PayPal · Payment processing · US
PayPal Fee Calculator
See exactly what PayPal takes from each payment — and what to charge so you receive the amount you actually want.
Last verified: · Current PayPal merchant fee schedule · by Felix Oluwakeye
- PayPal Checkout
- 3.49% + $0.49
- Cards online
- 2.99% + $0.49
- International
- +1.5%
- QR code
- 2.29% + $0.09
Your payment
Reverse: hit a target payout
Results
- You receive (after PayPal fees)
- $0.00
- Total fees$0.00
- Profit after your costs$0.00
- Margin–
- Charge this to receive your target–
PayPal charges US merchants 3.49% + $0.49 per domestic PayPal Checkout payment, and 2.99% + $0.49 for card payments online. International transactions add 1.5%. On a $100 sale you keep $96.02. (Rates verified .)
| Fee | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | Goods & services paid via PayPal / Venmo checkout |
| Card payments online | 2.99% + $0.49 | Credit/debit cards through standard checkout |
| QR code payments | 2.29% + $0.09 | In-person QR code transactions |
| Micropayments | 4.99% + $0.09 | Opt-in pricing for low-value transactions |
| International surcharge | +1.5% | Added to the base rate on cross-border commercial transactions |
Worked example: receiving $100 through PayPal Checkout
- A customer pays you $100.00 for goods via PayPal Checkout.
- PayPal's published rate: 3.49% of $100 = $3.49, plus the fixed $0.49.
- Total fee: $3.98.
You receive $96.02. To net a full $100.00, you would need to charge $104.12 — the calculator's reverse mode does this for any target.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal take from a $100 payment?
For a domestic goods-and-services payment via PayPal Checkout, the fee is 3.49% + $0.49 — $3.98 on $100, so you receive $96.02. Card payments through standard checkout are 2.99% + $0.49 instead. Rates verified 2026-07-05.
What are PayPal fees for international payments?
PayPal adds 1.5% to the base rate on commercial transactions that cross borders — PayPal Checkout becomes 4.99% + fixed fee. Currency conversion, if needed, costs extra on top.
How do I charge enough to receive an exact amount after fees?
Divide (target + fixed fee) by (1 − percentage). To receive $100 via PayPal Checkout: (100 + 0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) = $104.12. The calculator's "target payout" field does this automatically for every payment type.
Are PayPal fees different for friends-and-family payments?
Personal (friends & family) payments funded by bank or balance are free domestically — but they carry no buyer/seller protection and must not be used for sales. Commercial transactions always incur the merchant fee.
What is PayPal micropayments pricing?
An opt-in rate of 4.99% + $0.09 designed for low-value transactions: on a $2 sale the standard rate costs $0.56 (28%) while micropayments costs $0.19 (9.5%). Worth requesting if your average sale is under roughly $10.
PayPal fee changelog
- — Initial capture of PayPal's published US merchant schedule: PayPal Checkout 3.49% + $0.49; card payments online 2.99% + $0.49; QR 2.29% + $0.09; +1.5% international surcharge.