PayPal fee calculator
This PayPal fee calculator shows the fee PayPal takes when you receive a payment and how much lands in your account. Switch to reverse mode to see what to charge so you receive an exact amount.
- US rates for Checkout, goods and services, cards, Pay Later and QR codes
- Adds the 1.50% international fee
- Reverse mode: what to charge to receive $X
Last updated
How to use the paypal fee calculator
- Pick “Fee on a payment” to see what you receive, or “What to charge” to cover the fee.
- Choose how the buyer pays: through PayPal Checkout on a website or invoice, as a goods and services payment sent straight to you, by card, with Pay Later or by QR code.
- Enter the amount. Tick the box if the buyer is outside the US.
- Read what you receive (or what to charge), the fee and the effective rate.
How PayPal fees are worked out
PayPal charges a percentage of the payment plus a fixed fee, and takes it before the money reaches your balance. The fixed fee for US dollar payments is $0.49 ($0.09 for QR code payments). A goods and services payment sent directly to you is listed at 2.99% with no fixed fee.
fee = amount × rate + fixed fee · you receive = amount − fee
When the buyer is in another country, PayPal adds 1.50% to the rate. To find what to charge so you receive a set amount, divide the target plus the fixed fee by one minus the rate:
charge = (amount you want + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate)
Worked example
A buyer pays you $100 through PayPal Checkout.
- Percentage: $100 × 3.49% = $3.49.
- Add the fixed fee: $3.49 + $0.49 = $3.98.
- You receive $100 − $3.98 = $96.02.
To receive the full $100, charge ($100 + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) = $104.12. PayPal’s fee on $104.12 is $4.12, which leaves exactly $100.00.
PayPal fees for receiving money (US)
Rates for US PayPal accounts receiving a US payment, from PayPal’s merchant fees page (marked “Last Updated: October 1, 2026”). Fees last checked 28 October 2026.
| Payment type | Rate | Fee on $100 |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, Guest Checkout, Pay with Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 |
| Send/receive money for goods and services | 2.99% | $2.99 |
| Standard credit and debit card payments | 2.99% + $0.49 | $3.48 |
| PayPal Pay Later | 4.99% + $0.49 | $5.48 |
| QR code transactions | 2.29% + $0.09 | $2.38 |
| International buyer | +1.50% | +$1.50 |
Invoices use the same rates as the way the customer pays: 3.49% + $0.49 for PayPal or Venmo, 2.99% + $0.49 for a card.
Fees that are not part of a sale
- Friends and family: sending to someone in the US from your PayPal balance or bank is free. Paying with a card costs the sender 2.90% plus a fixed fee.
- Currency conversion: when PayPal converts currency, it builds a spread of 3.00% into the exchange rate for most transactions, or 4.00% when paying in a currency other than the one the item is listed in.
- Instant transfer to a bank or card: 1.75% of the amount, at least $0.25 and at most $25. A standard transfer to a linked card or bank is free.
From PayPal’s US merchant and consumer fee pages. Fees last checked 28 October 2026.
Common questions
How much is the PayPal fee for $100?
Through PayPal Checkout it is $3.98 (3.49% + $0.49), so you receive $96.02. A goods and services payment sent directly to you is 2.99% with no fixed fee listed, so $2.99.
How much is the PayPal goods and services fee?
PayPal’s US fee page lists “Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services” at 2.99%, with no fixed fee shown, paid by the seller. Many calculators still say 2.99% + $0.49; that is the rate for standard card payments.
Who pays the PayPal goods and services fee?
The seller. The fee comes out of the payment you receive, so a $50 goods and services payment arrives as $48.50.
Are PayPal friends and family payments free?
Yes, within the US when the sender pays from a PayPal balance or bank account. If the sender uses a card, they pay 2.90% plus a fixed fee. Friends and family payments are not for buying things and do not have purchase protection.
What does PayPal charge for international payments?
The normal rate plus 1.50%. A $100 PayPal Checkout payment from a buyer outside the US costs $5.48 (4.99% + $0.49).
Related calculators
- Square fee calculatorIn-person, online and keyed-in rates, and what to charge
- eBay fee calculatorFinal value fee by category, Store plans, promoted listings and profit
- Depop fee calculatorUS payment processing, boosted listing fees and profit
- Markup calculatorSelling price from cost and markup or margin, or both from a price
Sources
- PayPal: Merchant fees (US). Commercial transaction rates, fixed fees, international fee, currency conversion spread. Page marked Last Updated October 1, 2026; checked 28 October 2026
- PayPal: Consumer fees (US). Personal transactions and instant transfer fees. Checked 28 October 2026
See the methodology page for how Feecount builds and checks its calculators.