Payment Platforms

Why calculate payment fees before you set prices

Every payment platform keeps a slice of each sale. Stripe, PayPal, Square and Shopify Payments all charge a percentage of the transaction plus a fixed per-payment fee — commonly around 2.9% + $0.30. Price a product without accounting for that cut and the fee silently eats your margin.

A fee calculator works both directions. Forward, it shows the exact fee and your net take on a given sale. Reverse, it tells you how much to charge a customer so that, after fees, you land on the payout you actually want. Both matter when you price items, run discounts, or compare platforms head to head.

What moves the fee

• Card type — American Express and corporate cards usually cost more than standard Visa or Mastercard.
• International sales — cross-border payments add roughly 1–1.5% on top of the base rate.
• Payment method — wallets, bank debits and in-person taps each carry their own rate.
• Platform — rates differ between Stripe, PayPal and Shopify, so the same sale can net you different amounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does PayPal charge per transaction?

PayPal charges 2.9% + $0.30 for standard transactions, or 3.49% + $0.49 for commercial invoices. International sales add about 1.5%. The PayPal fee calculator reverse-calculates your net from the charged amount.

How much does Stripe charge?

Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for standard cards, 0.8% + $0.30 for Amex, and additional fees for international and recurring billing. The Stripe fee calculator estimates your costs.

How much does Shopify charge per sale?

Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 for Basic, 2.6% + $0.30 for Shopify, and 2.4% + $0.30 for Advanced plans. Third-party gateways add about 2%. The Shopify fee calculator shows your net.