PayPal fees vary by merchant location, payment route, sender location and the currency received. This FAQ gives clear answers to the questions that most often cause conflicting fee estimates.
For a calculation based on your own payment details, use the PayPal fee calculator. PayFeeCalc currently provides source-backed estimates for supported United States and United Kingdom commercial payments.
Last reviewed: August 28, 2026. The examples below were checked against PayPal’s public US and UK merchant fee schedules, both dated July 15, 2026. PayPal may change its fees, so always review the official source displayed with your result.
PayPal fee calculation questions
How are PayPal fees calculated?
For most supported commercial payments, the estimate combines a percentage of the payment with a fixed fee in the currency received. An eligible international payment may also add a cross-border percentage.
Estimated fee = percentage fee + fixed fee + applicable international surcharge
Some payment routes are exceptions. For example, direct US Goods & Services is currently percentage-only, while an eligible US invoice paid by bank uses a capped percentage. Select the actual payment route instead of applying one generic rate.
How much does PayPal charge on a $100 payment?
There is no single correct answer without the payment type. For a domestic payment received by a US merchant account, the current public rates produce these examples:
PayPal Checkout: $3.98 fee at 3.49% + $0.49, leaving $96.02.
Direct Goods & Services: $2.99 fee at 2.99%, leaving $97.01.
Standard card payment: $3.48 fee at 2.99% + $0.49, leaving $96.52.
These rates come from the official PayPal US merchant fee schedule. A different product, merchant market, sender location or received currency can change the result.
How much should I request to receive $100 after PayPal fees?
Under the current US domestic PayPal Checkout rate of 3.49% + $0.49, the minimum estimated request is $104.12. PayPal would deduct an estimated $4.12, leaving $100.00.
Use Amount to request on the calculator and select the transaction settings that match your payment. The amount will be different for Goods & Services, standard card payments, international senders or UK merchant accounts.
Why can’t I just add the forward fee to my invoice?
Because the percentage is charged on the full amount the customer pays, including the extra amount added to cover fees. Adding the $3.98 fee from a $100 US Checkout payment would produce a $103.98 request, but that larger request has its own larger percentage fee.
Reverse calculation solves this by working backward from the net amount:
Amount to request = (target amount + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − total percentage rate)
PayFeeCalc then checks the result in the smallest unit of the selected currency so it reaches at least the requested net amount.
Why do PayPal fee calculators show different results?
The calculators may be using different PayPal products or outdated assumptions. PayPal Checkout, direct Goods & Services, card payments, invoices and Pay Later can use different rates even for the same US merchant. Results also change with the merchant market, sender location, currency and any account-specific pricing.
PayFeeCalc names the payment route and displays the percentage, fixed fee, international surcharge, source and verification date used for each estimate.
Who pays the PayPal fee on a commercial payment?
The PayFeeCalc estimate models the processing fee deducted from a payment received by the merchant. The displayed net amount is therefore the payment amount minus the estimated fee.
Other PayPal transaction types can follow different rules. Personal payments, card-funded transfers and currency conversion are outside this calculator’s commercial-payment model, so confirm the relevant PayPal terms before sending money.
Rates, markets and international payments
What does “merchant account market” mean?
It is the country or market where the receiving PayPal merchant account is registered or identified. PayPal publishes separate rate schedules for different markets, so the receiving account’s market must be selected before the currency.
PayFeeCalc currently supports US and UK merchant accounts. It does not apply US or UK pricing to an account registered elsewhere.
Does choosing USD automatically use the US rate?
No. The received currency and the merchant account market are separate. A UK merchant may receive USD but remain subject to the UK merchant rate schedule and its USD fixed fee. Select the account’s market first, then the currency the merchant will receive.
What is the difference between domestic and international payments?
PayPal defines a transaction as domestic when the sender and receiver are registered with or identified as residents of the same market. A transaction is international when they are in different markets, although PayPal groups some markets together for fee purposes.
For UK fees, transactions involving accounts in the United Kingdom, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are treated as domestic. Choose the sender category shown in the calculator rather than relying only on the payment currency.
Does PayFeeCalc include international PayPal fees?
Yes, for the international sender categories supported by the US and UK commercial-payment options in the calculator.
US merchant: PayPal currently lists an additional 1.50% for international commercial transactions.
UK merchant: PayPal currently lists 1.29% for an EEA sender and 1.99% for a sender in other markets.
These percentages are added to the applicable domestic commercial rate. See the PayPal US merchant fees and PayPal UK merchant fees for the official definitions, exceptions and current pricing.
Does the estimate include currency conversion?
No. An international surcharge and currency conversion are separate costs. PayFeeCalc can apply a supported cross-border percentage, but it does not predict PayPal’s live exchange rate or conversion spread.
PayPal states that its transaction exchange rate is adjusted regularly and includes a currency conversion spread. Check the rate shown in your PayPal Wallet or during the transaction before approving the payment. Read our guide to international PayPal fees and currency conversion for more detail.
Can I calculate PayPal invoice fees?
Yes, for the supported US invoice payment routes listed in the calculator. These include an invoice paid through PayPal, Venmo or Guest Checkout; an invoice paid by a standard card or wallet; and an eligible invoice paid by bank using Pay by Bank (ACH).
The fee depends on how the customer completes the invoice, not simply on the fact that an invoice was sent. Choose the matching payment route and treat the result as an estimate until the completed transaction appears in PayPal.
Does the calculator cover Friends and Family payments?
No. PayFeeCalc currently focuses on supported commercial payments received by US and UK merchant accounts. It does not calculate Friends and Family or other personal payments, donations, charity rates, micropayment pricing, refunds, disputes, taxes or withdrawal fees.
For commercial sales, see our detailed guide to PayPal Goods and Services fees.
Accuracy, privacy and PayFeeCalc
How accurate is PayFeeCalc?
PayFeeCalc provides a source-backed estimate from the market, product, sender category and currency selected. It calculates in the smallest unit supported by the currency and shows the rate used with every result.
It is not an official quote. The actual fee may differ because of negotiated, promotional, charity or micropayment pricing; product eligibility; a different transaction classification; currency conversion; taxes; disputes; or a PayPal rate change. Your PayPal transaction record is the final source for the amount charged.
How often are the rates checked?
The calculator displays its verification date and links to the official PayPal rate source. Rates are reviewed against PayPal’s published merchant schedules, and a new rate snapshot should be published when those schedules change.
Do not rely on the year in a page title alone. Check the source and verification date shown with the calculation, particularly before pricing a large or international payment. Our How It Works page explains the review and calculation method.
Does PayFeeCalc store the amount I enter?
The calculator processes the amount in your browser. The amount entered for a calculation is not sent to or stored by WordPress.
Like most websites, PayFeeCalc may still process ordinary technical information needed to deliver and secure the site, and optional services may use cookies according to their settings. See the Privacy Policy for the website-wide details.
Is PayFeeCalc affiliated with PayPal?
No. PayFeeCalc is an independent fee-estimation tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by PayPal. PayPal is a trademark of PayPal, Inc. Official fees, transaction classifications and account-specific charges are controlled by PayPal.
Calculate your payment
Ready to check a payment? Open the PayPal fee calculator and select the merchant market, payment route, sender location and received currency. Use Fee from a payment to estimate the deduction or Amount to request to work backward from the net amount you need.