Payment Processing Fee Calculator

See exactly what Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shopify and others take from each sale — find the cheapest for your ticket size and project your monthly cost. Free, nothing stored.

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Compare every processor

Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shopify, Braintree, Authorize.net and more — side by side.

Find the cheapest

The lowest fee for your exact ticket size is highlighted automatically.

Project monthly cost

Multiply by your monthly volume to see what fees really cost your business.

Good to know: these are standard published US rates. Your real rate can differ with volume pricing, international cards, currency conversion or monthly gateway fees — always confirm with your provider. This is a fast estimate, not financial advice.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Stripe / PayPal / Square charge per transaction?

As a rule of thumb for US online payments: Stripe and Square charge about 2.9% + 30¢, PayPal about 3.49% + 49¢, and Shopify Payments about 2.9% + 30¢. In-person (card-present) rates are lower. Enter a sale amount above to see the exact fee for each.

What is the "effective rate"?

The effective rate is the total fee divided by the sale amount, shown as a percentage. Because every fee has a fixed part (like 30¢), small sales have a much higher effective rate than large ones — a $5 sale can cost 10%+ while a $500 sale costs barely over the headline rate.

Are these the exact fees my processor charges?

These are the standard published US rates for each processor. Your real rate can differ with a custom/volume plan, international cards, currency conversion, chargebacks or monthly gateway fees. Use this as a fast, close estimate — always confirm with your provider’s pricing page.

How can I lower my payment processing fees?

Common levers: pick the cheapest processor for your average ticket size, take more card-present payments (lower rates), negotiate a volume rate, batch tiny sales into larger ones, and — where legal — add a compliant surcharge or cash discount. Our other merchant tools can help you compare.

Does this tool store my numbers?

No. Every calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored.