Stripe vs PayPal Fees in 2026
On a standard US online card payment, Stripe’s common 2.9% + $0.30 is usually cheaper than PayPal Checkout’s common 3.49% + $0.49 rate (G&S Send/Receive Money is 2.99% with no fixed fee). On a $100 charge, Stripe fees $3.20 (net $96.80) versus PayPal G&S $2.99 (net $97.01) or PayPal Checkout about $3.98 (net about $96.02). PayPal can still win for buyer familiarity or wallet conversion.
Key takeaways
- Stripe US online: 2.9% + $0.30 → $3.20 fee on $100 (net $96.80).
- PayPal US G&S: 2.99% → $2.99 on $100; Checkout: 3.49% + $0.49 → ~$3.98.
- Pick Stripe for API control; keep PayPal when wallet conversion covers the fee gap.
Calculate with Stripe →Calculate with PayPal →
Headline US rates compared
As of 2026-10-24, public US list pricing commonly cited for online cards is Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 and PayPal Goods & Services at 2.99% (Send/Receive Money; Checkout is 3.49% + $0.49). Those are planning baselines from official pricing pages—not a promise that your account sees the same rate forever. Amex mixes, international cards, and custom contracts change the blended take.
PayPal Friends & Family is a different product: for eligible personal payments funded from PayPal balance or linked bank, the fee can be $0—but F&F is not a substitute for merchant checkout when you sell goods or services to strangers. Misusing F&F for commercial sales creates policy and protection risk. See our PayPal G&S vs Friends & Family guide before you price on $0 assumptions.
Use /tools/stripe-fee-calculator/, /tools/paypal-fee-calculator/, and /tools/compare-payment-fees/ with your average order value. A winner at $25 may still win at $250, but the absolute dollar gap scales with volume and ticket size.
Worked example on $100
Forward Stripe US: $100 × 0.029 = $2.90, plus $0.30 fixed = $3.20 fee, net $96.80. Forward PayPal US G&S: $100 × 0.0299 = $2.99 fee, net $97.01. Forward PayPal Checkout: $100 × 0.0349 + $0.49 = $3.98 fee, net $96.02. Versus Stripe’s $3.20, G&S is slightly cheaper and Checkout is about $0.78 more expensive on this $100 demo.
Reverse to keep $100 net: Stripe charge ≈ $103.30; PayPal G&S ≈ $103.08; Checkout ≈ $104.14. If your proposal must show a round customer price, Stripe-shaped economics often land on a slightly lower list price for the same net—or more net at the same list price.
At $50,000 per month processed with a similar mix, a ~0.78% effective gap on $100 demos is hundreds of dollars before disputes, FX, refunds, or instant transfers. Always recompute with your real average ticket in the comparison tool rather than annualizing the $100 demo blindly.
How to calculate your own blend
Pull last month’s successful charges. Segment by rail (Stripe card, PayPal wallet, PayPal card). Apply the correct percent and fixed fee to each segment’s volume and count of transactions—fixed fees scale with transaction count, not only volume.
Effective rate ≈ total fees ÷ total volume. Compare that blend to list rates. If you are far above list, ask about custom pricing or reduce micro-transactions that amplify fixed fees. If PayPal volume converts enough incremental sales to cover the fee gap, the “more expensive” rail can still be the profit-maximizing choice.
- Export volume, transaction count, and refund volume by processor.
- Apply list or contracted percent + fixed to each segment.
- Add estimated dispute costs separately (fees vary; check each provider).
- Compare profit = revenue − fees − refunds − estimated disputes − ops time.
- Re-run after any pricing or checkout change.
International and FX
Both Stripe and PayPal add cost for cross-border cards or currency conversion. Domestic US list rates are the wrong model for an international-heavy audience. Open each calculator’s international or cross-border schedule when your customers pay from other countries.
If you invoice in USD but customers hold other currencies, compare total customer cost and your settlement currency. Sometimes a Wise-centered payout workflow beats holding multi-currency balances in a wallet—see Wise vs PayPal for international. Do not assume the domestic $100 example applies to FX corridors.
