Payment Fee Calculator

Every payment gateway charges processing fees that reduce the amount you actually receive. This calculator helps you understand exactly how much you'll pay in fees and what your net amount will be when accepting payments through PayPal, Stripe, or Square.

Why this matters: Each payment gateway has different fee structures — from PayPal's tiered rates for different payment types to Stripe's international surcharges and Square's flat-rate in-person pricing. Without proper calculation, businesses often underestimate processing costs when setting prices.

This tool gives you a clear picture of all applicable fees, your net amount received, the effective fee rate, and even a reverse calculation showing what to charge to receive a specific amount — helping you make informed pricing decisions.

Supported Payment Gateways

PayPal

7 payment types including domestic (3.49%), international (+1.5%), QR code (2.29%), and micropayments

Stripe

7 payment methods including cards (2.9% + $0.30), ACH (0.8%), and Tap to Pay (2.7%)

Square

6 transaction types including in-person (2.6% + $0.15), online (3.3%), and invoices (3.3%)

How to Use

Choose Your Payment Gateway

Select the payment gateway you use from the navigation tabs at the top. Each gateway loads its specific fee structure and payment types automatically.

Enter the Transaction Amount

Input the total amount your customer will pay. This is the gross transaction value before any fees are deducted.

Select Payment Type

Choose the payment type from the dropdown. The calculator automatically sets the correct processing rate and fixed fee. For example, PayPal's domestic Goods & Services rate differs from QR code payments, and Stripe's ACH rate is much lower than card payments.

Fine-Tune Fee Settings (Optional)

Click Fee Settings to view and adjust individual fee rates:

Processing Fee — Percentage charged per transaction
Fixed Fee — Flat fee charged per transaction
Additional Fee — Extra percentage for international or special transactions

Review Results

Results update instantly as you type. Review the net amount you'll receive (color-coded indicator), total fees, effective fee rate, and the "Ask For" amount — which tells you what to charge so you receive your desired amount after all fees are deducted.

Features

Multi-Gateway Support

Calculate fees for three major payment gateways: PayPal, Stripe, and Square. Each gateway has its own dedicated calculator page with pre-configured fee rates specific to that platform.

Multiple Payment Types

Pre-configured rates for all common payment scenarios.

PayPal: 7 types (domestic, international, QR code, micropayments)
Stripe: 7 methods (cards, ACH, Link, Tap to Pay)
Square: 6 types (in-person, online, invoice, manual entry, Afterpay, ACH)

Automatic Fee Adjustments

When you select a payment type, the calculator automatically fills in the correct fee rates. For international payments, the additional cross-border surcharge is automatically applied. For ACH transfers, the lower rate structure is set automatically.

Reverse "Ask For" Calculation

A unique feature that calculates the exact amount you should charge so that after all fees are deducted, you receive your desired target amount. Essential for freelancers and businesses that need to pass processing costs to customers.

Customizable Fee Settings

While payment types set default rates, you can manually adjust any fee through the expandable Fee Settings panel. This is useful for businesses with negotiated rates or custom pricing tiers.

Your Data Stays Private

All calculations happen in your browser:

No server processing — Your financial data is never sent anywhere
No tracking — We don't collect or store your transaction information

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are the fee rates?

The fee rates are based on the latest published rate schedules from each payment gateway (updated for 2025–2026). However, gateways may change their fees at any time, and some businesses may have negotiated custom rates. Always verify with the official pricing page for your specific account.

What is the "Ask For" amount?

The "Ask For" amount is the price you should charge your customer so that after all processing fees are deducted, you receive the original transaction amount you entered. For example, if you want to receive exactly $100 and the fees are 2.9% + $0.30, you would need to charge approximately $103.41.

Which payment gateway has the lowest fees?

It depends on your use case:

In-person transactions: Square (2.6% + $0.15) is often cheapest
Online payments: Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 while Square charges 3.3% + $0.30
Bank transfers: Stripe's ACH (0.8%) and Square's ACH (1.0%) are significantly cheaper than card payments

Do these rates include currency conversion fees?

The calculator includes international surcharges (e.g., Stripe's +1.5% for international cards), and for Stripe you can select the "International + Currency Conversion" type which adds both the 1.5% international fee and 1.0% currency conversion fee. PayPal's currency conversion spread (3–4%) is separate from transaction fees and not included.

Are there monthly fees not shown here?

This calculator focuses on per-transaction processing fees. Some gateways may have additional costs:

PayPal: No monthly fee for standard accounts
Stripe: No monthly fee
Square: Basic plan is free but Square Plus and Premium have monthly subscription fees that are not included in this calculator