Methodology
Last updated: October 19, 2026
This page explains where the numbers on RealFeeCalc come from, how we check them, what the calculators do not include, and what we have corrected. For who we are and how the site makes money, see About.
Where the numbers come from
The source of a fee figure is the provider's own published fee page: for example PayPal's business fee page for a given country, Stripe's pricing page, the pricing pages of Wise and Payoneer, or an exchange's fee schedule. We count a figure as checked only if it matches such a page. We do not treat partners, forum posts or other comparison sites as sources.
Providers change fees without telling us, so a figure is only as current as the date shown next to it. Some older pages have not been re-checked yet. Until a figure on a page has a link to the provider's page and a check date next to it, treat it as unverified and look it up on the provider's page.
As of October 19, 2026 the tools we use could not open the fee pages of Upwork, Fiverr and Etsy (the sites refused automated access), so figures for those marketplaces remain unverified.
How we check
- Open the provider's official fee page and record the figure, the address of the page, the date we read it, and the "last updated" date the provider shows, if there is one.
- Compare the figure with the number on our page. If they differ, we change our page and add a line to the correction log below.
- For the most used figures, such as US PayPal and Stripe card rates, we re-read the raw text of the provider's page instead of relying on a summary.
Automated tools help us read the providers' pages and compare them with the numbers on our pages. We do not promise a fixed re-check schedule: the date next to a figure tells you when we last looked.
What the calculators leave out
A calculator multiplies the amount you enter by the rates it shows. It does not know your situation. In particular it leaves out:
- Taxes: income tax, VAT or sales tax on the payment or on the fee.
- Your account type and special rates: plans, volume discounts, negotiated or merchant rates.
- Currency conversion by your bank or card issuer, and exchange-rate spreads, unless the calculator has a field for them.
- Other fees: monthly or withdrawal fees, chargebacks and dispute fees, unless a page lists them.
- Country differences: rates depend on the country of the sender and of the receiver and on the payment method. A calculator that uses one set of rates for every country gives only a rough estimate.
- Crypto routes: the exchange or P2P price (the spread), network fees, the cost of buying and selling the coin, and whether the service is available in your country. A calculator does not know these unless you type them in.
- Promotions and one-off offers.
Results are estimates, not an offer from any provider. Confirm the figures on the provider's page before you decide. Nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice.
If you find a mistake
Send the address of the page, the number that looks wrong, and a link to the official provider page that shows the correct figure, using the corrections address on the Contact page. We check each report against the provider's page. Confirmed fixes are listed below.
Correction log
One line per correction: date, page, what was corrected. Newest first.
| Date | Page | What was corrected |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 | About, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms (this Methodology page is new) | Rewritten. Removed statements we could not support: a described editorial team, a start date, a promise of quarterly re-checks, survey-based ratings, "no tracking" and referral codes. The Privacy Policy now describes the Google ads, the cookie notice and the hosting logs as they work. |
| 2026-10-19 | 21 guide, comparison and calculator pages | Removed "Last fact-checked" stamps and the "Editorial Team" author name, which we could not support. Each page now tells readers that fees change and to check the provider's official page. |