PayPal Fees and Fee Calculator
Here are PayPal's current US merchant fees, with the source and the date we checked them, and a PayPal fee calculator that works out the fee on a payment you receive, or how much to charge so you end up with an exact amount.
Same amount, every payment type
| Payment type | Fee | You receive | Effective rate |
|---|
The fee table we use covers fees for businesses receiving payments. PayPal lists the fees for sending money on its consumer fees page, and we do not repeat numbers we have not verified.
Rates from PayPal's merchant fees page, which showed "Last Updated: October 1, 2026". Checked 2026-10-14.
Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Results are estimates based on the rates shown. Your actual fees depend on your agreement with the provider.
PayPal fees (US merchant rates)
| What it applies to | Rate |
|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout / Pay with PayPal | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| PayPal Guest Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| Standard credit and debit card payments | 2.99% + $0.49 |
| Pay with Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| PayPal Pay Later options | 4.99% + $0.49 |
| QR code transactions | 2.29% + $0.09 |
| Invoice paid by bank (ACH) | 1% (cap $10.00) |
| Additional fee on international commercial transactionsAdd-on: applies on top of the base rate. | + 1.5% |
Other published fees
- Page "Last Updated" date shown by PayPal: October 1, 2026
Source: PayPal (Checked 2026-10-14).
- Not verified: Currency conversion spread — Not confirmed in the page text we read.
- Not verified: Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services — Shown as "2.99%" without a fixed fee; the meaning is unclear, so it is not used.
- Not verified: Chargeback and dispute fee rules — Check PayPal for when each applies.
How to use it
- Pick a mode: fees on a payment you receive, or the amount to charge so you receive a set amount.
- Choose the payment type (for example PayPal Checkout or a standard card) and whether the buyer is in the US or abroad.
- Read the fee, what you keep, and the effective rate. The table underneath shows the same amount across every payment type.
How PayPal's fee is calculated
For a commercial payment, PayPal's fee is a percentage of the payment plus a fixed fee. International payments add a further percentage on top. The result is rounded to the cent.
Worked example, fees on a payment: a $100.00 payment through PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + $0.49 costs $3.98 in fees, so you keep $96.02.
Worked example, what to charge: to keep exactly $100.00, you need to charge (net + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage rate). At the same rate that is $104.12, which leaves you $100.00 after the fee.
Why not just add the percentage on top? Because PayPal takes its percentage from the larger total, so adding 3.49% to $100 would leave you slightly short.
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal charge to receive a payment in the US?
On PayPal's published fee page, PayPal Checkout and Guest Checkout payments are 3.49% + $0.49, standard credit and debit card payments are 2.99% + $0.49, QR code payments are 2.29% + $0.09, and Pay Later options are 4.99% + $0.49. The fixed fee shown is for payments in US dollars.
How do I work out what to charge so I get a specific amount from PayPal?
Add the fixed fee to the amount you want, then divide by 1 minus the percentage rate written as a decimal. The second mode of this calculator does that for you and rounds up to the next cent so you never come out short.
Does PayPal charge more for international payments?
PayPal's page lists an additional 1.50% on international commercial transactions on top of the domestic rate. Currency conversion has its own spread, and the fixed fee depends on the currency received. This calculator assumes US-dollar payments.
Is the PayPal fee the same for invoices?
PayPal lists a separate invoicing table. At the time we checked, invoices paid with PayPal Checkout, Venmo or Guest Checkout were 3.49% + $0.49, standard cards were 2.99% + $0.49, and bank (ACH) payments were 1% capped at $10.00 per transaction.
How current are these rates?
PayPal's fee page showed a last-updated date of October 1, 2026 when we checked it on 2026-10-14. PayPal can change its fees, so confirm on PayPal's own page before you set prices.
Sources
- PayPal: Merchant fees (US) (checked 2026-10-14)
Last updated: · Prices verified: