PayPal fee calculator
Enter what the buyer pays to see PayPal's fee and what you actually keep, or flip the mode to find what to charge for an exact payout.
You keep
$242.03
$7.97 fee on a $250.00 payment (3.19%)
How to use it
- Enter the full amount the buyer paid you, including any shipping they covered.
- Pick the transaction type. Money sent to you for goods and services is 2.99% + $0.49; PayPal Checkout buttons and invoices are 3.49% + $0.49.
- Turn on the international toggle if the buyer paid from outside the US.
- Read the amount you keep, and check the effective rate to compare against other processors.
- To find what to charge for an exact payout, switch the mode to "What I want to keep after fees".
Worked example
A buyer sends $250.00 for an item plus shipping as a goods and services payment.
$250.00 × 2.99% = $7.475, plus the $0.49 fixed fee = $7.965, which PayPal rounds to $7.97 in fees. You keep $242.03, an effective rate of 3.19%.
How this is calculated
PayPal's fee is a percentage of the payment plus a fixed amount, both set by the transaction type, with 1.50% added to the percentage for buyers outside the US. The fixed fee applies once per payment whatever its size, which is why small payments have a much higher effective rate. What you keep is the payment minus the fee, rounded to the cent; reverse mode adds the fixed fee to your target, divides by one minus the percentage, and rounds up to the next cent. US merchant rates for USD payments.
fee = amount × percentage + fixed fee
net = amount − fee
The percentage and fixed fee depend on the transaction type. International payments add a 1.50% surcharge on top of the base percentage. The fixed fee applies once per transaction regardless of size, which is why small payments have a much higher effective rate.
Reverse mode solves the same equation for the amount to charge: charge = (target + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage), rounded up to the next cent so you never come in under the target.
Rates, sources and limits
- PayPal (US) rates effective 29 Oct 2025, checked 13 Sep 2026. Source
US PayPal merchant rates, USD payments.
Rates current as of 2026. Last reviewed 13 Sep 2026 by the CalcRabbit team. Estimates only, not financial, tax or medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does PayPal charge a fee on shipping?
Yes. The fee is calculated on the total the buyer pays, so shipping and sales tax collected through PayPal are both included in the amount being charged.
What do I charge to receive an exact amount?
Switch the mode to "What I want to keep after fees". To net $200 on a goods and services payment you'd charge $206.67, because the fee comes out of the larger gross amount. The calculator rounds up to the next cent so you never land under your target.
Why is the fee on a $5 sale so high?
The $0.49 fixed fee is charged per transaction no matter the size. On $5 that's nearly 10% before the percentage fee is added, which is why a micropayments account is usually cheaper for sales under about $12.
Are friends and family payments free?
They're free when funded by a PayPal balance or bank account within the US. Card-funded friends and family payments carry a fee, and using them for sales violates PayPal's terms and leaves you without seller protection.
Is the goods and services rate 2.99% or 3.49%?
Both exist. Money someone sends you for goods and services is 2.99% + $0.49. Payments taken through a PayPal Checkout button or a PayPal invoice are 3.49% + $0.49. Pick the type that matches how the money arrived.