How much does PayPal take?
An independent calculator, not PayPal: nothing to sign in to and nothing to pay here. Enter a sale amount and read the fees.
On a $100.00 sale with the default settings, PayPal takes $3.98 and you keep $96.02 — an effective rate of 3.98%. PayPal takes a percentage of each payment you receive plus a fixed $0.49 (or $0.09 for QR and micropayments): 3.49% for PayPal Checkout and most other payments, 2.99% for card payments, 2.29% for QR codes, 4.99% for Pay Later, plus 1.50% when the buyer is outside the US. Refunds don't return the fee.
| Sale | Fees | You keep | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.84 | $9.16 | 8.40% |
| $25.00 | $1.36 | $23.64 | 5.44% |
| $50.00 | $2.24 | $47.76 | 4.48% |
| $100.00 | $3.98 | $96.02 | 3.98% |
| $250.00 | $9.22 | $240.78 | 3.69% |
| $500.00 | $17.94 | $482.06 | 3.59% |
| $1,000.00 | $35.39 | $964.61 | 3.54% |
Open the PayPal calculator → for your own price, shipping, category and options.
How the fee is built
Receiving a domestic commercial payment costs a percentage of the amount plus a fixed fee that depends on the currency received ($0.49 for USD; $0.09 for QR-code and micropayment transactions). The percentage depends on how the buyer paid: 3.49% for PayPal Checkout, guest checkout, Pay with Venmo and all other commercial transactions; 2.99% for standard credit and debit card payments; 2.29% for QR code transactions; 2.99% with no fixed fee for money received for goods and services person-to-person; 4.99% for PayPal Pay Later. International transactions add 1.50%. Invoices follow the same percentages, with Pay by Bank (ACH) at 1% capped at $10. Micropayments pricing (by application) is 4.99% + $0.09. Donations are 2.89% + fixed; approved charities 1.99% + fixed. Refunding a payment does not return the fees originally paid. Instant withdrawal to a bank or card costs 1.50% (minimum $0.50).
In PayPal's own words
- PayPal Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee
- QR code Transactions 2.29% + fixed fee
- Send/Receive Money for Goods and Services 2.99%
- Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments 2.99% + fixed fee
- PayPal Pay Later options 4.99% + fixed fee
- All Other Commercial Transactions 3.49% + fixed fee
- Additional percentage-based fee for international commercial transactions … All Commercial Transactions 1.50%
- Fixed fee for commercial transactions (based on currency received) … US dollar 0.49 USD
Source: PayPal Merchant Fees (United States).