Payment Processing Calculators

Every card payment has a cost. Processors charge a percentage plus a fixed fee, so a $50 invoice and a $5,000 invoice do not feel the same after fees. If you ignore that math, thin margins disappear quietly— especially on small invoices where the fixed fee is a larger share of the total.

This category is for freelancers, studios, and small businesses that get paid through Stripe, Square, PayPal, or similar gateways. Use it when you are about to send an invoice, compare processors, or decide whether to raise prices so you still keep the net you planned.

Most US online card baselines look similar at first glance (often around 2.9% + $0.30). The differences show up in channel (online vs in-person), product (invoices vs checkout), international and currency conversion add-ons, and whether you reverse-calculate the charge so the customer covers the fee. Square’s in-person rates are often lower than online; PayPal’s commercial online schedule is often higher than Stripe’s common card baseline. None of those are “set forever”—confirm current rates in each provider’s pricing docs for your account.

Start with the calculator for the processor you already use: Stripe, Square, or PayPal. Enter the invoice amount to see fee, net payout, and effective rate. If you need to receive a specific net (for example $1,000 after fees), use the reverse invoice result so you know what to charge.

When you are choosing or switching processors, run the same dollar amount through the Processor Comparison tool. Side-by-side fees make “which is cheaper?” a number instead of a guess. If your goal is to pass processing cost into the price the customer pays, the Fee Pass-Through Calculator shows the gross charge that leaves your target net intact.

These tools model commonly published US baselines. Custom pricing, ACH, international cards, and refunds can change what you actually pay. Treat the results as planning estimates, then verify against your processor dashboard and statements before you lock pricing or accounting.