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PayPal Fee Calculator
See exactly what lands in your account after PayPal takes its cut.
You invoiced 500 and 480.45 arrived. PayPal took the rest, and the percentage plus fixed fee combination makes the deduction hard to predict in your head — especially on small payments, where the fixed portion bites hardest.
Two ways to use this
- Enter the amount a client is sending to see what will actually reach you.
- Or flip it around: enter what you need to receive and find out what to invoice.
- Set the percentage and fixed fee for your country and payment type.
- Add the cross-border surcharge if the payer is abroad.
- Factor in currency conversion separately if the payment is in another currency.
Why the reverse calculation is not just adding the fee
If the fee is 3.5% and you need 1,000 to arrive, invoicing 1,035 will not work. The fee is charged on the larger amount, so you would receive about 999.78 — close, but short, and the gap widens as amounts grow.
The correct method is to divide rather than add: subtract the fixed fee from your target, then divide by (1 − the percentage). That gives the gross amount that nets down to exactly what you need. This tool does it for you, but it is worth knowing why the obvious approach fails.
Fees people forget about
- Cross-border surcharges when the sender is in a different country.
- Currency conversion, which carries its own spread on top of the transaction fee.
- Withdrawal fees to your bank account in some regions.
- Chargeback and dispute fees, which apply per incident.
- Micropayment pricing, which is a different fee structure and is better for very small amounts.
A note on rates
PayPal’s fees differ by country, account type and whether the payment is domestic or international, and they change from time to time. Set the percentage and fixed amount in the calculator to match the rate card for your own account rather than assuming a global default, and check your account settings when the numbers stop matching.
PayPal fee questions
How do I work out what to invoice so I receive a specific amount?
Subtract the fixed fee from your target amount, then divide by one minus the percentage rate. Simply adding the fee percentage to your target will always leave you slightly short, because the fee is charged on the larger gross figure.
Why do small payments lose so much proportionally?
Because of the fixed component. A fixed fee of 0.30 on a 5 payment is 6% before the percentage fee is even applied. On a 500 payment the same fixed fee is negligible.
Can I pass the fee on to my customer?
PayPal’s acceptable use policy restricts surcharging in several countries, and some jurisdictions prohibit it by law. Building the cost into your price is usually the safer approach.
Does the fee differ for international payments?
Yes. Cross-border transactions carry an additional percentage, and if a currency conversion is involved there is a further margin on the exchange rate.
Are goods and services payments charged differently from personal ones?
Yes. Goods and services payments carry the commercial fee and include seller protection. Personal transfers are treated differently and, depending on funding source and country, may be free.
