant-fees page |
| Standard Credit & Debit Card Payments | 2.99% + $0.49 | merchant-fees page |
| QR code | 2.29% + $0.09 | PayPal Point of Sale |
| Micropayments | 4.99% + $0.09 | requires enabling micropayments pricing |
| Charity / non-profit | 1.99% + $0.49 | approved 501(c)(3) only — eligibility + pre-approval |
| International add-on | +1.50% on the domestic rate | commercial transactions |
| Currency conversion | 4.00% (goods/services, payouts, F&F) / 3.00% (other) | above the base exchange rate |
| Chargeback fee | $20 | separate from dispute fees |
| Dispute fee | $15 standard / $30 high-volume | distinct from chargebacks |
U.S. list pricing, subject to change — reprice from PayPal's merchant-fees page. The USD fixed fee for most commercial payments is $0.49 (not $0.30). Charity rates require application and pre-approval. Payflow recurring billing and the invoicing subscription ($14.99/month) are separate products.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the PayPal fee calculated?
PayPal charges a percentage plus a fixed fee: fee = amount × rate% + fixed. U.S. Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments are 2.99% + $0.49, so a $500 payment costs $15.44 and you receive $484.56. PayPal Checkout is 3.49% + $0.49.
How do I charge so I still net my target?
Use the gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate%). To net $500 at 2.99% + $0.49, charge about $515.92. Adding a flat 2.99% ($514.50) isn't enough because it doesn't cover the $0.49.
Why are small payments so expensive on PayPal?
Because of the fixed fee. On a $5 Standard card payment the $0.49 flat fee alone is ~10%, so the total fee (~$0.64) is ~13%. PayPal's micropayments pricing (4.99% + $0.09) is cheaper for small payments — about $0.34 on $5.
Do international payments cost more?
Yes. PayPal adds 1.50% to the domestic rate for international commercial transactions (so PayPal Checkout international is 4.99% + $0.49), and currency conversion adds 3.00% (most transactions) to 4.00% (goods/services, payouts, friends & family) above the base exchange rate.
What about chargebacks and disputes?
They're separate fees. PayPal's chargeback fee is $20. Dispute fees are different: $15 standard and $30 high-volume. These are not part of the per-transaction processing fee.
When is this calculator unreliable?
When add-ons combine (international + currency conversion), for products with their own pricing (Payflow recurring billing, invoicing subscription $14.99/month), for approved-charity rates (require eligibility and pre-approval), or under negotiated volume pricing. Set the rate/fixed inputs to match the specific transaction type from PayPal's merchant-fees page.
References & Authoritative Sources
- PayPal — Merchant fees (U.S.) · consulted July 4, 2026 · Primary source: Checkout 3.49%+$0.49, Standard 2.99%+$0.49, micropayments, QR, charity, international, currency conversion, chargeback/dispute fees
Related Calculators
Data Sources & Benchmarks
This calculator draws on 1 independent, dated source.
Methodology & Review
PayPal's fee is a percentage PLUS a fixed per-transaction fee, so fee = amount × rate% + fixed. Current U.S. merchant rates: Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments 2.99% + $0.49; PayPal Checkout 3.49% + $0.49; Micropayments 4.99% + $0.09; QR code 2.29% + $0.09; approved charity 1.99% + $0.49. International commercial transactions add 1.50% to the domestic rate; currency conversion adds 3-4% above the base rate. The calculator returns the fee, the net received (amount − fee), and the true gross-up needed to net a target after the fee: gross = (target + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate%). Note amount × (1 + rate%) does not fully cover the fixed fee. RELIABILITY: Reliable for the standard percentage+fixed model. Less reliable when add-ons combine (international + currency conversion), for products with their own pricing (Payflow, invoicing subscription), or under negotiated volume rates. Chargeback ($20) and dispute fees ($15 standard / $30 high-volume) are separate.
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