PayPal Fee Calculator: What You Actually Receive
Work out fees both ways — what lands in your account, and what to invoice to net your full price
By the Monthly Income Booster editorial team · Updated · How we research and fact-check
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PayPal Fee Calculator: What You Actually Receive
Printed 2026-10-27 from billorganizingapp.com/income/calculators/paypal-fee/ — an estimate for planning, not financial or tax advice.
Defaults use a common US goods-and-services rate. Rates differ for international, micropayments, and other processors. Gross-up check: $100.
Keep your budget and bills on track month to month in the free Bill Organizer app.
Payment processors take a percentage plus a fixed amount per transaction. On small payments the fixed fee hurts most: a $10 payment can lose nearly 8% while a $500 payment loses about 3%. This calculator works in both directions — what you receive, and what to charge so you receive the amount you wanted.
Typical US Rates
Goods and services payments commonly run about 2.99% plus $0.49. Invoicing, international payments, currency conversion, and other processors each use different rates — change the fields to match the statement you actually see.
Should You Pass Fees to the Client?
Freelancers usually build fees into the rate rather than adding a visible surcharge. Use the invoice figure this tool gives you and quote that as your price — clients respond better to one clean number.
Cheaper Ways to Get Paid
For domestic client work, ACH bank transfer often costs far less than card processing. For small recurring payments, batching into one monthly invoice cuts the number of fixed fees you pay.
Related reading: Notary Signing Agent Income Calculator and Resale Fee Calculator.
Official sources
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate PayPal fees?+
Multiply the payment by the percentage rate, then add the fixed fee. For example, $100 at 2.99% plus $0.49 costs $3.48, leaving $96.52.
How much should I invoice to receive an exact amount?+
Add the fixed fee to your target, then divide by one minus the percentage rate. This calculator does it for you in the 'invoice this' row.
Are payment fees tax deductible?+
Processing fees on business income are normally a deductible business expense. Keep the statements and record them in your bookkeeping.
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