PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator Community
Questions, answers and tips from people who use the PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator. Compare real PayPal and Stripe payment processing fees side by side, plus reverse 'what to charge to net $X'.
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This page shows only real posts from real people, so it starts empty. The guide below has the questions people most often have about the PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator. Pick one to start a thread, or write your own.
From the tool guide: common questions about PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator
The items below are not posts by community members. They come from the written guide for this tool and are here to get a conversation started. Use “Ask a follow-up” to open a thread about any of them.
How much does Stripe really charge?
Stripe's published standard rate for US online card payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction.
From the tool guide Ask a follow-upHow much does PayPal really charge?
PayPal's published standard rate for US goods & services transactions is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction, as of its most recent published rate change — higher than Stripe's standard online rate.
From the tool guide Ask a follow-upHow does the reverse 'net to gross' calculation work?
Real algebra: gross = (target net + fixed fee) / (1 − percentage rate). This solves exactly what price makes the after-fee amount equal your target, rather than approximating by trial and error.
From the tool guide Ask a follow-upDo these rates ever change?
Yes — both companies periodically revise fees; this tool uses each platform's most recently published standard US rate, clearly labelled, and you should confirm current pricing on each platform for high-stakes decisions.
From the tool guide Ask a follow-upIs my data stored?
No, everything is calculated locally in your browser.
From the tool guide Ask a follow-upWhat this tool does
Enter a sale amount and this tool auto-computes the real fee both processors charge on it, using each platform's actual published standard US online rate: Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, and PayPal at 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for goods & services. The two are shown side by side so you can see exactly how much more (or less) each one takes on your real numbers, not a rough guess.
How to use it, step by step
- Enter a sale amount.
- See Stripe's and PayPal's real fees and your net payout on each, side by side.
- Toggle 'reverse calculate' to instead enter your target net amount.
- See exactly what price to charge on each processor to net that amount.
Tips from the guide
- PayPal's and Stripe's rates can vary for micropayments, international cards, currency conversion, or non-profit/volume-based custom pricing — this tool uses each platform's standard published US online rate.
- The reverse calculation's formula, gross = (net + fixed) / (1 − rate), is exact algebra for a single percentage-plus-fixed fee — verify it against your own numbers if the amounts are unusually large.
- Chargebacks, disputes and currency conversion fees are separate from the base processing fee shown here.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming both processors charge the same rate — PayPal's standard goods & services rate is meaningfully higher than Stripe's standard online rate.
- Forgetting the fixed per-transaction fee ($0.30 or $0.49) on small sale amounts, where it's proportionally the biggest chunk of the fee.
- Using the standard rate when you actually have a negotiated volume rate, which would be lower than what's modeled here.
Who uses it
- Freelancers and small businesses invoicing clients. Pick the processor that leaves more in your pocket, or price invoices to net a specific take-home amount.
- Online sellers choosing a payment gateway. Compare the real fee gap before committing to one processor.
- Anyone quoting a price that must net a round number. Use reverse mode instead of guessing and re-checking after the fact.
How to ask a question people can answer
A good thread on the PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator saves everyone time. Start with a title that names the exact problem, such as the input you used, the result you expected and the result you got. A title like “Not working” is hard to answer, while a title with the specifics gets replies quickly.
- Say what you tried. List the steps you followed and any settings you changed, so replies do not repeat what you already did.
- Share a small example. A short sample input and the output you saw is worth more than a long description. Remove anything private first.
- Mention your setup. Your device, browser and whether you are on a phone or a computer can explain many odd results.
- One question per thread. Separate topics get clearer answers and are easier to find later with the search box above.
- Come back and reply. If a suggestion worked, say so and upvote it, and if you found the fix yourself, post it for the next person.
Community rules
Be kind, stay on topic and keep personal data out of your posts. Do not post adult, hateful or illegal content, advertising or repeated links. Every post is shown with its author’s username and date, and posts that break these rules can be hidden by moderators. This space is for help with the PayPal vs Stripe Fee Calculator and related tasks, and it is separate from the sitewide discussion forum where broader topics live.