PayPal Fee Calculator
Estimate how much PayPal takes on a commercial online payment, what you keep, and how much to invoice for a target net payout. Live updates as you type.
Calculator
US commercial online baseline: 3.49% + $0.49
Results
Estimated PayPal fee
$3.98
Net payout
$96.02
Effective rate
3.98%
Fee as a share of the invoice amount
What this means
Effective rate is a bit above the headline percentage because of the fixed per-charge fee—normal on mid-size invoices.
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PayPal Fee Summary
PayPal typically charges a percentage fee plus a fixed fee per commercial online transaction. This calculator estimates total fees, net payout, and how much to invoice to receive your target amount using a US baseline of 3.49% + $0.49.
Explanation
Fee amount is the estimated PayPal cut (percentage of the invoice plus the fixed fee).
Net payout is what you receive after those fees.
Effective rate is the fee divided by the invoice, so you can compare PayPal’s true cost on that payment size.
Business implication: PayPal’s fixed fee is higher than many card processors, so small invoices carry a steeper effective rate—price or batch accordingly.
Step-by-step example
Suppose you invoice a client $100.00.
- Percentage fee: $100.00 × 3.49% = $3.49
- Fixed fee: $0.49
- Total fee: $3.49 + $0.49 = $3.98
- Net payout: $100.00 − $3.98 = $96.02
- Effective rate: $3.98 ÷ $100.00 = 3.98%
Formula
Fee = (Transaction Amount × 0.0349) + 0.49
Net = Transaction Amount − Fee
Invoice for target net = (Target Net + 0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349)
Helpful tips
- Compare PayPal’s effective rate with Stripe or Square on the same invoice size—fixed fees change the ranking on small amounts.
- International and currency-conversion fees can stack on top of this baseline.
- If clients insist on PayPal, reverse-calculate your invoice so your net stays intact.
FAQ
Are PayPal fees the same for every payment?
No. PayPal fees vary by product (Checkout, Payments Pro, Invoicing), country, currency, and whether the payment is domestic or cross-border. This calculator uses a common US commercial online baseline of 3.49% + $0.49.
Does PayPal refund fees on refunds?
Refund handling depends on PayPal’s current policies and the payment product you use. In many cases the variable percentage may be returned while fixed portions can be treated differently—confirm in your PayPal account documentation.
Can I pass PayPal fees to customers?
Some sellers raise prices or add a surcharge to offset fees. Card network and local rules can restrict how surcharges appear, so check regulations for your location before adding line-item fees.
How accurate is this calculator?
It models a widely cited US commercial online schedule (3.49% + $0.49). Your live rate may differ with volume pricing, micropayments, international payments, or other PayPal products. Use PayPal’s fee reports for exact accounting.
Related tools
Key terms
Processing fee
Definition. The amount a payment processor charges to accept a card or digital payment.
In simple terms. Most online processors charge a percentage of the payment plus a fixed per-transaction amount. The fee is how the processor gets paid for authorization, settlement, fraud tools, and payouts.
Fee ≈ (rate × transaction amount) + fixed fee
Example. On a $100 charge at 2.9% + $0.30, the fee is about $3.20 and you keep about $96.80 (before refunds or chargebacks).
Common mistake. Comparing only the percentage rate and ignoring the fixed fee—or assuming every payment method uses the same rate.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, PayPal Fee Calculator, Square Fee Calculator, Processor Comparison Tool
Related terms. Net payout, Effective rate, Fee pass-through
Net payout
Definition. What you actually receive after processing fees are deducted from a payment.
In simple terms. Customers pay the invoice amount; the processor keeps its fee; the remainder is your net. Pricing and cash-flow decisions should use net, not the sticker invoice total.
Net payout = invoice amount − processing fee
Example. Invoice $250, fee $7.55 → net payout ≈ $242.45.
Common mistake. Planning expenses from the full invoice amount and discovering shortfalls after fees clear.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, Fee Pass-Through Calculator
Related terms. Processing fee, Effective rate, Fee pass-through
Effective rate
Definition. Total processing cost as a percentage of the payment amount.
In simple terms. Because of fixed per-transaction fees, small payments often have a higher effective rate than large ones—even at the same posted rate.
Effective rate = processing fee ÷ payment amount
Example. A $3.20 fee on $100 is a 3.2% effective rate. The same structure on a $20 charge is a much higher effective rate.
Common mistake. Using the advertised percentage alone when comparing processors or pricing low-ticket items.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, Processor Comparison Tool
Related terms. Processing fee, Net payout
Notes & Assumptions
Fee model based on a commonly published US PayPal commercial online schedule (3.49% + $0.49). Confirm current rates in PayPal business fees.
Last reviewed: July 2026