PayPal fee calculator
Fees by country and transaction type.
FreeRuns in your browserNo signupUpdated 2026-10-29
Rates last checked October 2026. US commercial rate for goods and services. Currency conversion, micropayments and non-US accounts have different fees.
Customer pays
$250
PayPal takes
$7.97
3.19% effective rate
You receive
$242.04
Breakdown per payment
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Customer pays | $250 |
| Percentage fee @ 2.99% | − $7.48 |
| Fixed fee | − $0.49 |
| Net to you | $242.04 |
Summary
PayPal US commercial: 2.99% + $0.49 Customer pays: $250 PayPal fee: $7.97 (3.19% effective) You receive: $242.04
About this tool
How it works and how to read the result.
Need this done for you?
E-commerce development
Online stores on Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom stack.
See the serviceWhat it does
A PayPal fee calculator shows the fee on a payment and the amount that lands in your balance, using the US commercial rate of 2.99% plus 49 cents and the 1.5% surcharge for buyers outside the US. It also runs backwards. Enter the net you want to receive and it shows what to invoice so the fee is covered. Add a monthly payment count to see the total fees across them. Rates were last checked October 2026; see PayPal's merchant fees page for the current figures.
How to use it
- Choose the direction: "I charge X" or "I want to receive X".
- Enter the amount in US dollars.
- Tick the box if the buyer is outside the US.
- Optionally enter how many payments like this you receive each month.
- Read the stats and copy the breakdown if you need to show a client how the fee is made up.
How to read the result
A US client pays a 250 dollar invoice. The percentage fee is 2.99% of 250, which is 7.48, and the fixed fee adds 0.49, so PayPal takes 7.97. You receive 242.04, an effective rate of 3.19%.
If the same client is in the UK, the rate becomes 4.49% plus 0.49. The fee is 11.72 and you receive 238.29, an effective 4.69%. On a 50 dollar payment the fixed fee pushes the effective rate to about 4% even for a US buyer, which is why the calculator shows the effective figure next to the fee.
Switch to "I want to receive X" with 250 as the target for a US buyer and the amount to invoice is 258.22. PayPal takes 8.22 and you receive exactly 250.00. Many freelancers add this difference to the invoice as a line item; others raise the base price and leave it unlabelled. Either way, the calculation is the same.
If you are deciding between PayPal, Stripe and a local gateway for a store or a client portal, our ecommerce development service includes gateway selection and setup. For a side-by-side comparison, try the Stripe fee calculator.
Questions
Frequently asked.
How much does PayPal charge to receive money?
For a US business account receiving a commercial payment, 2.99% plus a fixed 49 cents. If the buyer is outside the US, PayPal adds 1.5%, making it 4.49% plus 49 cents. Personal transfers between friends and family, charities and micropayments use different rates. Last checked October 2026.
Why does a small payment lose a bigger share to fees?
The 49 cent fixed fee is the same whether the payment is 5 dollars or 500. On a 5 dollar payment it alone is nearly 10% of the amount. If you sell low-priced items, consider bundling or a minimum order, or ask PayPal about micropayment pricing.
Is currency conversion included?
No. If the buyer pays in a currency other than the one you hold, PayPal converts it at its own exchange rate, which includes a spread of around 3% to 4% above the market rate. That cost does not appear as a fee line, so compare the amount you received with the market rate yourself.
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