# PayPal Fee Calculator

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/paypal-fee-calculator
Type: Free interactive calculator
Summary: Calculate PayPal processing fees at your own volume and ticket size, and see the effective rate rather than the headline 3.49%.

PayPal's standard online checkout rate is the highest headline rate among the major providers. Drag both sliders — ticket size changes the answer as much as volume does, because the fixed per-transaction fee is a much bigger share of a small sale.

## Summary

PayPal published rate: 3.49%. The effective rate you pay is always higher than the headline percentage. On small tickets the fixed fee costs more than the percentage does. Compare on effective rate, not on the advertised number.

## How PayPal prices card payments

PayPal charges a flat percentage plus a fixed fee for standard online checkout. Both components are higher than most competitors, and the 49¢ fixed fee makes it particularly expensive on low-value transactions. Rates differ by product — invoicing, in-person and micropayment plans all price differently.

**PayPal published rate, September 2026**

| Component | Cost |
| --- | --- |
| Percentage of each transaction | 3.49% |
| Fixed fee per transaction | 49¢ |

> **Verify before you rely on this:** Published rates change, and PayPal may quote you something different from its list price. These figures are its advertised standard rate as of September 2026 — check the current rate card before making a decision on it.

## Why your effective rate is higher than the headline

A percentage takes the same share of every sale. A fixed fee does not — 49¢ is the same amount on a $5 charge as on a $500 one, so it costs a hundred times more of the small one proportionally.

**PayPal effective rate by ticket size**

| Average transaction | Fee | Effective rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $5 | $.66 | 13.29% |
| $10 | $.84 | 8.39% |
| $25 | $1.36 | 5.45% |
| $50 | $2.24 | 4.47% |
| $100 | $3.98 | 3.98% |
| $250 | $9.22 | 3.69% |

## Who PayPal suits

PayPal suits businesses whose customers specifically want to pay with PayPal, where the conversion benefit can outweigh the higher rate. As a primary processor for card payments it is rarely the cheapest choice.

> **Worth knowing:** At a $10 average ticket, PayPal's standard checkout works out at roughly 8.4% — more than double the headline rate. If you sell low-value items, this is the single largest cost difference between providers.

## What this does not include

- International card surcharges, typically 1–1.5% on top
- Currency conversion, usually another 1–2%
- Chargeback and dispute fees, which depend on your dispute rate
- Negotiated pricing, which is not publicly listed

For your real blended number across all of those, run one month of statements through the [effective rate calculator](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/effective-rate-calculator). To see every provider side by side, use the [payment processor fee comparison](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison).

**Paydude starts at 2.6% + 25¢** Published tiers that improve automatically with volume, and no monthly platform fee. — [See the rate card](https://www.paydude.io/pricing)

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does PayPal charge per transaction?

PayPal advertises 3.49% for standard domestic card payments. What you actually pay is higher, because the fixed fee is a larger share of small transactions — at a $10 ticket the effective rate is 8.39%.

### Why is my PayPal effective rate higher than 3.49%?

Because of the fixed 49¢ per transaction. The percentage is the same on every sale, but the flat fee is a much bigger proportion of a small one. Divide your total monthly fees by your total volume to see the real figure.

### Does PayPal have a monthly fee?

Not on the standard plan priced here. Some PayPal products and add-ons carry their own monthly costs, so check the plan you are actually on.

### How do I compare this to other processors?

Compare effective rates at your own average ticket size, not headline percentages. A provider with a lower percentage and a higher fixed fee can easily cost more if your transactions are small. The payment processor fee comparison table puts every provider side by side at three ticket sizes.