PayPal fee calculator
Calculate PayPal's fee and your net on any amount, or what to invoice to receive a set amount. Uses PayPal's US merchant fees page, last updated October 1, 2026.
PayPal's published US merchant rates
| PayPal payment type | Published fee | Fee on a $100 sale | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout or Guest Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | $3.98 | $96.02 |
| Standard credit and debit card payments | 2.99% + $0.49 | $3.48 | $96.52 |
| PayPal Pay Later | 4.99% + $0.49 | $5.48 | $94.52 |
| International transaction | +1.5% | added to the rate above | |
The fixed fee for US dollar commercial transactions is $0.49. International transactions add 1.50%.
Source: PayPal merchant fees (last updated Oct 1, 2026), standard US pricing, checked 2026-10-27. Rates change and negotiated pricing differs, so confirm on that page before quoting a client.
Other PayPal fees to know
- Refunds: PayPal charges nothing to refund, but the fees you paid to receive the payment are not returned (full or partial refunds).
- Chargebacks: $20.00 USD for card chargebacks on transactions not processed through the buyer's PayPal account or guest checkout.
Booking PayPal fees
PayPal fees come out of each payment, so your PayPal balance and your withdrawals are net. Record them as an expense, not as reduced sales: see how to record PayPal fees in QuickBooks and PayPal to QuickBooks journal entries.
Turn the fees into journal entries
The fee is only half the job. Each payout lands in the bank as one net amount, so your books need sales, refunds and fees split back out. Guides: Stripe payout reconciliation · PayPal to QuickBooks journal · Square deposit reconciliation · the clearing-account method · free payout reconciliation template (Excel).
Other calculators: Stripe fee calculator · Square fee calculator · compare all three.
FAQ
What is PayPal's fee on $100?
For PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + $0.49 it's $3.98, leaving $96.02. Standard card payments at 2.99% + $0.49 cost $3.48.
Does PayPal refund its fee when I refund a customer?
No. PayPal's fees page says there's no fee to make a refund, but the fees you originally paid aren't returned.
Is it really private?
Yes. Your files are read and processed by JavaScript running in your browser tab; their contents are never sent over the network. You don't connect PayoutSplit to Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shopify or your accounting software, so there's no access to revoke later.
Which processors are supported?
Stripe (payout reconciliation itemized and balance change from activity reports), PayPal (activity download, English headers), Square (Transactions CSV and Transfers CSV) and Shopify Payments (transactions export). Bank files from any bank can be added for deposit matching.
What does a payout journal entry look like?
Debit your bank for the deposit, debit processing fees, refunds and chargebacks, and credit gross sales (plus sales tax and tips payable when the export has them). The entry always balances, and the bank line equals the deposit to the cent.
I already record sales another way. Will this double count?
Only if you leave Sales income pointed at your real income account. If your POS or store already books each sale, set Sales income to the clearing or Undeposited Funds account under Your account names — the journal then just moves the net to the bank and records the fees.
What if a payout doesn't add up?
When the export includes the payout row (Stripe balance report, Shopify, PayPal withdrawals), PayoutSplit compares it with the sum of the transactions. A difference is flagged and booked to the clearing account so you can investigate instead of importing a wrong number.
What's free?
Every export format for up to 10 payouts per download, one processor file plus one bank file at a time. No account needed. Pro removes the limit and lets you combine several exports and processors in one go.