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PayPal Fee Calculator 2026 — Commercial & Cross-Border Fees

See exactly what PayPal keeps on a commercial (goods & services) transaction, including the cross-border surcharge for international buyers, and reverse-solve the invoice amount for a target net.

Verified August 3, 2026
Official ratesManually verified

How PayPal fees work

PayPal's commercial transaction rate is 3.49% + a fixed fee (commonly $0.49 in the US), deducted from each payment you receive for goods or services.

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PAYPAL · STANDARD US
✓ 2026 rates ✓ Free ✓ Instant
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Commercial transactions (goods & services) rate for a standard US PayPal Business/Checkout account: 3.49% + $0.49 domestic. Cross-border transactions add a separate cross-border fee (typically 0.5–1.5% depending on country) plus currency conversion if applicable — the toggle above models a mid-range estimate. Micropayments and nonprofit rates differ.

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YOU RECEIVE —
$0.00
Enter your payment amount to see your profit
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Payment amount
$0.00
Platform fees
−$0.00
Cost of goods / service
−$0.00
Net profit
$0.00
Margin —
ROI Add cost of goods / service
Want a specific margin instead? Solve for the price you need to charge →
Fee breakdown
Enter your payment amount to get personalised insights.

Fee structure

How PayPal fees are calculated

COMMERCIAL RATE

3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for goods & services on a standard US PayPal Business account.

CROSS-BORDER FEE

International buyers add an extra cross-border fee (≈0.5–1.5%) plus currency conversion — toggle it above.

MICROPAYMENTS

PayPal offers a separate micropayments rate for very small transactions — not modeled here; check your account settings.

REVERSE MATH

Need a specific net? The reverse calculator below solves for the invoice amount.

Reverse math mode

Know what you want to take home? Work backwards.

Instead of "what do I keep from this amount?", answer "what do I need to charge to net a specific amount, after PayPal's fees?" The pricing calculator solves it instantly, pre-loaded with PayPal's exact rate.

Open reverse calculator

KEEP GOING

Pair the PayPal calculator with these.

STRIPE

Compare PayPal's 3.49% + $0.49 against Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 for the same charge.

OPEN → WISE

Moving the payout abroad afterward? Compare Wise's FX markup.

OPEN → PRICING

Reverse-solve the invoice amount needed to net a specific target.

OPEN →

Worked example

PayPal's commercial rate, on a $100 invoice

$100 domestic invoice

Like most percentage-plus-fixed fee structures, the effective rate is worse on small invoices — the $0.49 fixed portion matters much more on a $10 payment than a $1,000 one.

Percentage cut: 3.49% × $100 $3.49
Fixed fee $0.49
Total fee $3.98
You net $96.02

Enter your own invoice amount in the calculator above to see your exact take-home.

Cross-border

Cross-border fees for international clients

If your buyer is paying from outside your home country, PayPal adds a cross-border fee on top of the base rate — typically in the 0.5–1.5% range depending on the country pair — plus a currency conversion markup if the payment currency differs from your balance currency. Toggle the surcharge in the calculator above to model an international client.

Need exactly $750 to land after fees? The reverse pricing calculator is pre-loaded with PayPal's rate and solves for the invoice amount. If you're deciding between processors, run the same target through Stripe for a direct comparison.

Reverse pricing calculator → Compare vs Stripe →

FAQ

PayPal questions answered

What does PayPal charge for commercial transactions?

The standard US rate for goods & services is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction on a standard Business/Checkout account.

Does PayPal charge more for international buyers?

Yes — cross-border transactions add a separate fee (roughly 0.5–1.5% depending on the buyer's country), plus currency conversion if the payment isn't in your default currency.

Is PayPal more expensive than Stripe?

For a typical domestic charge, yes — 3.49% + $0.49 is higher than Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30. Negotiated volume pricing, currency, and transaction size can change the comparison.

How do I figure out what to invoice for a target take-home?

Use the reverse math calculator below, pre-loaded with PayPal's commercial rate — enter your target net and it solves for the invoice amount.