Stripe Fee Calculator (2026 Updated Rates)
Stripe is the default online payment processor for SaaS, freelancers and e-commerce. Its headline US rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge, but international cards, currency conversion, invoicing and billing add-ons can push the real take rate well past 4%.
Fee breakdown
| Platform | Total fees | Net | vs here | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe (this page) | $3.20 | $96.80 | baseline | |
| Wise | $0.93 | $99.07 | +$2.27 More 🟢 | PK → |
| Square | $3.20 | $96.80 | +$0.00 More 🟢 | PK → |
| PayPal | $3.98 | $96.02 | −$0.78 Less 🔻 | PK → |
| Lemon Squeezy | $5.50 | $94.50 | −$2.30 Less 🔻 | PK → |
| Paddle | $5.50 | $94.50 | −$2.30 Less 🔻 | PK → |
| Gumroad | $13.70 | $86.30 | −$10.50 Less 🔻 | PK → |
SaaS billing vs Merchant-of-Record break-even
| Provider | Monthly | Annual | Eff. rate | vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe (+ Billing & Tax)CHEAPEST | $515.00 | $6,180.00 | 5.15% | — |
| Polar.sh | $575.00 | $6,900.00 | 5.75% | +$60.00/mo |
| Paddle | $600.00 | $7,200.00 | 6.00% | +$85.00/mo |
| Lemon Squeezy | $710.00 | $8,520.00 | 7.10% | +$195.00/mo |
| Gumroad | $1,450.00 | $17,400.00 | 14.50% | +$935.00/mo |
Stripe fee quick reference (2026)
| Amount | Total fees | You keep | Take rate | Charge to net it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | 5.9% | $10.61 |
| $25.00 | $1.03 | $23.97 | 4.1% | $26.06 |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | 3.5% | $51.81 |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | 3.2% | $103.30 |
| $250.00 | $7.55 | $242.45 | 3.0% | $257.78 |
| $500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | 3.0% | $515.25 |
| $1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | 2.9% | $1,030.18 |
Stripe fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $3.20 fees → $96.80 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $103.30.
Hidden fees to watch
- International cards add +1.5% in the US — a $1,000 foreign card charge costs an extra $15.
- Currency conversion adds +1% (US) or +2% (UK/EU/CA/AU) on top of the card rate.
- Stripe does not refund the processing fee on refunds — refund a $100 charge and the $3.20 fee is gone for good.
- Stripe Invoicing (+0.4%), Billing subscriptions (+0.7%) and Radar/risk tools stack on top of the headline 2.9%.
- Instant Payouts cost an extra 1% of the payout amount (minimum $0.50).
How to pay less in Stripe fees
- Use the reverse calculator to pass fees to the client explicitly instead of eating them.
- Batch small orders — fixed per-order fees dominate sub-$10 transactions.
- Avoid currency conversion inside the platform; settle in your own currency via a multi-currency account.
- Compare Wise Business — Multi-currency business account with mid-market FX rates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Stripe charge on a $100 transaction?
At the US online card rate of 2.9% + $0.30, Stripe keeps $3.20 and you receive $96.80 (an effective take rate of 3.2%).
How much should I invoice a client to receive exactly $1,000 after Stripe fees?
Use the reverse gross-up formula: ($1,000 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $1,030.18. Charging $1,030.18 leaves a $30.18 fee and exactly $1,000.00 net. Simply multiplying $1,000 x 1.029 + $0.30 under-charges you.
Does Stripe refund the processing fee when I refund a customer?
No. Stripe keeps the original processing fee on full and partial refunds, so refunding a $100 charge costs you $3.20 with nothing returned.
What is the Stripe ACH Direct Debit fee cap?
US ACH Direct Debit costs 0.8% per transaction capped at $5.00. On a $1,000 invoice the fee is just $5.00 instead of the ~$29 a card would cost — the cheapest way to collect large invoices.
How much extra do international cards and currency conversion cost?
In the US, non-US-issued cards add +1.5% and converting to your settlement currency adds another +1% — a $100 charge billed abroad can cost 5.4% ($5.40) all-in.
Is there a cheaper Stripe rate for UK or Australian businesses?
Yes — domestic cards cost 1.5% + 20p in the UK and 1.7% + A$0.30 in Australia, roughly half the US 2.9% rate. Use the region switcher above to compare.