Payment fees

PayPal fees for business in 2026: goods and services, Checkout, invoices, and cards

PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 on Checkout payments and 2.99% on goods and services payments in the US. Here is every rate, plus how to invoice so you receive the full amount.

By Sharjil Hameed · Published November 13, 2026 · 2 min read · How we fact-check

Person paying online with a credit card on a laptop

Short answer: in the US, PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 on PayPal Checkout payments, 2.99% on goods and services payments sent through PayPal, and 2.99% + $0.49 on standard card payments. Payments from abroad add 1.5%. On a $100 Checkout sale, you receive $96.02. Try it with the PayPal fee calculator.

PayPal's fee on a $100 US payment: Standard US rates by payment type — PayPal’s fee on a $100 US payment. Rates reviewed November 13, 2026.

PayPal’s US business rates

How you’re paid	Rate
PayPal Checkout (button on your site)	3.49% + $0.49
Goods and services payment sent through PayPal	2.99%
Standard credit and debit card payments	2.99% + $0.49
QR code payments in person	2.29% + fixed fee
PayPal Pay Later	4.99% + fixed fee
International payments	add 1.5%

The fixed fee for payments received in US dollars is $0.49. PayPal’s merchant fee page lists the full table, including other currencies.

How much PayPal takes from $100

Checkout: 3.49% of $100 is $3.49, plus $0.49, so the fee is $3.98 and you receive $96.02.
Card payment: 2.99% of $100 plus $0.49 is $3.48, so you receive $96.52.
From a buyer abroad through Checkout: 4.99% plus $0.49 is $5.48.

How to invoice so you receive the full amount

Fees come out of what you receive, so if you invoice $500 you get less than $500. To receive a set amount, gross it up:

Invoice = (amount you want + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate)

To receive $500 at 3.49% + $0.49: ($500 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $518.59. The fee is $18.59 and you keep exactly $500. The PayPal fee calculator has a “find what to invoice” mode that does this for you.

Ways to pay less in PayPal fees

Use the cheaper payment type where it fits. Goods and services payments are 2.99%, lower than Checkout’s 3.49% + $0.49.
Raise small prices. The $0.49 fixed fee is almost 10% of a $5 payment.
Compare processors. Stripe‘s standard US rate is 2.9% + $0.30. See the Stripe fee calculator or our guide to Square fees.

Stripe fees explained: 2.9% + 30¢ and when extra charges apply.
How to calculate profit margin: why your margin should be worked out after payment fees.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays PayPal fees, the buyer or the seller? For business payments, the seller pays. The fee is taken from the amount you receive.

Does PayPal charge for friends and family payments? Personal payments within the US funded by a PayPal balance or bank account are generally free. Don’t use them for sales: they don’t have seller or purchase protection.

Does PayPal have a monthly fee for business accounts? No. A standard PayPal business account has no monthly fee; you pay per transaction.

Rates from PayPal’s US merchant fee page, reviewed November 13, 2026. Confirm the current table on PayPal’s website.