PayPal Fee Calculator 2026
By Sarah Davis and Axis Intelligence Research · Last updated: October 5, 2026 · Rates effective October 1, 2026
PayPal Fee Calculator US rates effective October 1, 2026 · Axis Intelligence Research
- Effective fee rate
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- Currency conversion
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- Withdrawal to bank
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- Lands in your bank
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- Seller Keep Rate (SKR)
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- Fixed-fee tipping point
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- Expected dispute cost
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- Profit after fees
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- Profit margin
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- PayPal cost / month
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- PayPal cost / year
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| Method | Fee | Rate |
|---|
Quick answer:
A $100 PayPal Checkout payment in the US costs $3.98 (3.49% + $0.49), so you receive $96.02. A Goods and Services payment costs 2.99% with no fixed fee, or $2.99 on $100. A sale from another country adds 1.50%. To keep exactly $100 through PayPal Checkout, charge $104.12.
What This Tool Does
Enter a sale amount and how your buyer pays. The calculator returns the PayPal fee, your net payout, the effective rate and what reaches your bank after currency conversion and instant transfer. It covers 19 payment methods and 24 currencies, runs the reverse calculation (what to charge to keep a target amount), compares every method side by side, computes profit after item cost and dispute risk, and projects monthly and yearly fee cost. A third mode handles Friends and Family transfers.
How Are PayPal Fees Calculated?
For most US merchant payments the formula is:
PayPal fee = (sale amount × percentage rate) + fixed fee
The fixed fee depends on the currency you receive: $0.49 for USD on standard commercial payments, €0.39 for euros, £0.39 for pounds. International sales add 1.50% to the percentage. Two methods are capped: invoices paid by bank (ACH) cost 1% up to $10, and online ACH Services cost 0.80% up to $5.
PayPal fee rates by payment method (US, effective October 1, 2026)
| Payment method | Rate | Fee on $100 | Fixed-fee tipping point |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, Venmo, Guest Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $14.04 |
| Goods and Services (send/receive) | 2.99% | $2.99 | none |
| Standard credit/debit card | 2.99% + $0.49 | $3.48 | $16.39 |
| Pay Later (Pay in 4, Pay Monthly) | 4.99% + $0.49 | $5.48 | $9.82 |
| Advanced Credit and Debit Card | 2.89% + $0.29 | $3.18 | $10.03 |
| Virtual Terminal | 3.39% + $0.29 | $3.68 | $8.55 |
| Invoice paid with PayPal or Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $14.04 |
| Invoice paid by bank (ACH) | 1% (max $10) | $1.00 | none |
| QR code | 2.29% + $0.09 | $2.38 | $3.93 |
| Point of Sale, card present | 2.29% + $0.09 | $2.38 | $3.93 |
| Donations | 2.89% + $0.49 | $3.38 | $16.96 |
| Confirmed charity | 1.99% + $0.49 | $2.48 | $24.62 |
| Pay with Crypto | 1.50% | $1.50 | none |
| International add-on (most methods) | +1.50% | — | — |
Source column: PayPal US merchant fee schedule, effective October 1, 2026. Fee on $100 and tipping point: Axis Intelligence Research calculation.
How much is the PayPal fee for $100, $50 and $500?
| Amount | Checkout | Goods & Services | Card | Pay Later |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.84 (8.40%) | $0.30 | $0.79 | $0.99 (9.90%) |
| $50 | $2.24 | $1.50 | $1.99 | $2.99 |
| $100 | $3.98 | $2.99 | $3.48 | $5.48 |
| $500 | $17.94 (3.59%) | $14.95 | $15.44 | $25.44 |
The headline 3.49% understates what small sellers pay. On a $10 Checkout order the fixed fee pushes the real rate to 8.40%, more than double the advertised percentage.
How Much Should I Charge to Cover PayPal Fees?
Use the reverse formula: charge = (amount you want + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage rate), rounded up to the cent. To keep $100 through PayPal Checkout: (100 + 0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $104.12. Switch the tool to “How much to charge” mode, or press Reverse (gross-up).
Adding the fee as a surcharge on card payments is restricted in some US states and by card network rules; build it into your price rather than adding a separate line if you are unsure.
Seller Keep Rate: What Actually Reaches Your Bank
The transaction fee is only the first deduction. Axis Intelligence Research defines the Seller Keep Rate (SKR) as the share of the customer’s payment that lands in your bank account after every PayPal charge in the chain:
SKR = (sale − transaction fee − currency conversion − instant transfer fee) ÷ sale
Worked example: a $100 international PayPal Checkout sale costs $5.48 (4.99% + $0.49). Converting the $94.52 balance at a 3% spread costs $2.84. An instant business transfer of the remaining $91.68 costs 1.5%, or $1.38. $90.30 reaches the bank: an SKR of 90.30%. Nearly one dollar in ten disappears on a sale where the advertised rate reads 3.49%.
