# Paydude vs Paddle: Fee Calculator

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/paydude-vs-paddle-fee-calculator
Type: Free interactive calculator
Summary: Compare Paddle's published rate against Paydude tier pricing at your own volume and average transaction size.

Both sliders matter. Volume decides which Paydude tier applies; ticket size decides how much the fixed per-transaction fee costs you, which is where Paddle and Paydude differ most.

## Summary

Paddle publishes 5% + 50¢ for domestic cards. Paydude starts at 2.6% + 25¢ and improves automatically with volume. Paddle is a merchant of record aimed at software businesses, handling global tax compliance end to end. Compare on effective rate at your own ticket size, not on headline percentages.

## Published rates

**Standard published rates for domestic cards, September 2026**

|  | Paydude | Paddle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.6% (falling to 2.5%) | 5% |
| Fixed fee | 25¢ (falling to 15¢) | 50¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Subscriptions | No extra percentage | Included |
| International cards | No surcharge | Included in the 5% |
| Amex and premium cards | +0.3% | Included in the 5% |
| Chargeback fee | $12 | $15–$25 typical |

> **Verify before deciding:** These are published list prices as of September 2026. Rates change, and Paddle may quote you something different. If you already process payments, your own statement is a better source than any published figure.

## Where Paddle wins

Selling into many jurisdictions where you would otherwise register for VAT yourself. The comparison is not 5% against 2.6% — it is 5% against 2.6% plus a tax service plus the engineering to connect them.

## Where Paydude wins

Domestic-only businesses, where the tax handling is not worth two extra points of revenue.

Card mix changes this comparison more than the headline rate does. The [overpayment calculator](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/how-much-are-you-overpaying-calculator) models Amex, premium and international share, and reports the point at which Paydude stops being cheaper.

**See the full rate card** Every tier and every situational fee, published up front. — [View pricing](https://www.paydude.io/pricing)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paydude cheaper than Paddle?

On published base rates for domestic cards, Paydude starts at 2.6% + 25¢ against Paddle's 5% + 50¢. Whether that is cheaper for you depends on card mix: Paydude surcharges Amex and premium cards at +0.3% but does not surcharge international cards, where most providers add 1–1.5%.

### When should I choose Paddle?

Selling into many jurisdictions where you would otherwise register for VAT yourself. The comparison is not 5% against 2.6% — it is 5% against 2.6% plus a tax service plus the engineering to connect them.

### Can I switch from Paddle to Paydude?

Switching means migrating stored payment tokens, which are specific to the provider that issued them. Most major providers will run a PCI-compliant migration of the underlying card data. Confirm that path exists before committing — it is the main technical obstacle to any processor change.

### Where do these rates come from?

Both figures are publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and Paddle may quote you something different from its list price.