PayPal Business fees 2026: US rate table
The rate table (US, USD)
| Transaction type | Rate | Fixed fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, Venmo, guest card checkout | 3.49% | $0.49 | Domestic (US) payment |
| Standard credit and debit cards | 2.99% | $0.49 | Domestic (US) payment |
| Advanced card payments | 2.89% | $0.29 | Check eligibility and requirements on PayPal's page |
| Pay Later | 4.99% | See PayPal's page | Listed as a separate rate |
| Invoices | 3.49% (PayPal, Venmo, guest) or 2.99% (card) | See PayPal's page | The rate depends on how the customer pays |
| International commercial payment | +1.50% | Same fixed fee | Checkout 3.49% + 1.50% = 4.99%; cards 2.99% + 1.50% = 4.49% |
| Currency conversion | 4.00% or 3.00% | — | Applies when PayPal converts the payment; the page lists which rate applies |
| Chargeback | — | $20 | Per chargeback |
Not in this table: in-person and QR payments, small-payment pricing, instant transfers, withdrawals, monthly plans and volume pricing. We did not re-verify them on 2026-10-19, so we show no figures for them; see PayPal's page.
Worked examples (US account, USD)
- $100 domestic payment with PayPal Checkout: $100 × 3.49% = $3.49, plus $0.49 = $3.98 fee, so you keep $96.02.
- $500 cross-border with Checkout, converted at 3.00%: $500 × 4.99% = $24.95, plus $0.49 = $25.44; conversion $15.00; total $40.44 (8.1%), so you keep $459.56.
- $1,000 cross-border with Checkout: $1,000 × 4.99% = $49.90, plus $0.49 = $50.39 (5.0%). With a 3.00% conversion fee the total is $80.39 (8.0%).
- Twelve $5,000 invoices a year ($60,000), all cross-border: Checkout 12 × $249.99 = $2,999.88; standard cards 12 × $224.99 = $2,699.88; Checkout with a 3.00% conversion fee on every invoice 12 × $399.99 = $4,799.88.
The conversion fee is applied to the full invoice amount here for simplicity. Calculate your exact case → PayPal fee calculator.
Ways to cut PayPal Business fees
- Use the lower-rate payment type where you can choose. Standard cards (2.99%) cost 0.50 percentage points less than Checkout (3.49%): $5.00 per $1,000. Whether you can steer buyers depends on your checkout setup.
- Invoice in a currency you hold. That avoids the 3.00% or 4.00% conversion fee on your side: $30 to $40 per $1,000. Your buyer may still face their own conversion.
- Move large or cross-border invoices to another route when the client agrees. Compare Stripe (below), bank transfer, Wise and Payoneer using each provider's own calculator. USDT is a separate route with its own costs and legal checks: see PayPal vs USDT fees.
- Ask PayPal about your volume. We could not confirm volume-based or negotiated rates on the US fee page on 2026-10-19, so we quote none.
PayPal Business vs Stripe for merchants
Stripe's US pricing page lists 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, +1.5% for international cards and +1% when currency conversion is required. Against PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49) Stripe is cheaper by 0.59 percentage points plus $0.19: $0.78 on $100 and $6.09 on $1,000. Against PayPal standard cards (2.99% + $0.49) the gap is 0.09 points plus $0.19: $0.28 on $100 and $1.09 on $1,000. See our Stripe vs PayPal comparison for the full breakdown.
FAQ
Are there monthly fees? Some PayPal products have them. Check the monthly-fees section of PayPal's US fee page for the product you plan to use.
Do I get a lower rate as my volume grows? We could not confirm automatic or negotiated volume rates on PayPal's US fee page on 2026-10-19. Ask PayPal about your account.
Can I pass PayPal fees to customers? Rules on surcharges vary by country, state, card network and platform, and we do not give legal advice. A safer approach is to include processing costs in your price: see who pays PayPal fees.
What does a chargeback cost? PayPal's US fee page lists a $20 chargeback fee.
PayPal, US business fees (the page shows "Last Updated: October 1, 2026"): paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees
Stripe, pricing for the United States: stripe.com/pricing
Checked on 2026-10-19: PayPal Checkout, Venmo and guest checkout 3.49% + $0.49; standard cards 2.99% + $0.49; Pay Later 4.99%; advanced cards 2.89% + $0.29; invoices 3.49% and 2.99% (card); +1.50% for international commercial payments; conversion 4.00% or 3.00%; chargeback $20. Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, +1.5% for international cards, +1% for currency conversion. The examples are our arithmetic from these rates.