Free Stripe & PayPal Fee Calculator Tool
See the fee on a charge, or work backward to find exactly what to charge so you net a specific amount after Stripe or PayPal fees.
Example result
- You enter
- Amount charged
- $250.00
- Custom rate and fixed fee
- 2.9% + $0.30
- You get
- Processing fee
- $7.55
- Amount you net
- $242.45
Fictional numbers, to show how the result is laid out.
How it works
Payment processors charge a percentage plus a small fixed fee per transaction — Stripe's standard US rate is 2.9% + $0.30, PayPal's standard rate is 3.49% + $0.49 — so the amount that actually lands in a bank account is always a bit less than the amount charged. Rates vary by account type, card type, and country, so treat these as a starting point and check the exact rate on your own account for anything that matters.
The more common real question isn't 'what's the fee on this charge' but 'what do I need to charge so I net exactly $500' — useful when quoting a round number to a client but still needing the full amount after fees. This tool solves both directions.
A worked example: with a rate of 2.9% plus $0.30, a $250.00 payment costs $7.55 in fees ($7.25 plus $0.30), so $242.45 reaches you. The fixed part weighs more on small payments, which is why the same rate takes a bigger share of a $20 sale than of a $500 sale.
Check your own provider's current pricing before you rely on any result, because rates differ by country, card type and plan. If you decide to pass fees to customers, check the rules that apply to you first, since some places and card brands restrict surcharges.
Who uses this
| Business type | How it's used |
|---|---|
| Freelancers & consultants | Work out what to invoice through Stripe or PayPal so the amount that lands in the bank matches a quoted number. |
| E-commerce & Etsy sellers | Check how much of a sale is eaten by payment processing fees before pricing a product. |
| Photographers & event vendors | Work out the deposit amount to invoice so processing fees don't cut into the quoted booking price. |
| Coaches & online course sellers | Check net payout on a course or coaching package sold through an online payment link. |
Frequently asked questions
Q.Why is the 'amount to charge' higher than a simple percentage markup?
Because the fee is taken from the charged amount, not added on top — grossing up correctly requires dividing by (1 − fee rate) rather than multiplying by (1 + fee rate), plus accounting for the fixed per-transaction fee. A simple percentage markup slightly undershoots the target.
Q.Do these rates match my actual account?
They're the standard published US rates as a starting point — your actual rate can differ based on account type, card type, currency, and any negotiated volume pricing. Check your payment processor's dashboard for the exact number.
Q.Is this the same as a Stripe fee calculator?
Yes — payment fee calculator, Stripe fee calculator, and PayPal fee calculator all describe the same kind of tool: one that works out processing fees, or how much to charge to net a target amount after fees.
Sources
- Stripe: Pricing: standard card price of 2.9% + 30 cents; +1.5% for international cards; +1% for currency conversion