BYTETOOLS

PayPal Fee Calculator

Work out the fee and net amount on a payment, and the exact amount to charge so you receive a specific sum, using fully editable percentage and fixed rates.

$3.48
Fee on this payment
$96.52
You receive
3.48%
Fee as % of payment
$103.59
Charge to net your target
Fee rates (edit these to match your account)

Columns: rate name, percentage of the payment, fixed fee per transaction.

RateFormulaFeeYou receiveEffective %Charge to net $100.00
Domestic goods & services2.99% + $0.49$3.48$96.523.48%$103.59
Cross-border / international4.49% + $0.49$4.98$95.024.98%$105.21
Micropayments (small items)4.99% + $0.09$5.08$94.925.08%$105.35

A PayPal-style fee is a percentage of the payment plus a fixed amount per transaction: fee = amount × rate + fixed. To receive an exact sum you cannot simply add the fee, because the fee is charged on the higher total — the correct gross-up is (target + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate). At 2.99% + $0.49, receiving $100.00 means charging $103.59. The rates above are editable starting points, not live pricing: PayPal’s published rates differ by country, product, currency and account type, and cross-border payments add a currency-conversion spread this tool does not model. Check your own fee schedule before quoting a customer. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

What is the PayPal Fee Calculator?

Payment fees are a percentage of the transaction plus a fixed amount, which makes the arithmetic slightly awkward: you cannot simply add the fee to the price and expect the right amount to land.

  • Fee, net amount and effective fee percentage for any payment
  • Correct gross-up: (target + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate), not a naive add-on
  • Editable rate rows for domestic, cross-border and micropayment pricing
  • Add unlimited custom rates to compare processors side by side
  • Seven currency symbols and any percentage or fixed fee
  • No network calls, no stored rates, nothing uploaded

How to use the PayPal Fee Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter the payment amount your buyer will be charged.

  2. 2

    Enter the exact sum you want to end up receiving for the gross-up column.

  3. 3

    Edit the percentage and fixed fee on each rate row to match your account.

  4. 4

    Add or remove rate rows for any other processor you want to compare.

  5. 5

    Read the fee, net received, effective percentage and required charge in the table.

About the PayPal Fee Calculator

Payment fees are a percentage of the transaction plus a fixed amount, which makes the arithmetic slightly awkward: you cannot simply add the fee to the price and expect the right amount to land. This calculator shows the fee and the net you receive, and solves the gross-up properly so you can charge the exact figure that nets your target.

The rate table is fully editable. Domestic, cross-border and micropayment rows are provided as starting points, clearly marked as adjustable, and you can add your own rows for any processor or account. Every row shows its fee, your net, the effective percentage and the grossed-up charge side by side.

Nothing is fetched and nothing is uploaded — the tool holds no live pricing and does not contact any payment provider. All calculations run in your browser. Published fee schedules differ by country, currency, product and account type, so always confirm against your own account.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate PayPal fees on a payment?

Multiply the payment by the percentage rate and add the fixed per-transaction fee. At 2.99% plus 0.49 on a 100 payment, the fee is 3.48 and you receive 96.52. Enter your own rate above if your account or country differs.

How much should I charge to receive an exact amount?

Divide your target plus the fixed fee by one minus the percentage rate. To net exactly 100 at 2.99% plus 0.49, you charge 103.59. Simply adding the 3.48 fee would leave you short, because the fee is charged on the higher total.

Why is the fee percentage higher on small payments?

The fixed per-transaction component does not shrink with the payment, so it dominates on small amounts. A fixed 0.49 is half a percent of 100 but almost 10% of 5 — which is why processors offer separate micropayment pricing for low-value sales.

Are these the current PayPal rates?

No. The rows are editable defaults included as a convenience, not live pricing. Rates vary by country, currency, account type, product and volume, and cross-border payments add a currency-conversion spread this tool does not model. Check your own fee schedule before quoting.

Can I pass the fee on to my customer?

The gross-up column tells you exactly what to charge, but whether you are allowed to add a surcharge depends on the payment provider's rules and on local consumer law, and some jurisdictions prohibit it outright. Check before adding a fee line to an invoice.

Related tools