The fixed-fee tipping point is the second Axis metric in the tool: fixed fee ÷ percentage rate. Below it, the flat charge costs you more than the percentage. For Checkout that line sits at $14.04; for QR payments at $3.93. Sellers whose average order sits below their tipping point should look at QR, Advanced Card or bundling.
Is the PayPal Goods and Services Fee Still 3.49% + $0.49?
No. On the October 1, 2026 US merchant schedule, Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services is listed at 2.99% with no fixed fee. Several popular calculators still apply 3.49% + $0.49 to this payment type. On a $1,000 payment that error overstates the fee by $5.49 ($35.39 versus $29.90).
How Much Does PayPal Charge for Friends and Family?
Sending to friends and family from a PayPal balance or bank is free in the US. Funded by card, it costs 2.90% + $0.30. Sending abroad adds 5%, with a $0.99 minimum and $4.99 maximum. Receiving is free unless a currency conversion is involved. Friends and Family payments carry no Purchase Protection, so a seller who asks to be paid that way is removing the buyer’s recourse.
What Other PayPal Fees Do Sellers Pay?
| Fee | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Standard dispute fee | $15.00 |
| High-volume dispute fee | $30.00 |
| Card chargeback (non-PayPal-wallet transactions) | $20.00 |
| Currency conversion spread (receiving) | 3.00% |
| Currency conversion spread (paying in another currency) | 4.00% |
| Instant transfer, business account | 1.50%, min $0.50 |
| Instant transfer, personal account | 1.75%, min $0.25, max $25 |
| Standard transfer to bank | Free |
| Refund | Free to issue; original fee not returned |
| Invoice subscription | $14.99 per month |
Source column: PayPal US merchant fees (October 1, 2026) and consumer fees (May 19, 2026).
Why It Matters
Payment fees are the cost most small sellers never look at twice. At 200 sales a month of $100 through Checkout, transaction fees alone come to $796; add instant transfers and the figure the tool returns is $1,084 a month, or $13,008 a year. A seller who moves those buyers to Advanced Card would pay $3.18 instead of $3.98 per sale: $160 a month back, before touching a single price.
The refund rule deserves its own line. A refunded $100 Checkout order still costs the seller $3.98, which is why high-return categories should model refunds as a fee, not a reversal.
Limitations
- Rates are PayPal’s published US standard rates. Negotiated, volume or legacy pricing on your account will differ.
- The international add-on applies to the methods where it is published; the tool shows no add-on for Point of Sale, ACH Services and Pay with Crypto.
- Point of Sale, invoice ACH and ACH Services pricing is published in USD only; the tool restricts them to USD.
- Instant-transfer minimums and maximums are published for USD only.
- The conversion spread is editable because PayPal states the rate disclosed at transaction time can differ from the schedule.
- Dispute cost is an expected value (your dispute rate × the fee), not a prediction.
- Sales tax, card-network surcharge rules and income tax are out of scope.
Data Freshness
All constants match PayPal’s US merchant fee schedule effective October 1, 2026 and consumer fee schedule effective May 19, 2026, verified October 5, 2026. Review trigger: any update to PayPal’s Policy Updates page, or a quarterly check, whichever comes first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate PayPal fees?
Multiply the sale by the percentage for the payment method and add the fixed fee for your currency. PayPal Checkout in USD: amount × 3.49% + $0.49.
What is the PayPal fee for $100?
$3.98 through PayPal Checkout, $2.99 for Goods and Services, $3.48 by standard card and $5.48 with Pay Later.
What is the PayPal international fee?
An extra 1.50% on top of the domestic rate, plus a currency conversion spread of 3–4% if money changes currency.
What is the PayPal invoice fee?
3.49% + $0.49 when the client pays with PayPal, 2.99% + $0.49 by card, and 1% capped at $10 when they pay by bank.
Does PayPal refund fees on refunds?
No. Issuing the refund is free, but the fee you paid to receive the payment is not returned.
Which PayPal payment method is cheapest for sellers?
For invoices above $100, Pay by Bank (ACH) at 1% capped at $10. For card payments online, Advanced Credit and Debit Card at 2.89% + $0.29. In person, QR and card-present at 2.29% + $0.09.