Payment fees on a $100 freelance invoice
On a $100 charge, Stripe US fees are $3.20 (net $96.80); PayPal US G&S is $2.99 (net $97.01); Square Free online is $3.60 (net $96.40). Most “fee calculator” demos use $100 because the arithmetic is easy to check by hand. Default-schedule fees on $100 range from about $0.00 (Zelle) to $13.70 (Gumroad). Intent focus: standard freelance invoices and SERP demo amounts.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest default on $100: Zelle at $0.00 (net $100.00).
- Stripe US default fee on $100: $3.20; charge $103.30 to net $100.
- PayPal default fee on $100: $2.99; charge $103.08 to net $100.
- This URL targets standard freelance invoices and SERP demo amounts — other amounts below cover different pricing decisions.
Worked estimates using each product’s default schedule in our dated dataset (last verified 2026-11-07). Open a calculator to change country, channel, or reverse-price a different net. See also how to price after fees.
Why $100 is the default comparison amount
Freelancers often quote round $100 milestones. At this size, percent fees dominate but fixed fees still move rankings by tens of cents — enough to matter when you send dozens of invoices a month.
This page is the “same $100, every default schedule” checklist. Open a processor calculator to change country, channel (in-person vs online), or reverse-price a different net. For narrative Stripe vs PayPal context, see the comparison guide.
If you need to receive exactly $100 after fees, use the reverse column: Stripe US needs about $103.30 charged; PayPal G&S needs about $103.08.
Fee and net on $100 charged
| Processor | Default schedule | Rate | Fee | Net | Charge to receive $100 | Tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zelle | Standard Zelle (most banks) | 0.00% + 0.00 USD | $0.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 | Calculate |
| Wise | USD → GBP (estimate, unverified) | 0.43% + 0.50 USD | $0.93 | $99.07 | $100.93 | Calculate |
| Venmo | Venmo Business Profile | 1.90% + 0.10 USD | $2.00 | $98.00 | $102.04 | Calculate |
| Cash App | Cash App for Business | 2.60% + 0.15 USD | $2.75 | $97.25 | $102.82 | Calculate |
| PayPal | US Goods & Services (Send/Receive Money) | 2.99% + 0.00 USD | $2.99 | $97.01 | $103.08 | Calculate |
| Stripe | US domestic cards | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $3.20 | $96.80 | $103.30 | Calculate |
| Shopify Payments | Basic plan – online | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $3.20 | $96.80 | $103.30 | Calculate |
| Ko-fi | Free plan – one-time tips (with Stripe est.) | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $3.20 | $96.80 | $103.30 | Calculate |
| Square | US Free plan – online / invoice | 3.30% + 0.30 USD | $3.60 | $96.40 | $103.72 | Calculate |
| Buy Me a Coffee | Standard (platform + Stripe + payout est.) | 8.40% + 0.30 USD | $8.70 | $91.30 | $109.50 | Calculate |
| Patreon | New creators (10% platform + processing est.) | 12.90% + 0.30 USD | $13.20 | $86.80 | $115.15 | Calculate |
| Gumroad | Direct sales (10% + $0.50 + processing est.) | 12.90% + 0.80 USD | $13.70 | $86.30 | $115.73 | Calculate |
Worked $100 invoice breakdowns
- Stripe default (US domestic cards): fee $3.20, net $96.80; charge $103.30 to receive $100.
- PayPal default (US Goods & Services (Send/Receive Money)): fee $2.99, net $97.01; charge $103.08 to receive $100.
- Square default (US Free plan – online / invoice): fee $3.60, net $96.40; charge $103.72 to receive $100.
- Shopify Payments default (Basic plan – online): fee $3.20, net $96.80; charge $103.30 to receive $100.
How it’s calculated
Forward: fee = 100 × percent + fixed, net = 100 − fee. Reverse to receive $
100: charge = (100 + fixed) ÷ (1 − percent), rounded to cents. Creator platforms include
platform commissions in the blended default — they are not comparable 1:1 with raw card processors.
FAQ
How much is Stripe’s fee on $100?
Stripe’s common US online card rate is 2.9% + $0.30, so the fee is $3.20 and you keep $96.80. Charge about $103.30 if you need $100 net.
How much does PayPal take on a $100 Goods & Services payment?
US Send/Receive Money for Goods & Services is 2.99% with no fixed fee → $2.99 fee, $97.01 net. Do not confuse that with PayPal Checkout at 3.49% + $0.49 (~$3.98 on $100).
Is Square more expensive than Stripe on $100 online?
Square Free-plan online/invoice pricing at 3.3% + $0.30 is $3.60 on $100. Square Plus/API online at 2.9% + $0.30 matches Stripe’s common US card rate dollar-for-dollar on this amount.
Other common amounts
Each amount page keeps its own canonical URL and intent. Prefer the amount closest to your real ticket size rather than treating these as interchangeable copies.