Calculate the PayPal fee and net payout on a transaction amount, or set a target net payout and calculate how much to charge.
Net payout
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Charge amount —PayPal fee —Net payout —
US merchant-account and USD assumption. Reviewed against PayPal US merchant fees on 2026-08-07; international adds 1.5 percentage points. FX, chargebacks, and dispute fees are excluded.
PayPal US merchant fees — Reviewed 2026-08-07. The selected plan is an assumption; your account agreement controls.
PayPal Checkout's standard US domestic rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. International commercial transactions add a +1.5% surcharge (4.99% + $0.49 total), and if currency conversion is needed, a separate conversion spread may apply. Other PayPal products (e.g. Standard Card Payments) carry different rates, so confirm which product you're actually using.
Example: on a $100 transaction, fee = 100×0.0349+0.49 = $3.98, net payout = $96.02.
02
Reverse-Calculating the Charge from a Target Net Amount
As with Stripe, PayPal fees are calculated on the charge amount, so simply adding an estimated fee to your target net undercharges. The correct formula is Charge amount = (Target net + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349). For a $100 target net, charge amount = (100 + 0.49) ÷ 0.9651 ≈ $104.12, with a fee of about $4.12, leaving exactly $100.
03
Ways to Reduce PayPal Fees
(1) High-volume merchants can contact PayPal's sales team about negotiated rates (Payflow, PayPal Payments Pro, etc.). (2) If a large share of transactions are international, offering local payment methods can reduce surcharge exposure. (3) Matching your account currency to your sale currency avoids the conversion spread. (4) If you process many small transactions, the flat $0.49 fee weighs proportionally more — consider batching charges where possible.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does PayPal charge?
The standard domestic rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. International transactions add a +1.5% surcharge, for 4.99% + $0.49 total. Rates can vary by product (Checkout vs Standard Card Payments) and contract terms.
How much do I need to charge to receive exactly $100?
Charge amount = (100 + 0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) ≈ $104.12. Simply adding an estimated fee undercharges slightly, so use the gross-up formula instead.
Is the international surcharge different from the currency conversion fee?
Yes. The international surcharge (+1.5%) is based on the counterparty's country; if currency conversion is needed, a separate conversion spread may also apply. This calculator only models the international surcharge, not the conversion spread.
Could the actual rate differ from what's shown here?
Yes. This is a US merchant-account, USD assumption reviewed on 2026-08-07. Country, product, and contract terms can differ; confirm the rate in your account.
TRUST & SOURCES
Methodology and official sources
the PayPal fee calculation explains its inputs, assumptions, and calculation scope.
Official status
Reference calculator; it does not make an official determination.
Effective date
Last reviewed
Method
It applies the selected percentage fee plus the disclosed fixed fee to the entered values.
Worked example
$100 at 3.49% plus $0.49 leaves $96.02.
Limitations
Rates, rules, and individual circumstances can change the result.
