Fees
Payment Processing Fee Calculator
Enter the payment amount, choose a processor and payment method, and add the international surcharge if the buyer is outside the US. The calculator shows the fee, the net payout and the effective rate.
Every processor charges a percentage plus a fixed amount per payment, and the fixed amount hurts small payments most. Comparing the effective rate — the total fee as a share of the payment — shows which option is really cheapest at your average order value.
Formula
Fee = payment amount × percentage + fixed fee. Net payout = payment amount − fee. Effective rate = fee ÷ payment amount × 100. Add 1.5% to the percentage for an international payment where the processor charges it.
How it works
Pick the processor and method your buyer actually used, enter the payment amount, and add the international surcharge if the buyer's account is registered outside the US. The calculator applies that processor's published standard rate and shows what you keep.
Worked example
A $100.00 payment through Stripe online cards at 2.9% + $0.30. Percentage part: $100.00 × 2.9% = $2.90. Fee: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20. Net payout: $100.00 − $3.20 = $96.80. Effective rate: $3.20 ÷ $100.00 = 3.20%. The same $100.00 through PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + $0.49 would cost $3.98 and net $96.02.
FAQs
Why is the effective rate higher than the headline percentage?
Because of the fixed fee. On an $80 payment a $0.30 fixed fee adds 0.38 percentage points; on a $10 payment it adds 3 points. Small orders always carry a higher effective rate than large ones on the same processor.
What does the international surcharge add?
Both Stripe and PayPal add 1.5% for international cards or cross-border commercial transactions on top of the domestic rate. Currency conversion can add a further charge on top of that, depending on the processor.
Is the Goods and Services rate really 2.99% with no fixed fee?
Yes, on PayPal's published merchant fee schedule, Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services is listed at 2.99% with no fixed fee shown, unlike standard card payments at 2.99% + $0.49. Check your own fee schedule, because the payment flow changes which row applies.
Do these rates apply to every account?
No. These are standard published rates for US accounts. High-volume merchants may negotiate custom rates, and nonprofit or micropayment pricing differs. Your dashboard rate is the one that governs your payouts.
Are processing fees refunded if I refund the buyer?
Generally no — the original processing fee is usually not returned when you refund a payment, even though the payment itself goes back. That makes refunds more expensive than they first look.
Stand: October 2026. Rates from the processors' own published pages, checked October 31, 2026. Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 online domestic cards, +1.5% international, 2.7% + $0.05 in person. PayPal: Checkout 3.49% + $0.49, standard card 2.99% + $0.49, Goods and Services 2.99%, international +1.5%, USD fixed fee $0.49. Sources: Stripe — Pricing and Fees, PayPal — Merchant and Business Fees.
Disclaimer: Results are estimates and general information only, not tax or financial advice. Your actual fees, shipping costs and profit depend on your marketplace account, category, shipping service and buyer location. Check the figures that apply to you before pricing a listing.
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