When Stripe wins vs when PayPal wins
Stripe usually fits custom checkouts, subscriptions, and SaaS billing where you want API control and US list economics at 2.9% + $0.30. PayPal fits audiences that already trust the PayPal wallet, marketplaces that expect a PayPal button, and buyers who refuse to enter card details on a small or new site.
Non-fee factors often dominate a sub-1% gap: dispute tooling, payout timing, chargeback rates in your category, and checkout conversion. Measure completion rate with and without a PayPal button before you optimize only for fee tables.
Many stores offer both. Track blended effective fee in your books. Use Square vs Stripe vs Shopify Payments if your question is really “which full commerce stack,” and use hidden payment fees if instant payouts or platform commissions are muddying the comparison.
- Choose Stripe-first when you control UX and want lower US list card fees.
- Choose PayPal-first when wallet conversion is proven in your niche.
- Offer both when incremental conversion covers the PayPal fee gap.
- Revisit annually or after custom pricing negotiations.
Practical tips
Price proposals with reverse mode so net income is stable regardless of which rail the client picks—or publish separate prices per rail if your contracts allow clear disclosure.
Watch refunds: fees may be handled differently by product and region; confirm on official docs rather than assuming full fee refunds. For disputes, fees vary by processor—see chargeback fees by processor and check Stripe and PayPal’s official dispute documentation.
Keep source URLs and as-of dates on your internal rate card. Official pages: stripe.com/pricing and PayPal’s US business fees page. Our fee tables mirror those public schedules as of 2026-10-24.
Refunds, holds, and operational drag
Fee tables assume successful settled charges. Refunds, payment reviews, and reserve holds change cash timing even when the percent looks fine. Stripe and PayPal document these behaviors differently—read the official policies for your country rather than assuming instant access to every net calculation from our tools.
If PayPal conversion is meaningfully higher in A/B tests, keep PayPal despite the ~$0.78 gap on a $100 US G&S vs Stripe example. Optimize checkout revenue first, then squeeze fees with reverse pricing and custom rate negotiations.
| Schedule | Rate | Fee on $100 | Net on $100 | Charge to net $100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe US online | 2.9% + $0.30 | $3.20 | $96.80 | ~$103.30 |
| PayPal US G&S | 2.99% | $2.99 | $97.01 | ~$103.08 |
| PayPal US Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 | ~$3.98 | ~$96.02 | ~$104.14 |
| PayPal US F&F (balance/bank) | $0 (eligible personal) | $0 | $100 | $100 |
Sources
- Stripe pricing (as of 2026-10-24)
- PayPal US business fees (as of 2026-10-24)
FAQ
Is Stripe always cheaper than PayPal?
Not always. On common US online list rates, Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 beats PayPal G&S 2.99% on a like-for-like card charge, but custom pricing, regions, international cards, and product mix can flip the result. Compare with your average order value in /tools/compare-payment-fees/.
Can I offer both Stripe and PayPal?
Yes. Many stores offer Stripe (cards) and PayPal as a wallet option. Track the effective blended fee in your books and make sure reverse-priced catalog prices still clear your net target on the more expensive rail you accept.
Does PayPal Friends & Family change the comparison?
F&F can be $0 for eligible personal payments from balance or bank, but it is the wrong tool for selling goods and services to customers. Commercial sales should use Goods & Services (or another merchant product) despite the higher fee.
How big is the gap on $100?
About $0.78 in fees on a $100 charge using the US list schedules above (Stripe $3.20 vs PayPal G&S ~$3.98). At volume that gap compounds; at tiny volume conversion differences may matter more than $0.78.
What about Square or Shopify Payments?
Square online and Shopify Payments Basic also list 2.9% + $0.30 for common online US card pricing, similar to Stripe’s headline shape. For a three-way commerce comparison, read Square vs Stripe vs Shopify Payments.