Stripe vs PayPal fees (2026): which takes more?
Base rates (US, USD)
| Method | Domestic | Cross-border | Currency conversion | Chargeback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, Venmo, guest | 3.49% + $0.49 | 4.99% + $0.49 (3.49% + 1.50%) | 3.00% or 4.00% | $20 |
| PayPal standard cards | 2.99% + $0.49 | 4.49% + $0.49 (2.99% + 1.50%) | 3.00% or 4.00% | $20 |
| Stripe (cards) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 4.4% + $0.30 (2.9% + 1.5%) | +1% | See Stripe's pricing page |
Stripe also lists +0.5% for manually entered cards. USDT routes are not a single percentage and are not in this table: see PayPal vs USDT fees.
Real numbers on common invoice sizes
Domestic card payments
| Invoice | PayPal Checkout | PayPal standard card | Stripe | Stripe saves vs Checkout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $3.98 | $3.48 | $3.20 | $0.78 |
| $1,000 | $35.39 | $30.39 | $29.30 | $6.09 |
| $5,000 | $174.99 | $149.99 | $145.30 | $29.69 |
| $10,000 | $349.49 | $299.49 | $290.30 | $59.19 |
Cross-border card payments, and with currency conversion
| Invoice | PayPal Checkout | PayPal standard card | Stripe | PayPal Checkout + 3.00% conversion | Stripe + 1% conversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $5.48 | $4.98 | $4.70 | $8.48 | $5.70 |
| $1,000 | $50.39 | $45.39 | $44.30 | $80.39 | $54.30 |
| $5,000 | $249.99 | $224.99 | $220.30 | $399.99 | $270.30 |
| $10,000 | $499.49 | $449.49 | $440.30 | $799.49 | $540.30 |
How the numbers are built: fee = amount × rate + fixed fee, for example PayPal Checkout on $1,000 domestic is $1,000 × 3.49% = $34.90, plus $0.49 = $35.39, and Stripe is $1,000 × 2.9% = $29.00, plus $0.30 = $29.30. The conversion columns apply the percentage to the full invoice amount for simplicity; at PayPal's 4.00% rate add $1 per $100. Assumptions: US account, USD, card payments.
Calculate your exact case with our PayPal calculator, Stripe calculator, or reverse fee calculator.
When Stripe wins
- Lower published card rates at every amount in the tables above.
- A smaller currency conversion line: +1% against PayPal's 3.00% or 4.00%.
- SaaS or subscription billing: Stripe offers billing tools (see Stripe's site for what they cost).
- Developer integration, if you can code against an API.
When PayPal wins
- Client trust: some buyers prefer to pay with PayPal.
- No-code checkout buttons for non-technical sellers.
- Buyer protection, which some buyers value (check PayPal's current terms).
- Availability: check that Stripe supports sellers in your country; PayPal may be the option you can actually use.
The real answer for freelancers
Stripe and PayPal differ by cents on the dollar. On twelve $5,000 invoices a year the Stripe vs PayPal Checkout gap is 12 × $29.69 = $356.28, domestic or cross-border. The currency conversion line can matter more: on $60,000 a year it is $1,800.00 at PayPal's 3.00% against $600.00 at Stripe's 1%. If your clients pay from other countries, also compare bank-style routes (Wise, bank transfer, Payoneer) and, where it is legal and available to you, a USDT route. Their costs depend on country, currency and method, so use each provider's own calculator.
FAQ
Is Stripe actually cheaper than PayPal? For card payments on the US rates we checked, yes: about 0.6 percentage points plus $0.19 less than PayPal Checkout, and about 0.1 points plus $0.19 less than PayPal standard cards. The gap is the same for domestic and cross-border payments.
Can I use both? Yes. Many sellers use Stripe payment links for professional invoices and keep PayPal for clients who insist on it.
What about Wise or Revolut? They are bank-style routes, not card-processing alternatives. Their fees depend on the currency pair and method, so check each provider's calculator and use them together with a card processor if you need both.
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; +1.50% for international commercial payments; conversion 4.00% or 3.00%; chargeback $20. Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, +0.5% for manually entered cards, +1.5% for international cards, +1% for currency conversion. The tables are our arithmetic from these rates.