PayPal Fee Calculator — Seller Fees Per Transaction
Calculate PayPal seller fees on any transaction — domestic, international and micropayment rates — and see what you actually keep.
Last reviewed 2026-10-01. Rates change — verify against the official sources linked below before relying on these figures.
What this is based on
- US commercial (goods & services) online rate: 3.49% + $0.49.
- International commercial transactions add ~1.5% over the domestic rate.
- Micropayments (for items typically under $10): 4.99% + $0.09.
- Friends & family transfers are excluded — they carry different or no fees.
Why PayPal's $0.49 fixed fee hurts small sales
PayPal's standard online rate in the US is 3.49% + $0.49 — a higher percentage and a higher fixed fee than Stripe. The fixed component dominates on small tickets: on a $3 digital download PayPal keeps $0.59, an effective rate of almost 20%.
If your average order is under about $10, apply for PayPal's micropayments rate (4.99% + $0.09). The percentage is higher but the nine-cent fixed fee means a $3 sale costs $0.24 instead of $0.59 — a 60% saving. You have to request it; it is not the default.
International sales and currency conversion
Cross-border commercial payments add roughly 1.5% on top of the domestic rate, bringing you to about 4.99% + fixed fee. On top of that, PayPal's currency conversion spread is typically 3–4% above the mid-market rate — noticeably worse than Stripe's flat 1% conversion fee.
If a meaningful share of your revenue is international, this is where the real cost hides. Holding balances in the currencies you receive and withdrawing through a service with a better exchange rate can recover several percentage points.
When PayPal is worth the higher fee
PayPal's fee is higher than Stripe's at almost every ticket size, but checkout conversion often improves when buyers see a familiar PayPal button — especially on mobile and for first-time customers. Many stores run both: Stripe as the primary processor and PayPal as an express option.
Frequently asked questions
- What is PayPal's fee for receiving money for goods and services?
- In the US, 3.49% + $0.49 per online commercial transaction. Friends & family payments use different rules.
- What is PayPal's international transaction fee?
- Roughly 4.99% + $0.49 — the domestic rate plus about a 1.5% cross-border surcharge, before any currency conversion spread.
- Does PayPal charge a monthly fee?
- No monthly fee for a standard business account. PayPal Payments Pro (advanced checkout) costs $30/month.
- What are PayPal micropayments?
- A special rate — 4.99% + $0.09 — for merchants selling low-priced items. You must apply for it on a separate rate agreement.
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