What is PayPal's fee in the USA?

PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 per standard transaction in the USA in 2026. On a $100 sale, the fee is $3.98 and you receive $96.02.

Is PayPal more expensive than Stripe in the USA?

Yes. PayPal (3.49% + $0.49) is more expensive than Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) for most US transactions. On $100, PayPal costs $0.78 more. On $1,000/month revenue, that is about $9.40 extra per month.

How do I receive exactly the amount I want after PayPal fees?

Use the formula: Charge = (Desired Net + $0.49) / (1 - 0.0349). To net $100, charge $104.66. To net $500, charge $523.28.

Does PayPal charge a fee for refunds in the USA?

When you refund a transaction, PayPal returns the percentage fee but keeps the fixed $0.49. So a full $100 refund costs you $0.49.

🇺🇸

Standard: 3.49% + $0.49

PayPal Fee Calculator United States (2026)

PayPal's standard rate for US businesses is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. On a $100 sale that's $3.98 in fees — $0.78 more than Stripe. Calculate your exact payout below.

PayPal USA Fee Calculator

🇺🇸 United States: 3.49% + $0.49

Amount in USD

NetFee

⚖️ Compare with Stripe

Fee Breakdown — USA (USD)

Gross Amount$100.00

PayPal Fee (3.98%)−$3.98

↳ % component (3.49%)−$3.49

↳ fixed component−$0.49

You Receive (Net)$96.02

Examples

PayPal Fee Examples — USA (3.49% + $0.49)

$10

Fee−$0.84

You get$9.16

$50

Fee−$2.24

You get$47.76

$100

Fee−$3.98

You get$96.02

$500

Fee−$17.94

You get$482.06

$1,000

Fee−$35.39

You get$964.61

$5,000

Fee−$174.99

You get$4,825.01

PayPal vs Stripe USA

PayPal vs Stripe — USA Fee Comparison

Amount	PayPal Fee	Stripe Fee	You Save with Stripe
$10	$0.84	$0.59	$0.25
$100	$3.98	$3.20	$0.78
$500	$17.94	$14.80	$3.14
$1,000	$35.39	$29.30	$6.09
$10,000/month	$349.49+	$290.30+	~$59–$94/mo

Stripe is consistently cheaper for US transactions. The gap widens on higher-volume businesses. See full Stripe vs PayPal comparison →

FAQ

PayPal Fees USA — FAQs

PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 per standard online transaction in the USA in 2026. On a $100 sale, the fee is $3.98 and you receive $96.02.

Yes. Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 vs PayPal's 3.49% + $0.49. On a $100 transaction, Stripe saves $0.78. On $10,000/month revenue, switching to Stripe saves approximately $94/month.

Gross-up formula: Charge = (Net + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349). To receive exactly $100: ($100 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $104.66. To receive $500: ($500 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $518.60.

When you refund, PayPal returns the percentage portion but keeps the fixed $0.49. So refunding a $100 transaction costs you $0.49. Stripe does not charge any refund fee at all.