CalcHub

PayPal Fee Calculator — Calculate PayPal Fees Instantly [2026]

Calculate exact PayPal fees for any transaction. Covers standard payments, Goods & Services, Friends & Family, invoices & micropayments. See the fee amount, net you receive, and how much to charge to receive your target amount.

Fee Breakdown

Transaction Amount$100.00
Rate Fee (3.49%)-$3.49
Fixed Fee-$0.49
Total PayPal Fee-$3.98
You Receive
$96.02
Effective Rate
3.98%
To Receive $100, Charge
$104.12

PayPal Fee Quick Reference

Payment TypeRateFixed
Goods & Services3.49%$0.49
Friends & Family (Bank/Balance)
Friends & Family (Card)3.49%$0.49
Invoice3.49%$0.49
Micropayment (< $10)5%$0.05
International (add-on)+1.5%
Fee rates reflect PayPal's standard published pricing as of 2026 for US domestic transactions. Rates may vary based on account type, payment method, country, and volume agreements.

What is PayPal Fee Calculator?

PayPal charges fees that vary based on the payment type and whether the transaction is domestic or international. For standard Goods & Services transactions, PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for domestic payments. Friends & Family payments have no fee for domestic bank/balance transfers but charge 3.49% + $0.49 when funded by card. Invoiced payments charge the same Goods & Services rate. Micropayments (under $10) have a special rate of 5% + $0.05, which is more cost-effective than the standard rate for small amounts. International transactions add a cross-border fee of 1.5%. Understanding these fees is essential for freelancers, online sellers, and businesses that use PayPal for payment processing — especially when deciding whether to absorb fees or pass them to customers.

How to Use PayPal Fee Calculator

Enter the transaction amount and select the payment type (Goods & Services, Friends & Family, Invoice, or Micropayment). The calculator instantly shows the PayPal fee, the net amount you receive, and the gross amount you need to charge if you want your buyer to cover the fee. Toggle between "I'm selling" and "I want to receive" modes for different use cases.

How PayPal Fee Calculator Works

The calculator applies PayPal's published fee schedules: • Goods & Services (domestic): 3.49% + $0.49 fixed fee Example: $100 sale → fee = $3.98 → you receive $96.02 • Friends & Family (bank/balance): No fee for domestic • Friends & Family (card): 3.49% + $0.49 • Invoice: Same as Goods & Services (3.49% + $0.49) • Micropayments (under $10): 5% + $0.05 Example: $5 sale → fee = $0.30 → you receive $4.70 For "charge to receive" mode: gross = (desired_net + fixed_fee) / (1 - percentage_rate)

Common Use Cases

  • Freelancers calculating how much to invoice clients to receive their desired payment after fees
  • Online sellers determining the net profit after PayPal fees on each transaction
  • E-commerce businesses comparing PayPal vs other payment processors by fee structure
  • Buyers splitting costs who want to know if Goods & Services or Friends & Family is appropriate
  • Accountants reconciling PayPal transaction records and fee deductions
  • Small businesses budgeting for payment processing costs across different transaction volumes

Frequently Asked Questions

What are PayPal Goods and Services fees?

For domestic transactions, PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for Goods & Services payments. This provides buyer protection. The seller pays this fee, which is automatically deducted from the payment received.

Are Friends & Family payments free?

Domestic Friends & Family payments funded by bank account or PayPal balance are free. However, if the payment is funded by a credit or debit card, PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.49. Friends & Family payments do NOT include buyer protection.

What is the PayPal micropayment rate?

For transactions under $10, PayPal offers a micropayment rate of 5% + $0.05. This is more economical than the standard rate for small amounts — for a $1 transaction, the micropayment fee is $0.10 vs $0.52 at the standard rate.

How much does PayPal charge for international payments?

International transactions add a cross-border fee of 1.5% on top of the standard Goods & Services rate. Additionally, if a currency conversion is needed, PayPal typically charges a 3-4% currency conversion spread above the mid-market rate.

Can I avoid PayPal fees?

Domestic Friends & Family payments via bank or balance are free. For business transactions, fees are unavoidable but can be minimized by: using bank account funding, batching payments, or negotiating merchant rates for high-volume accounts. You can also pass the fee to customers by charging a higher amount.

How do I calculate how much to charge to receive a specific amount?

Use the "I want to receive" mode. The formula is: charge = (desired amount + $0.49) / (1 - 0.0349). For example, to receive $100: charge = $100.49 / 0.9651 ≈ $104.12. The buyer pays $104.12 and you receive $100 after PayPal's fee.

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