Stripe is the most widely used payment processor in the United States, powering millions of businesses from solo freelancers to Fortune 500 companies. The standard US rate is 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic cards, and 4.4% + $0.30 for international cards.
For US business-to-business payments, Stripe's ACH Direct Debit is dramatically cheaper than card processing. At just 0.8% capped at $5, it's the most cost-effective payment option available on Stripe for US merchants.
ACH works best for B2B invoices, subscription plans for business customers, and any recurring payments where customers are comfortable with bank transfers. It's not suitable for consumer e-commerce where card convenience is expected.
Stripe is great — but there are ways to cut costs, especially on international or high-volume transactions.
Send international payments at real exchange rates. Often cheaper than Stripe for cross-border transactions.
Full side-by-side fee comparison for United States businesses — see which processor is cheaper for your volume.
When international payments are involved, Wise can be significantly cheaper for cross-border transfers.
At 2.9% + $0.30 domestic (4.4% + $0.30 international), here's what Stripe charges across common transaction amounts.
For every successful USD payment processed through Stripe, the platform automatically deducts a fee before depositing funds into your bank account. The formula is simple:
Note: ACH bank transfers cost just 0.8% (capped at $5) — ideal for US B2B invoices over $200. Additional fees apply for chargebacks ($15), currency conversion (+1%). Verify at stripe.com/pricing.
Depending on your business type, one of these may cost less than Stripe for United States payments.
Want a full comparison? See our Stripe vs PayPal guide →