What is PayPal's fee in the USA in 2026?

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

How is the PayPal fee calculated?

PayPal fee = (Amount × percentage) + fixed fee. For USA: Fee = (Amount × 3.49%) + $0.49. On $100: ($100 × 3.49%) + $0.49 = $3.49 + $0.49 = $3.98.

Is PayPal cheaper than Stripe?

No. In the USA, Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 vs PayPal's 3.49% + $0.49. On a $100 transaction, Stripe saves you $0.78. On $10,000/month, that's about $94/month saved with Stripe.

What is PayPal's fee in the UK?

PayPal charges 1.2% + £0.30 per domestic transaction in the UK. On a £100 sale, the fee is £1.50 and you receive £98.50.

Can I avoid PayPal fees?

PayPal Friends and Family transfers have no fee if funded from a bank account or PayPal balance. However, using Friends and Family for business payments violates PayPal's terms of service and removes buyer protection.

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      USA: 3.49% + $0.49  ·  UK: 1.2% + £0.30
    

PayPal Fee Calculator (2026)

Enter your amount, pick your country, and see exactly what PayPal charges — and what you'll actually receive. Updated with 2026 rates.

Rates by Country

PayPal Fees by Country 2026

Country	PayPal Rate (2026)	Fee on $100	You Receive	Stripe Rate	Stripe Saving
🇺🇸 USA	3.49% + $0.49	−$3.98	$96.02	2.9% + $0.30	Save $0.78
🇬🇧 UK	1.2% + £0.30	−£1.50	£98.50	1.5% + £0.20	PayPal cheaper
🇨🇦 Canada	3.49% + CA$0.49	−CA$3.98	CA$96.02	2.9% + CA$0.30	Save CA$0.78
🇦🇺 Australia	2.6% + A$0.30	−A$2.90	A$97.10	1.7% + A$0.30	Save A$0.90
🇪🇺 Europe (EUR)	1.2% + €0.35	−€1.55	€98.45	1.5% + €0.25	Similar

How It Works

How PayPal Fees Are Calculated

PayPal uses the same percentage + fixed fee formula as Stripe. For every transaction:

      // USA standard rate

      Fee = (Amount × 3.49%) + $0.49

      Net = Amount − Fee

      Example: $100 → Fee = $3.49 + $0.49 = $3.98

      You receive: $96.02

PayPal's fixed fee ($0.49) is higher than Stripe's ($0.30), which hurts more on smaller transactions. On a $10 sale, PayPal's fixed fee alone is 4.9% of the total — before the percentage is even applied.

Examples

PayPal Fee Examples (USA)

$10

PayPal fee−$0.84

You receive$9.16

$50

PayPal fee−$2.24

You receive$47.76

$100

PayPal fee−$3.98

You receive$96.02

$500

PayPal fee−$17.94

You receive$482.06

$1,000

PayPal fee−$35.39

You receive$964.61

$5,000

PayPal fee−$174.99

You receive$4,825.01

FAQ

PayPal Fee Calculator — FAQs

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

In the USA, No. Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than PayPal (3.49% + $0.49) for most transaction sizes. On $100, Stripe saves $0.78. On $10,000/month revenue, Stripe saves approximately $94/month. In the UK, PayPal (1.2% + £0.30) is cheaper than Stripe (1.5% + £0.20) for smaller transactions.

Use the gross-up formula: Charge = (Desired Net + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349). To receive exactly $100 after PayPal fees, charge your customer $104.66.

PayPal Friends & Family transfers are free when funded from a PayPal balance or bank account. However, using this for business transactions violates PayPal's terms of service and removes buyer and seller protections.

Yes — when you receive a payment for goods or services, PayPal deducts its fee automatically. The fee is charged to the recipient (seller), not the sender (buyer), unless you use the pass-through pricing option.