Stripe vs PayPal Fee Comparison

How to Use the Stripe vs PayPal Calculator

The calculator answers one question: which platform — Stripe or PayPal — will be cheaper at your sales volume. You only need two values: the amount of a single transaction and the number of transactions per month.

By default, the tool enters $100 and 200 transactions. The rates used in the calculation are Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 and PayPal 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. Treat them as approximate and check the current pricing for both platforms — terms depend on your country, your type of business, and your agreement with the payment provider.

• Enter the amount of a typical transaction.
• Enter the number of transactions per month.
• Read the Stripe cost per month, the PayPal cost per month, and the savings Stripe gives you.

The calculation runs on your device — nothing is uploaded and you do not need an account. The tool does not handle files. By entering your own rates, you can calculate in any currency.

How to Calculate the Cost of One Transaction and a Full Month

The cost of a payment is the sum of two parts: a percentage of the amount and a fixed fee per transaction. We write it like this:

cost of one transaction = amount × percentage rate + fixed fee

monthly cost = cost of one transaction × number of transactions per month

Example using the default values. Amount $100, 200 transactions per month. Stripe: $100 × 2.9% = $2.90, plus $0.30 gives $3.20 per transaction, or $640.00 per month. PayPal: $100 × 3.49% = $3.49, plus $0.49 gives $3.98 per transaction, or $796.00 per month.

The difference is $156.00 per month, and that is exactly what the savings result shows.

Pay attention to the fixed fee. With small carts it makes up a bigger share of the cost, while with large ones the percentage rate matters more. Doubling the number of transactions doubles both monthly costs, so the difference grows too.

How to Interpret the Savings and the Difference Between Platforms

The savings result is the monthly difference between the PayPal cost and the Stripe cost. It tells you how much stays with you if you choose Stripe at the same volume.

If PayPal comes out cheaper, the savings are zero — the tool does not show a negative value, because it answers the question of how much you save. In that case, compare both monthly costs yourself.

Treat this result as a difference in costs, not in revenue. It does not change the price your customer pays — it only shows the part you hand over to the payment provider.

Look at three things together: the cost of a single transaction, the monthly cost, and your sales volume. At low volume the differences in dollars are smaller; at high volume they are bigger, because both costs grow with the number of transactions.

The amounts in the tool are shown in dollars, the settlement currency. By entering your own rates, you can calculate the result in any currency — just remember to enter the transaction amount and the fixed fees in the same currency.

What Extra Fees and Terms Can Change the Result

The calculator compares the two basic per-transaction rates. In practice, more elements affect the final bill, and the calculation does not include them:

• currency conversion, when you sell in one currency and receive your payout in another;
• refund and chargeback fees, meaning charges after a payment is reversed;
• the cost of withdrawing funds to your bank account and how quickly the money arrives;
• surcharges for certain payment methods, such as cards, wallets, or local payment options;
• rates negotiated individually at higher volume;
• taxes and accounting duties related to settling cross-border sales;
• subscription fees or charges for extra features, if you use them.

That is why you should treat the result as a starting point for a conversation with your payment provider, not as a final calculation of your selling costs. Check the current pricing for both platforms and match the rates to your agreement. If the percentage commission or the fixed fee differs from the ones used here, enter your own values and recalculate.

Tool Limitations: Fixed Rates, No Tiers, Currency Conversion, Refunds, or Payment Methods

The tool compares two platforms using approximate rates. That means it shows you the direction, not the full picture of your costs. By design it does not account for, among other things:

• fixed rates — it starts with one set of commissions per platform and does not pull current pricing;
• tiers — it does not add volume discounts or rates that depend on sales size;
• currency conversion — it does not include the cost of exchanging currencies;
• refunds — it does not subtract fees for refunds, chargebacks, and reversed payments;
• payment methods — it does not differentiate the cost of cards, wallets, and local payment options;
• taxes, subscriptions, and other costs of running a business;
• a mixed cart — it assumes every transaction has the same amount and that the number of transactions is steady each month.

The result is therefore approximate and works best when comparing platforms for a similar, repeatable sales profile. It is no substitute for analyzing your own statements or your contract terms. If you sell very different products, accept refunds, and receive payouts in several currencies, treat the calculation as an estimate and pin down the details using your own data and current pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stripe and PayPal rates are approximate (in USD) and may not match the current pricing for your country or currency; check the platform's official pricing before making a decision.