// payment fee calculator
What a payment really costs.
On $100 from a US buyer, Stripe takes $3.20, PayPal Checkout $3.98 and Pocketsflow $5.00 with sales tax handled. Enter your amount, or the amount you want to receive. Fees checked October 22, 2026.
Payment fee calculator
On this payment
Stripe takes the least, $3.20, and leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
Pocketsflow's $5.00 includes card processing and, as merchant of record, the sales tax and VAT on the sale. With Stripe or PayPal, collecting and filing that tax is yours. The bar shows each fee as a share of the payment, against the highest here.
// the formula
Two lines of math.
Every processor here charges a percentage plus a fixed fee per payment. The same two numbers answer both questions.
The fee
amount × rate + fixed fee
$100 on Stripe: $100 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20. Rounded to the cent.
What to charge
(target + fixed fee) / (1 - rate)
To receive $100 on Stripe: ($100 + $0.30) / 0.971 = $103.30, rounded up so you never land short.
Buyers abroad
rate + 1.5%
Stripe and PayPal add 1.5% when the card or account is from another country: $4.70 on $100 at Stripe.
// sources
Every rate, sourced.
Standard published US rates for an online payment received in US dollars, checked October 22, 2026.
Pocketsflow
Tax handled4.7% + $0.30 per sale, card processing and sales tax and VAT handling included as merchant of record. No monthly fee.
Stripe
Tax on you2.9% + 30¢ per domestic card payment, +1.5% for international cards, +1% when currency is converted.
PayPal Checkout
Tax on you3.49% + $0.49 when the buyer pays with PayPal or Venmo, +1.5% for international payments.
PayPal cards
Tax on you2.99% + $0.49 for standard credit and debit card payments, +1.5% for international payments.
Stripe and PayPal are trademarks of their owners, named only to compare published fees. Pocketsflow is not affiliated with them. Comparing selling platforms instead? Try the platform fee calculator, or see Pocketsflow pricing.
// faq
Common questions.
How much does Stripe charge per payment?
2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card payment on standard US pricing, so $3.20 on $100. International cards add 1.5% ($4.70 on $100), and currency conversion adds 1% more. Sales tax and VAT are not included.
How much does PayPal charge per payment?
3.49% + $0.49 when the buyer pays with PayPal or Venmo ($3.98 on $100), and 2.99% + $0.49 for standard card payments ($3.48). International payments add 1.5%. The $0.49 fixed fee is for payments received in US dollars.
How do I price so I receive an exact amount?
Add the fixed fee to the amount you want, then divide by one minus the rate. To receive $100 on Stripe: ($100 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $103.30. Switch the calculator to "What to charge" to do it for every processor at once.
Why is the Pocketsflow fee higher than Stripe's?
It covers more. 4.7% + $0.30 includes card processing, the checkout, fraud screening and chargeback handling, and, as merchant of record, calculating, collecting and remitting sales tax and VAT on every sale. With Stripe or PayPal alone, registering for and filing that tax is yours.
What is not in the calculator?
Currency conversion, PayPal Pay Later and QR rates, in-person and bank payments, dispute and refund fees, payout fees and negotiated or volume pricing. They depend on how you sell, so the calculator shows a standard online payment.
Are you affiliated with Stripe or PayPal?
No. Stripe and PayPal are trademarks of their owners, named only to compare published fees. Check each processor's pricing page before you decide.
// more free tools
Plan the rest of your launch.
Free, no sign-up. When you are ready to sell, the same numbers run your store: see pricing.
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- Pricing guideSet a price from value, build three tiers, and see the sales a goal takes.
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