PayPal Fees Explained — How Much Does PayPal Charge? (2026)
Updated October 2026 · 4 min read
Quick start: Open the free PayPal Fee Calculator — enter any amount and see exactly what PayPal charges and what you receive.
PayPal is the most widely trusted payment processor for small businesses, freelancers and marketplaces worldwide. Its fees vary significantly by transaction type — the standard rate is not always what applies to your situation.
PayPal Fee Schedule (2026)
| Transaction Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Online checkout / PayPal button | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| Send/receive invoice | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| QR code payment (in person) | 1.90% + $0.10 (under $10: 2.29% + $0.09) |
| Friends & Family (personal, USD) | Free (funded by bank/PayPal balance) |
| Friends & Family (credit card) | 2.9% + fixed fee |
| International payment received | +1.5% surcharge + currency conversion fee |
| Currency conversion | 3–4% above mid-market rate |
Friends & Family vs Goods & Services
Never use Friends & Family to receive payment for goods or services. This bypasses PayPal's buyer protection, which means:
- Buyers cannot file a dispute if you don't deliver.
- PayPal can freeze or permanently limit your account for misusing F&F for commercial transactions.
- Asking clients to pay F&F to "save fees" violates PayPal's User Agreement.
Always use Goods & Services for business payments. The 3.49% + $0.49 fee is the cost of that protection.
How to Charge the Full Amount After PayPal Fees
To receive exactly $X after PayPal's 3.49% + $0.49 fee:
Invoice amount = (Desired amount + $0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349)
Example: To receive $500, invoice for ($500 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $519.24. The PayPal Fee Calculator handles this automatically in both directions.
PayPal vs Stripe: Which Is Cheaper?
At standard rates, Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than PayPal (3.49% + $0.49) for most transaction sizes. On a $100 payment: Stripe takes $3.20, PayPal takes $3.98 — a $0.78 difference. At high volumes this adds up significantly.
Calculate Your PayPal Fees Instantly
See exactly what PayPal deducts from any payment — and what you should charge to cover the fee.
Open Free PayPal Fee Calculator →