Stripe vs PayPal Fees — Which Processor Costs Less?
Stripe's standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per charge. PayPal's commercial rate is 3.49% + $0.49. See the exact dollar gap across a few example charges, then plug in your own amount below.
| Sale amount | Stripe net | PayPal net | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100.00 | $96.80 | $96.02 | Stripe nets $0.78 more |
| $500.00 | $485.20 | $482.06 | Stripe nets $3.14 more |
| $1000.00 | $970.70 | $964.61 | Stripe nets $6.09 more |
Stripe's lower percentage and lower fixed fee mean it costs less than PayPal at every transaction size on paper. The real decision usually isn't the fee gap, though — it's checkout conversion. PayPal's brand recognition converts some buyers who wouldn't otherwise enter card details, and many businesses offer both to capture buyers who prefer one over the other, absorbing the small fee difference as a cost of maximizing completed checkouts.
Try your own numbers
Stripe
Standard US online (card-not-present) rate: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge. International cards add roughly 1 percentage point (≈3.9% + $0.30 total) — toggle above. Currency conversion, ACH, and in-person rates differ; check your Stripe dashboard for your exact negotiated rate.
Fee breakdown
PayPal
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.
Fee breakdown
FAQ
Common questions
Is Stripe cheaper than PayPal?
For a typical domestic charge, yes — Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 beats PayPal's 3.49% + $0.49 at every transaction size. On a $100 charge, that's $96.80 net on Stripe vs $96.02 on PayPal.
Does PayPal have any fee advantage over Stripe?
Not on the standard published rate — but PayPal's checkout conversion can be higher for buyers who trust it more than entering a card number directly, which can outweigh a small per-transaction fee gap depending on your audience.
Do international fees change the comparison?
Both add a surcharge for cross-border transactions — Stripe roughly 1% for international cards, PayPal roughly 0.5–1.5% for cross-border buyers. Toggle the checkbox in either calculator below to model an international customer.
Can I negotiate a better rate with either processor?
Yes, at sufficient volume both Stripe and PayPal offer custom/negotiated pricing below the published standard rate — this comparison uses the public rate available to any new account.
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