How Stripe fees work in the US
Stripe's standard US pricing is pay-as-you-go: no monthly fee for payments, and a fee on each successful transaction[1]. When we checked on 17 Oct 2026, the published rates were:
- Online cards and wallets (US cards): 2.9% + 30¢ per successful transaction.
- Manually entered card numbers: an extra 0.5%.
- International cards: an extra 1.5%.
- Currency conversion: an extra 1% when conversion is required.
- In-person (Stripe Terminal): 2.7% + 5¢ for US cards, plus 1.5% for international cards. Tap to Pay on a phone adds $0.10 per authorization.
- ACH Direct Debit: 0.8% with a $5.00 cap for standard settlement timing; 1.2% for two-day settlement; $4.00 per failed payment and $15.00 per disputed payment[2].
- Card disputes (chargebacks): $15.00 for each dispute received, and $15.00 more if you counter it manually (refunded if you win)[1].
Watch how the extras stack. An online payment from an international card that also needs converting costs 2.9% + 1.5% + 1% = 5.4%, plus 30¢. Stripe also says custom pricing is available for businesses with large payment volume or unusual business models, so your rate can differ from the published one.
Worked examples
| Payment type | Fee on $10 | Fee on $100 | Fee on $1,000 | Charge to receive $100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online US card, 2.9% + 30¢ | $0.59 | $3.20 | $29.30 | $103.30 |
| Online international card, 4.4% + 30¢ | $0.74 | $4.70 | $44.30 | $104.92 |
| International card + conversion, 5.4% + 30¢ | $0.84 | $5.70 | $54.30 | $106.03 |
| Manually keyed US card, 3.4% + 30¢ | $0.64 | $3.70 | $34.30 | $103.83 |
| In-person Terminal, 2.7% + 5¢ | $0.32 | $2.75 | $27.05 | $102.83 |
| Tap to Pay, 2.7% + 15¢ | $0.42 | $2.85 | $27.15 | $102.93 |
| ACH Direct Debit, 0.8% (cap $5) | $0.08 | $0.80 | $5.00 | $100.81 |
Two things jump out. On small payments, that 30¢ fixed fee does most of the damage: a $10 online sale loses 5.9% to fees. On big invoices, ACH wins easily thanks to the $5 cap. A $1,000 invoice paid by ACH costs $5.00, against $29.30 by card. Bill a client that much every month and asking them to pay by bank is worth a polite email. If you bill clients through an invoicing tool, check which payment methods it passes through to Stripe; our invoicing software comparison lists the payment fees each tool charges.
How "what to charge" (reverse mode) works
Want exactly $100 to land in your account? You can't just add 2.9% + 30¢ on top, because Stripe charges its fee on the bigger total. The right formula is: charge = (amount you want + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage). To receive $100 from an online US card: ($100 + $0.30) ÷ 0.971 = $103.30, and the fee on $103.30 is $3.30. If you pass fees to customers as a surcharge, card network and state rules apply, so check them first.
Related tools: the PayPal Fee Calculator for comparison, the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator to build fees into your rate, the Break-Even Calculator (card fees are a variable cost) and the Small-Business Software Stack Cost Calculator. Comparing processors? Read our guide to credit card processing fees for small business.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Stripe charge per transaction in the US?
For online payments with US cards, Stripe's standard published rate is 2.9% + 30¢ per successful transaction (checked 17 Oct 2026). In-person card payments on Stripe Terminal are 2.7% + 5¢.
How much is Stripe's fee on $100?
At 2.9% + 30¢, the fee on a $100 online US card payment is $3.20, so you receive $96.80. With an international card (another 1.5%) it is $4.70.
What does Stripe charge for international cards and currency conversion?
Stripe adds 1.5% for international cards and another 1% if currency conversion is required. The two can apply together on top of the base rate.
How much does Stripe charge for ACH payments?
ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% per transaction with a $5.00 cap for standard settlement timing, so any ACH payment over $625 costs $5. Stripe lists 1.2% for two-day settlement, $4 for failed payments and $15 for disputed payments.
How do I calculate what to charge so I get a set amount after Stripe fees?
Use charge = (amount you want + 30¢) ÷ (1 − 0.029) for online US cards. To receive $100, charge $103.30. Switch the calculator to reverse mode to do this for any payment type.
Are Stripe fees the same for every business?
No. These are Stripe's standard published US rates. Stripe offers custom pricing for businesses with large volume or unusual business models, so check your own account's pricing.
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] Stripe pricing (US): https://stripe.com/pricing (checked 17 Oct 2026)
- [2] Stripe local payment methods pricing (ACH Direct Debit): https://stripe.com/pricing/local-payment-methods (checked 17 Oct 2026)