How the fee is calculated
Fee = 3.49% × amount + $0.49. A $100 sale nets $96.02. Friends & family payments are free for the sender's balance but can't be used for business sales.
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PayPal Fee Calculator — 3.49% + $0.49 (2026)
PayPal's standard commercial rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction (US, online checkout). Invoicing and QR rates differ slightly. Enter the amount the customer pays.
Worked examples (2026 rates)
| Sale total | Fee | You keep | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.84 | $9.16 | 8.4% |
| $25.00 | $1.36 | $23.64 | 5.5% |
| $50.00 | $2.24 | $47.77 | 4.5% |
| $100.00 | $3.98 | $96.02 | 4% |
| $250.00 | $9.22 | $240.79 | 3.7% |
Every number above is computed by the same in-browser engine as the calculator, from the published 2026 fee schedule — nothing is hardcoded.
PayPal's 2026 rate card, decoded
The standard commercial rate for online checkout in the US is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction — noticeably above Stripe and Square's 2.9% + $0.30. But PayPal is really a family of rates: card-present QR transactions run 2.29% + $0.09, invoicing runs 3.49% + $0.49, and PayPal-branded buttons/wallet flows have their own schedules. The $0.49 fixed component hurts small sales (a $10 invoice pays 8.4%); at $100 the effective rate settles at 3.98%. This calculator models the standard checkout rate. If most of your volume is invoicing or QR in person, your true blended rate differs — and the QR rate is actually competitive with Square's in-person pricing.
Why merchants still pay PayPal's premium
At 3.49% + $0.49, PayPal costs about 0.7% more than Stripe on a $100 sale — $68 more per $10,000 processed. Merchants keep it anyway for three reasons: wallet conversion (returning buyers check out with stored credentials, lifting completion rates on mobile), buyer trust (consumers who fear sharing card numbers with unknown stores relax when they see PayPal), and no-website selling (invoice links and payment requests work with zero integration). Seller Protection on eligible transactions also shifts some fraud liability away from you. The right pattern for most stores: Stripe or Square as the primary card rail, PayPal as a secondary wallet option, accepting its premium as a conversion cost.
PayPal vs Stripe vs Square: choosing your processor
On identical $100 online card sales: Stripe nets you $96.70, Square $96.70, PayPal $96.02. In person, Square's 2.6% + $0.10 ($2.70 on $100) beats PayPal QR's 2.29% + $0.09 ($2.38) on rate but loses on hardware ecosystem breadth — actually PayPal QR is the cheapest tap-free option if buyers scan. Chargebacks: Stripe $15, PayPal ~$20 (waived if resolved as a dispute in-house), Square comparable to Stripe. Payout speed: PayPal balance is instant but bank withdrawal takes days or costs ~1.75% for instant transfer; Stripe is a flat 2 business days; Square next-day on many plans. None offers volume discounts at standard tiers — negotiated pricing requires roughly $10k+/month and talking to sales.
FAQ
What is PayPal's fee for receiving money commercially?
3.49% + $0.49 for standard checkout in 2026. Card-present QR transactions run 2.29% + $0.09 and invoicing 3.49% + $0.49.
Does the buyer pay the fee?
No — the seller pays. PayPal deducts it from the transaction before it hits your balance.
PayPal vs Stripe?
Stripe is 2.9% + $0.30 — cheaper on most sizes. PayPal wins on buyer trust and invoice links without a website.
What does a chargeback or dispute cost me on PayPal?
PayPal distinguishes disputes (resolved in its Resolution Center, no extra fee if settled there) from chargebacks (the buyer goes to their card issuer). Chargebacks carry a dispute fee — commonly $20 in the US — and if you lose, the transaction amount plus the original 3.49% + $0.49 processing is not returned. PayPal's Seller Protection can cover eligible item-not-received and unauthorized-transaction claims if you ship tracked to the address on file. Without tracking, you lose the money and the fee.
Are international transactions more expensive?
Yes, twice over. Cross-border commercial transactions carry a surcharge above the standard 3.49% + $0.49 (roughly 1.5% extra), and if the payment arrives in a foreign currency, PayPal's conversion spread — typically 3-4% above wholesale rates — quietly taxes the payout. Receiving EUR from a German buyer can cost 5-7% all-in after conversion. For international-heavy businesses this spread is the strongest argument for Stripe or PayPal's separate currency-rate products.
How fast can I access money from a PayPal sale?
Funds land in your PayPal balance essentially immediately after the buyer pays — faster than Stripe's 2-business-day standard. Moving them to your bank is free but takes 1-3 business days, or use Instant Transfer to a debit card for a fee (about 1.75% of the amount, with minimum and maximum caps). New accounts and unusual sales patterns can trigger 21-day holds; shipping with tracking and uploading the number promptly is the standard way to release held funds early.