The headline rate is 3.49% + 49¢ — but international surcharges, currency conversion and non-refundable fees stack on top. Enter a real transaction and see exactly what you keep.
| Processing fee | −$2.24 |
| Fees per transaction | −$2.24 |
| Monthly fees (all transactions) | −$447.00 |
PayPal publishes over a dozen rates, but most sellers only ever see one: PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + 49¢. Which rate applies depends on how the buyer pays — and the differences are big enough to matter at volume.
| Transaction type (US) | Percentage | Fixed fee |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout (PayPal/Venmo button) | 3.49% | $0.49 |
| Standard credit/debit card (guest checkout) | 2.99% | $0.49 |
| Advanced / expanded checkout (on-site card fields) | 2.89% | $0.29 |
| Pay Later (BNPL installments) | 4.99% | $0.49 |
| QR code / Zettle in-person | 2.29% | $0.09 |
| Micropayments (application required) | 4.99% | $0.09 |
The stackers: international payments add +1.5% to any rate; currency conversion costs a 3–4% spread over the exchange rate; chargebacks cost $20 each; PayPal-mediated disputes cost $15 ($30 if your dispute rate is high); Instant Transfer to your bank costs 1.5% (standard withdrawals are free).
The one nobody mentions: when you refund a customer, PayPal does not return the original processing fee. A refunded $100 order still cost you $3.98. At a 5% refund rate, that silent leakage adds up to real money over a year.
The Micropayments trick: below roughly $27 per transaction, Micropayments pricing (4.99% + 9¢) beats the standard Checkout rate (3.49% + 49¢) because the lower fixed fee outweighs the higher percentage. If you sell low-priced items, run your numbers above — the calculator flags it automatically.
The seller always pays. Buyers pay nothing extra for using PayPal. The fee is deducted from the payment before it lands in your balance, so you receive the order amount minus the fee.
No. PayPal returns the full payment to the buyer but keeps the original processing fee. On a $100 sale you lose the $3.98 fee even though the sale is cancelled — refunds cost real money.
At the standard Checkout rate (3.49% + 49¢): $100 → fee $3.98, you keep $96.02 · $1,000 → fee $35.39, you keep $964.61 · $3,000 → fee $105.19, you keep $2,894.81. International payments add 1.5% on top.
Four legitimate levers: apply for Micropayments pricing if your average sale is under ~$27; skip Instant Transfer (1.5%) and use free standard withdrawals; price in your customers' currency to dodge the 3–4% conversion spread; and compare Stripe or Square at your volume — the calculator above shows the same transaction on all three.
We're building a Shopify → QuickBooks connector that alerts you within 5 minutes if a single order fails to sync — with a daily one-number reconciliation. Join the early access list: first 20 stores get 3 months free.
No spam. One email when we launch, unsubscribe anytime.