Payment fees on a $500 deposit or bundle
On $500, Stripe US takes $14.80 (net $485.20); PayPal US G&S takes $14.95 (net $485.05). Fixed fees shrink as a share of total, so percent differences and plan tiers (Shopify Basic vs Advanced, Square Free vs Plus) matter more than pennies of fixed cost. Default-schedule fees on $500 range from about $0.00 (Zelle) to $65.30 (Gumroad). Intent focus: project deposits, retainers-lite, and mid-ticket bundles.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest default on $500: Zelle at $0.00 (net $500.00).
- Stripe US default fee on $500: $14.80; charge $515.24 to net $500.
- PayPal default fee on $500: $14.95; charge $515.41 to net $500.
- This URL targets project deposits, retainers-lite, and mid-ticket bundles — 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.
What changes at the $500 ticket size
Agencies and makers often collect 30–50% deposits near $500. At this size, a 0.2 percentage-point plan difference (for example Shopify Grow 2.7% vs Basic 2.9%) is about $1 per charge — meaningful across a month of checkouts.
Instant-access rails become a second cut: Venmo Instant Transfer (~1.75%) or Cash App Instant Deposit (estimated mid-range) applied after the business receive fee can add another ~$8–$9 if you cash out the full $500 quickly. Model both layers before you promise same-day cash.
International card add-ons also scale: Stripe US + international (4.4% + $0.30) is about $22.30 on $500 versus $14.80 domestic — budget FX/international when clients pay with foreign cards.
Fee and net on $500 charged
| Processor | Default schedule | Rate | Fee | Net | Charge to receive $500 | Tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zelle | Standard Zelle (most banks) | 0.00% + 0.00 USD | $0.00 | $500.00 | $500.00 | Calculate |
| Wise | USD → GBP (estimate, unverified) | 0.43% + 0.50 USD | $2.65 | $497.35 | $502.66 | Calculate |
| Venmo | Venmo Business Profile | 1.90% + 0.10 USD | $9.60 | $490.40 | $509.79 | Calculate |
| Cash App | Cash App for Business | 2.60% + 0.15 USD | $13.15 | $486.85 | $513.50 | Calculate |
| Stripe | US domestic cards | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $14.80 | $485.20 | $515.24 | Calculate |
| Shopify Payments | Basic plan – online | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $14.80 | $485.20 | $515.24 | Calculate |
| Ko-fi | Free plan – one-time tips (with Stripe est.) | 2.90% + 0.30 USD | $14.80 | $485.20 | $515.24 | Calculate |
| PayPal | US Goods & Services (Send/Receive Money) | 2.99% + 0.00 USD | $14.95 | $485.05 | $515.41 | Calculate |
| Square | US Free plan – online / invoice | 3.30% + 0.30 USD | $16.80 | $483.20 | $517.37 | Calculate |
| Buy Me a Coffee | Standard (platform + Stripe + payout est.) | 8.40% + 0.30 USD | $42.30 | $457.70 | $546.18 | Calculate |
| Patreon | New creators (10% platform + processing est.) | 12.90% + 0.30 USD | $64.80 | $435.20 | $574.40 | Calculate |
| Gumroad | Direct sales (10% + $0.50 + processing est.) | 12.90% + 0.80 USD | $65.30 | $434.70 | $574.97 | Calculate |
Worked $500 deposit breakdowns
- Stripe default (US domestic cards): fee $14.80, net $485.20; charge $515.24 to receive $500.
- PayPal default (US Goods & Services (Send/Receive Money)): fee $14.95, net $485.05; charge $515.41 to receive $500.
- Shopify Payments default (Basic plan – online): fee $14.80, net $485.20; charge $515.24 to receive $500.
- Venmo default (Venmo Business Profile): fee $9.60, net $490.40; charge $509.79 to receive $500.
Extra $500 check: Square Free online fee is $16.80; Shopify Basic default is $14.80. Plan upgrades change the Shopify line without changing Square Free until you move to Plus/API online rates.
How it’s calculated
Forward: fee = 500 × percent + fixed, net = 500 − fee. Reverse to receive $
500: charge = (500 + 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 should I invoice to receive $500 after Stripe fees?
Using Stripe US 2.9% + $0.30: charge = (500 + 0.30) ÷ (1 − 0.029) ≈ $515.24. Confirm in the Stripe calculator if your account uses a different country or Connect fee.
Do Shopify plan rates matter on a $500 order?
Yes. Online standard card rates fall as you move Basic → Grow → Advanced → Plus. On $500 the gap between Basic (2.9% + $0.30) and Advanced (2.5% + $0.30) is about $2 before you count subscription cost.
Should I pass fees through on deposits?
Some contracts list a card-processing surcharge; others bake fees into the quote. Either way, reverse-price so the net deposit still covers your kickoff costs. See the passing-fees guide for policy notes — not legal advice.
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.