How PayPal fees work in the US
PayPal charges the seller a percentage of each payment plus a fixed fee that depends on the currency received (49¢ for US dollars on most commercial payments). Its US merchant fee page was last updated October 1, 2026; when we checked it on 17 Oct 2026 the standard rates for receiving domestic payments were[1]:
- PayPal Checkout and PayPal Guest Checkout: 3.49% + 49¢.
- Pay with Venmo: 3.49% + 49¢.
- Standard credit and debit card payments: 2.99% + 49¢.
- PayPal Pay Later: 4.99% + 49¢.
- QR code payments: 2.29% + 9¢.
- Send/receive money for goods and services: listed as 2.99%.
- Micropayments (lower-value payments, applied for separately): 4.99% + 9¢.
- Invoices paid by Pay by Bank (ACH): 1%, capped at $10 per transaction.
International payments cost the domestic rate plus 1.5%. Currency conversion isn't charged as a separate fee: PayPal builds a spread into the exchange rate, listed as 3.00% for most conversions (4.00% for some payment types, or another amount shown during the transaction). The calculator's conversion box uses 3% as an estimate. Moving money out is free by standard transfer to a linked bank account or debit card; an Instant Transfer costs 1.5% of the amount (minimum 50¢).
Worked examples
| Payment type | Fee on $10 | Fee on $100 | Fee on $1,000 | Charge to receive $100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, 3.49% + 49¢ | $0.84 | $3.98 | $35.39 | $104.12 |
| Card payment, 2.99% + 49¢ | $0.79 | $3.48 | $30.39 | $103.59 |
| Pay with Venmo, 3.49% + 49¢ | $0.84 | $3.98 | $35.39 | $104.12 |
| Pay Later, 4.99% + 49¢ | $0.99 | $5.48 | $50.39 | $105.77 |
| International PayPal Checkout, 4.99% + 49¢ | $0.99 | $5.48 | $50.39 | $105.77 |
| Micropayments, 4.99% + 9¢ | $0.59 | $5.08 | $49.99 | $105.35 |
| Invoice paid by bank, 1% (cap $10) | $0.10 | $1.00 | $10.00 | $101.01 |
On a $10 sale, PayPal Checkout takes 84¢ (8.4%), while micropayments pricing takes 59¢. That's the whole reason micropayments pricing exists. On large invoices it flips, and the bank option wins by a mile: $10 on a $1,000 invoice against $35.39 through PayPal Checkout. Compare these with Stripe's rates in our Stripe Fee Calculator, and see which invoicing tools pass fees through in our invoicing software guide.
How "what to charge" (reverse mode) works
Adding 3.49% to your price won't quite get you there, because PayPal takes its percentage from the full amount. You need charge = (amount you want + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage). To receive $100 through PayPal Checkout: ($100 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 ≈ $104.12 (the fee on $104.12 rounds to $4.12, leaving exactly $100). If you pass fees on to customers, check card network and state surcharge rules first.
Related tools: Stripe Fee Calculator, Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator, Break-Even Calculator and Small-Business Software Stack Cost Calculator. How PayPal compares with Stripe, Square and others: credit card processing fees for small business.
Frequently asked questions
What are PayPal's fees for US business payments?
From PayPal's US merchant fee page (checked 17 Oct 2026): PayPal Checkout 3.49% + 49¢, card payments 2.99% + 49¢, Pay with Venmo 3.49% + 49¢, Pay Later 4.99% + 49¢ and QR code payments 2.29% + 9¢. International payments add 1.5%.
How much is the PayPal fee on $100?
Through PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + 49¢, the fee on $100 is $3.98 and you receive $96.02. A standard card payment at 2.99% + 49¢ costs $3.48.
How much does PayPal charge for international payments?
The domestic rate plus an extra 1.5%. If PayPal also converts the currency, a currency conversion spread (listed as 3.00% for most conversions) is built into the exchange rate.
What are PayPal micropayments fees?
Micropayments pricing is 4.99% + 9¢ per US payment, plus 1.5% for international ones. You have to apply for it; it's cheaper than the standard rate only on small payments (below about $26 compared with PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + 49¢).
How do I work out what to charge to receive a set amount after PayPal fees?
Charge = (amount you want + 49¢) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) for PayPal Checkout. To receive $100, charge $104.12. The calculator's reverse mode does this for every payment type.
Does PayPal charge to withdraw money?
Standard transfers to a linked bank account or eligible debit card are free when no currency conversion is involved. Instant Transfer costs 1.5% of the amount, with a 50¢ minimum.
Sources
Rates come from the providers' official US pricing pages. We haven't processed payments to test these figures; fees change, so confirm on the official page before you set prices. See our methodology and editorial policy.
- [1] PayPal Merchant Fees, United States (Last Updated October 1, 2026): https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees (checked 17 Oct 2026)