On a $40 sale, Stripe takes $1.46 and PayPal takes $1.89. On a $500 sale it's $14.80 against $17.94. Stripe is cheaper both times.
But the fixed part of each fee hurts small sales far more than the percentage does, and the extra charges for overseas cards and currency conversion can change the picture. Here are the numbers side by side.
What do Stripe and PayPal charge?
These are the US rates, read from each company's own pricing page on 20 October 2026. PayPal's page says it was last updated on 1 October 2026.
| Stripe (online card) | PayPal (standard checkout) | |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| International cards | +1.5% | +1.50% |
| Currency conversion | +1% | 3% spread (4% in some cases) |
| Dispute fee | $15 | $15 standard, $30 high volume |
| Monthly fee | None for standard pricing | Not checked |
PayPal's page lists other rates for other payment types. For example, it shows card payments at 2.99% + $0.49. I used standard checkout because that is what most buyers click. Rates in your own country will differ, and one of the two may not be offered where you live, so check before you build a plan around either.
Which one costs less on a $10, $40 and $500 sale?
| Sale | Stripe fee | You keep | PayPal fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.59 (5.9%) | $9.41 | $0.84 (8.4%) | $9.16 |
| $40 | $1.46 (3.7%) | $38.54 | $1.89 (4.7%) | $38.11 |
| $500 | $14.80 (3.0%) | $485.20 | $17.94 (3.6%) | $482.06 |
The $10 sale is the one I'd look at. Stripe takes 5.9% and PayPal takes 8.4%. The 30 cents and 49 cents do most of the damage. If you sell a lot of small things, the fixed fee matters more than the percentage, and it's worth working out your average order value before you compare anything else.
How small is too small?
Say you want fees to stay under 5% of each sale. Divide the fixed fee by how far 5% is above the percentage part.
- Stripe: 0.30 / (0.05 - 0.029) = about $14.29. Sell for less and fees go over 5%.
- PayPal: 0.49 / (0.05 - 0.0349) = about $32.45.
That is a big difference. A $20 product sits comfortably under 5% on Stripe and well over it on PayPal. If most of your orders are small, a minimum order value or bundling can save you real money.
What changes if the buyer is overseas?
Take a $100 sale where the buyer pays with a foreign card and the money has to be converted.
- Stripe: 2.9% + 1.5% + 1% = 5.4%, plus $0.30. That is $5.70.
- PayPal: 3.49% + 1.50% = 4.99%, plus $0.49, which is $5.48. Then add the currency spread. At 3% that is about $3 more, so roughly $8.48 all in.
The conversion spread is built into the exchange rate, so it won't appear as a line on your statement. That makes it easy to miss. Compare the amount that arrives, not the fee line.
Is cheaper always better?
No. Some buyers will only pay with PayPal, and in some countries only one of the two is available. Plenty of shops offer both and let the buyer choose. Treat fees as one input, not the whole decision.
How do I work out what to charge?
If you want to receive an exact amount, you need to charge more than that amount. For $100 through Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30:
Charge = (Amount you want + fixed fee) / (1 - percentage fee)
That is (100 + 0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $103.30. The Stripe and PayPal calculator has a mode that does this backwards for you, so you can type the amount you want to receive and read off the price to charge.
Who is writing this?
I'm Saqib, the developer behind PayoutCalc. I haven't run a shop on Stripe or PayPal. The rates come from their own pricing pages and the arithmetic is mine. If a rate here is out of date, let me know.