PayPal Fee Calculator (US)

This PayPal fee calculator uses PayPal's published US merchant rates. Pick how the buyer pays, enter the amount, and it shows the percentage fee, the fixed fee, the total, and what you actually receive. The fee depends on the payment type. A standard PayPal Checkout payment costs 3.49% plus a $0.49 fixed fee. Goods and services payments sent through the PayPal app are listed at 2.99%, and PayPal's table shows no fixed fee for that row. Payments from buyers outside the US add another 1.5%. Switch to How much to charge if you need a specific amount to arrive — for example, to pass the fee on to a client on an invoice. The calculator finds the smallest amount, to the cent, that leaves you with at least your target after fees.

How PayPal Fees Are Calculated

1. PayPal looks up the rate for the payment type: Checkout, Guest Checkout, Venmo, card processing, Pay Later, QR code, or goods and services. 2. It takes that percentage of the payment amount. 3. It adds the fixed fee for the currency received. For USD this is $0.49 on most commercial payments, $0.29 for Advanced card processing and Virtual Terminal, and $0.09 for QR code payments. 4. If the buyer is outside the US, it adds the 1.5% international fee to the percentage. 5. The total is deducted from the payment before the money reaches your balance.

Formula

Fee         = Amount × (Rate% + International%) / 100 + Fixed fee
You receive = Amount − Fee

To receive a target amount (reverse):
Charge      = (Target + Fixed fee) / (1 − (Rate% + International%) / 100)
              rounded up to the cent

Rate%          — percentage for the payment type (e.g. 3.49% PayPal Checkout)
International% — 1.5% if the buyer is outside the US, else 0
Fixed fee      — per-transaction fee in USD (e.g. $0.49)

PayPal Fee Examples

Percentage: $100 × 3.49% = $3.49
Fixed fee:                    $0.49
Total fee:                    $3.98
You receive:                  $96.02

Percentage: $50 × 2.99% = $1.50
Fixed fee:                  $0.00 (none listed for this payment type)
Total fee:                  $1.50
You receive:                $48.51

Rate: 3.49% + 1.5% = 4.99%
Charge = ($500 + $0.49) / (1 − 0.0499)
       = $526.78
Check: the fee on that amount leaves at least $500.00

Ways to Pay Less in PayPal Fees

• › Compare payment types before you send a link. On the same $100, Checkout costs more than a QR code payment — use the dropdown above to see the difference.
• › If you invoice clients, use the reverse mode to price the fee in rather than absorbing it. Check your local rules and PayPal's terms on surcharging first.
• › Batch small charges where you can. The fixed fee is per transaction, so ten $5 payments cost far more in fixed fees than one $50 payment.
• › For card-heavy volume, compare against a dedicated card processor — see the Stripe fee calculator.

PayPal US Fee Rates Used by This Calculator

International commercial payments add 1.5%. Source: PayPal Merchant Fees (US), last updated by PayPal on 2026-10-01, checked 2026-10-05.

Frequently Asked Questions