PayPal Fee Calculator (2026)
PayPal charges 3.49% + 49¢ for PayPal Checkout and Venmo payments, 2.99% + 49¢ for standard card payments, 2.89% + 29¢ for advanced card payments and 2.29% + 9¢ for QR codes. International payers add 1.50%, and currency conversion adds 4.00%.
Enter your numbers above; results update as you type. Sales tax collected from the buyer is not included unless the platform charges a fee on it and the calculator has a tax field.
PayPal fees at a glance
| Fee | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal transaction fee | 2.29%–4.99% by Transaction type + $0.09–$0.49 by Transaction type | transaction amount. Percentage plus a fixed fee that depends on how the customer pays. |
| International transaction fee | 1.5% | transaction amount; only when “Payer is outside the US” is on. Additional 1.50% on commercial transactions from payers outside the US. |
| Currency conversion | 4% | transaction amount; only when “Currency conversion” is on. 4.00% spread when PayPal converts a goods-and-services payment. |
Worked example
A $100 PayPal Checkout payment from a US customer costs 3.49% ($3.49) plus 49¢, so PayPal keeps $3.98 and you receive $96.02. After the $40 the item cost you, profit is $56.02.
How PayPal fees work
PayPal is the most widely recognized way to get paid online, and a business account lets you take PayPal, Venmo, credit and debit cards, invoices and in-person QR code payments. The catch is that the fee depends heavily on which of those products the money comes through.
The standard PayPal Checkout rate for a US business is 3.49% + 49¢ per domestic transaction. That covers the PayPal button, guest checkout and Pay with Venmo. Cards run through PayPal's standard card fields cost 2.99% + 49¢, and Advanced Credit and Debit Card Payments cost 2.89% + 29¢. QR code payments in person are the cheapest at 2.29% + 9¢. If a customer pays you through the PayPal app and marks it as goods and services, the fee is a flat 2.99% with no fixed part.
Two surcharges stack on top: an extra 1.50% when the payer is outside the US, and a 4.00% currency conversion spread when PayPal converts the payment. Chargebacks cost $20 and standard disputes $15. There are no monthly fees for a standard business account. Micropayments pricing (4.99% + 9¢) is a separate plan you have to request, and it only pays off on sales under about $10.
- PayPal Checkout, guest checkout and Pay with Venmo: 3.49% + 49¢ per domestic transaction. On $100 that is $3.98.
- Standard credit and debit card payments: 2.99% + 49¢. Advanced Credit and Debit Card Payments (PayPal's hosted card fields, subject to approval): 2.89% + 29¢.
- QR code payments in person: 2.29% + 9¢ per transaction.
- Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services (a customer pays you in the app and marks it as a purchase): 2.99% with no fixed fee.
- Invoices: 3.49% + 49¢ when the customer pays with PayPal or Venmo, 2.99% + 49¢ when they pay by card.
- Micropayments: 4.99% + 9¢, a separate pricing plan you must request. PayPal Pay Later (Pay in 4, Pay Monthly): 4.99% + 49¢.
- International transactions add 1.50%. Currency conversion adds 4.00% on a goods-and-services payment (3.00% on other conversions, such as converting a balance). Chargeback fee $20, standard dispute fee $15, high-volume dispute fee $30.
Ways to keep more of each PayPal sale
- Route card payments through the standard or advanced card products instead of the PayPal button where you can: 2.99% + 49¢ or 2.89% + 29¢ beats 3.49% + 49¢.
- Use QR codes for in-person sales. At 2.29% + 9¢ it is the cheapest PayPal rate, less than half a point above Zettle's reader rate.
- Ask for micropayments pricing only if most sales are under $10. On a $5 sale it costs 34¢ instead of 66¢, but on a $50 sale it costs $2.59 instead of $2.24.
- Hold and get paid in USD. If a customer pays in another currency, the 4.00% conversion spread plus 1.50% international fee take almost 9% of a PayPal Checkout sale.
- Skip instant transfers unless you need the money today. Standard transfers to your bank are free; instant ones cost 1.50% with a 50¢ minimum.
PayPal fee FAQ
How much does PayPal take from $100?
$3.98 for a standard PayPal Checkout payment (3.49% + 49¢), so you keep $96.02. A card payment through standard card processing costs $3.48, and a goods-and-services payment sent in the app costs $2.99.
What is the PayPal fee for goods and services?
2.99% with no fixed fee when someone pays you in the PayPal app and marks the payment as goods and services. Payments through a PayPal Checkout button on a website are 3.49% + 49¢.
Does PayPal charge a monthly fee for a business account?
No. A standard PayPal business account has no monthly fee; you pay per transaction.
What is PayPal's international fee?
An additional 1.50% on any commercial transaction where the payer is outside the US, plus a 4.00% spread if PayPal converts the currency.
How much is a PayPal chargeback fee?
$20 for a chargeback filed through the card issuer, $15 for a standard dispute filed through PayPal, or $30 per dispute if your account is in the high-volume dispute tier.
What is the PayPal fee on a $1,000 invoice?
$35.39 if the client pays with PayPal or Venmo (3.49% + 49¢), or $30.39 if they pay by card (2.99% + 49¢).
How much does PayPal charge for QR code payments?
2.29% + 9¢ per in-person QR code transaction, whether the customer pays with PayPal or Venmo.
Good to know
Recent fee changes
- 2026-09-01PayPal's US merchant fee schedule shows 'Last Updated: September 1, 2026'. The rates in this calculator are taken from that version, including Advanced Credit and Debit Card Payments at 2.89% + 29¢.
Sources
- PayPal Merchant Fees (US), last updated September 1, 2026 (accessed Sep 29, 2026)
- PayPal Business Fees (US) (accessed Sep 29, 2026)
Rates are read from the pages above and re-checked on a schedule. If you find a rate that has changed, tell us and we'll fix it.