💱 PayPal currency exchange fee calculator — see the true cost of conversion — Compare with Stripe →
💱
PayPal adds 3–4% above mid-market rate

PayPal Currency Exchange Fee Calculator (2026)

PayPal doesn't just charge transaction fees — they also add a 3-4% markup on currency conversion. Calculate the true cost of international payments and see how much you could save with alternatives.

Currency Exchange Fee Calculator
$
You KeepLost to FX
Currency Conversion Cost
Amount Converting$1,000.00
PayPal FX Markup−$35.00
Effective Value$965.00
With Wise (0.5% fee)$995.00
Saving with Wise$30.00
The Hidden Cost

How PayPal's Currency Markup Works

PayPal uses their own exchange rate which includes a markup above the mid-market rate. This markup is separate from the transaction fee and is often overlooked.

Mid-market rate: $1 = £0.800
PayPal rate: $1 = £0.772 (3.5% markup)
On $1,000 transfer: you lose £28 to the markup
Wise rate: $1 = £0.796 (0.5% fee)
On $1,000 transfer: you only lose £4 to fees
Transfer AmountPayPal FX Cost (3.5%)Wise FX Cost (0.5%)You Save with Wise
$100$3.50$0.50$3.00
$500$17.50$2.50$15.00
$1,000$35.00$5.00$30.00
$5,000$175.00$25.00$150.00
$10,000$350.00$50.00$300.00
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

PayPal adds a 3-4% markup above the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies. For example, if the mid-market rate is 1 USD = 0.80 GBP, PayPal might offer 1 USD = 0.77 GBP — effectively charging you the difference as a hidden fee.
PayPal charges 3-4% above the mid-market exchange rate for currency conversions. This is on top of any transaction fees. A $1,000 international payment could cost $30-40 extra in currency conversion fees alone.
Yes. Wise (formerly TransferWise) charges 0.4-2% for currency conversion using the mid-market rate — significantly cheaper than PayPal's 3-4% markup. For large international transfers, Wise can save hundreds of dollars.
You can reduce them by: (1) Asking the sender to pay in your local currency — PayPal charges the conversion to the sender instead. (2) Using Wise for large international transfers. (3) Withdrawing in the original currency if your bank supports multi-currency accounts.
PayPal shows you the exchange rate before you confirm a payment, but the markup above the mid-market rate is not clearly labelled. Always compare PayPal's offered rate with the current mid-market rate (available at xe.com or Google) to see the true cost.
Related →
🅿️ PayPal Calculator🌍 Intl Fees⚖️ Stripe vs Wise⚖️ Stripe vs PayPal