Payment & Fees

PayPal Fee Calculator

Find out how much PayPal takes from each payment and what you actually receive.

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Rates pre-filled for your currency (Goods & Services). Adjust to match your PayPal plan.

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Rates pre-filled for your currency (Goods & Services). Adjust to match your PayPal plan.

Reset

Enter a charge amount and your PayPal rates above, then click Calculate.

How it works?

PayPal charges a percentage of the transaction amount plus a fixed fee per transaction for Goods & Services payments. These fees cover PayPal's payment processing and buyer protection programme.

Fee = Charge × Percentage ÷ 100 + Fixed fee
Net payout = Charge − Fee
To receive exact net: Charge = (Net + Fixed fee) ÷ (1 − Percentage ÷ 100)

Rates shown are pre-filled based on your active currency. PayPal pricing depends on your country, account type, monthly sales volume, and whether the payment is domestic or cross-border. Verify your rates in PayPal under Settings → Selling Tools → Selling online.

Note: Friends & Family payments are free but offer no buyer protection and may not be used for business transactions. Cross-border fees of 1.5% apply when sender and receiver are in different countries.

Frequently asked questions

What are PayPal's standard Goods & Services fees?
PayPal's standard Goods & Services fee in the US is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction (as of 2023). In Europe it is approximately 3.4% + €0.35 for domestic payments. UK sellers pay around 2.9% + 30p. Rates vary by country and sales volume — merchants with higher monthly volumes may qualify for lower rates. Always check PayPal's fee schedule for your region.
What is the difference between Goods & Services and Friends & Family?
Goods & Services payments include PayPal's buyer and seller protection and are used for commercial transactions — fees apply. Friends & Family (Personal) payments are designed for sending money to people you know and are generally free domestically, but they offer no purchase protection and must not be used for buying goods or services. Using Friends & Family for business payments violates PayPal's terms.
Does PayPal charge a fee on refunds?
PayPal does not refund its transaction fees when you issue a refund — you lose the original fee. For example, if you received $100 and paid $3.78 in fees, and then refund the buyer $100, you are out $3.78. This differs from Stripe, which returns the fixed fee portion on refunds in some regions.
Are there extra fees for international PayPal payments?
Yes. A cross-border fee of 1.5% applies when the sender and recipient are in different countries. PayPal also charges a currency conversion spread (typically 3–4% above the mid-market exchange rate) when funds are converted between currencies. These fees can significantly increase the effective cost of international transactions.
How does PayPal compare to Stripe for fees?
PayPal's Goods & Services fees are generally slightly higher than Stripe's in most markets (e.g. 3.49% + $0.49 vs Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 in the US). However, PayPal offers wider consumer recognition and a buyer protection programme that can increase conversion for some merchants. For developer-centric products or subscription billing, Stripe tends to offer more flexibility and competitive pricing at scale.