Stripe is the payment processor of choice for most SaaS products, marketplaces, and
indie businesses — but the fee structure trips up founders constantly. The standard
rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card transaction, but that's just the
starting point.
International cards (issued outside the US) incur an additional 1.5% cross-border
fee, bringing the total to 4.4% + $0.30. If you're using Stripe Connect (Stripe's platform for routing payments between a marketplace and its sellers) to
process payments on behalf of connected accounts, fees and revenue sharing get more
complex. This calculator handles all the common scenarios.
How the Stripe fee calculation works
Enter the amount you want to charge the customer.
Select whether the card is domestic or international.
Choose whether you're absorbing the fee or passing it on to the customer
("charge what you need to receive" mode).
The calculator shows the exact fee amount, the net payout to your bank account,
and — in pass-through mode — what to charge so you receive your target amount.
Why "charge more to receive exactly what you need" matters
If you need to receive exactly $100 from a domestic US card, you can't just charge
$100 — you'd receive $96.80 after Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30. To receive exactly $100,
you need to charge $103.09 (assuming the customer pays the processing fee).
This calculator computes the gross-up automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Does Stripe's rate change based on volume?
Yes. Stripe negotiates custom pricing for businesses processing more than ~$80k/month.
For most indie founders and early-stage companies, the standard 2.9% + $0.30 applies.
The calculator uses the standard rate; adjust the percentage field for your negotiated rate.
What about Stripe's additional fees (disputes, refunds, international)?
Refunds return the percentage fee but not the $0.30 fixed fee. Disputes incur a $15
fee regardless of outcome ($15 is returned if you win). These edge cases aren't
included in the per-transaction calculator, but they're worth budgeting for.
Can I use this for Stripe Connect?
Yes. Stripe Connect passes the same base fee to the platform or the connected account
depending on your configuration. Enter the total charge and the applicable combined
rate in the custom rate field.
How Stripe fees work for monthly and annual subscriptions — and how to calculate your net payout per billing cycle.
When you run a subscription business on Stripe, you pay the same 2.9% + $0.30 fee
on every successful recurring charge — just as you would for a one-off payment. But a
few nuances specific to subscriptions are worth understanding before you set your pricing.
Do you pay a fee every time Stripe bills a subscriber?
Yes. Each successful subscription renewal triggers a separate transaction fee. If a
customer pays $99/month on a monthly plan, Stripe takes $3.17 on each renewal
(2.9% × $99 + $0.30), leaving you $95.83. Over 12 months on a single subscriber,
you pay $38.04 in total fees on $1,188 of gross revenue.
On an annual plan at $990 (billed once), Stripe charges the fee once:
$29.01, leaving $960.99. You net roughly the same — but only get one fee deduction
instead of twelve.
Annual vs. monthly billing: the fee math
For a $99/month plan:
Billing
Annual gross
Annual fees
Annual net
Monthly
$1,188
$38.04
$1,149.96
Annual ($990)
$990
$29.01
$960.99
Monthly billing generates $189 more gross revenue per year, and even after the extra
fees, nets you $188.97 more per subscriber. This is why many SaaS products offer an
annual discount of 15–20% — it's still financially favorable to the business through
improved cash flow, not net payout advantage.
Dunning and failed charges
When a subscription renewal fails (insufficient funds, expired card), Stripe can
automatically retry the charge on a configurable schedule. There is no fee for the
failed attempt itself, but you don't receive the revenue. Third-party tools like
Profitwell Retain improve recovery rates on failed payments by 40–60%.
International subscribers
Subscribers paying with cards issued outside the US incur an additional 1.5%
cross-border fee (bringing the total to 4.4% + $0.30). If a significant portion of
your subscriber base is international, model your effective blended fee rate
accordingly — use the calculator below.
What about refunds?
If you refund a subscriber, Stripe returns the percentage component (2.9%) but not
the fixed $0.30. So on a full $99 refund, you lose $0.30 net.
Exact fee comparison between Stripe and PayPal for standard transactions, subscriptions, and international payments in 2024.
Stripe and PayPal are the two most common payment processors for online businesses.
Their standard rates look similar on the surface, but the details matter when you're
optimizing margins.
Standard transaction fees (US, domestic cards)
Processor
Rate
Fixed fee
Fee on $100
Net on $100
Stripe
2.9%
$0.30
$3.20
$96.80
PayPal (PayPal Checkout)
3.49%
$0.49
$3.98
$96.02
PayPal (advanced card)
2.89%
$0.49
$3.38
$96.62
For a typical $100 transaction, Stripe is $0.78 cheaper than standard PayPal
Checkout. Over $100k of revenue, that's a $780 difference.
For subscriptions / recurring billing
Processor
Subscription rate
Notes
Stripe Billing
2.9% + $0.30
Included; advanced dunning available via Stripe Radar
PayPal Subscriptions
3.49% + $0.49
Higher per-transaction rate
Stripe is consistently cheaper for recurring SaaS subscriptions.
International and cross-border fees
Processor
International fee
Total effective rate
Stripe
+1.5%
4.4% + $0.30
PayPal
+1.5%
~5.0% + $0.49
Developer experience
Stripe's API and documentation are widely regarded as superior for developers
building custom checkout flows. PayPal's main advantage is brand recognition and
the familiarity buyers have with "Pay with PayPal" — which can improve conversion
rates in some B2C contexts.
Recommendation: For SaaS, developer tools, and B2B products, Stripe is the
better choice on fees, API quality, and ecosystem (Stripe Atlas, Stripe Tax, Stripe
Billing). For marketplaces or B2C products where PayPal's checkout familiarity helps
conversion, the additional fee may be worthwhile.
Use the Stripe fee calculator above to model your exact net payout. For PayPal,
enter 3.49% and $0.49 in the custom rate field.
Exact Stripe fees on $10,000 of revenue, broken down by transaction size and card type.
Stripe's fee on $10,000 of revenue depends entirely on how that $10,000 is spread
across transactions — because the $0.30 fixed fee per transaction has a much
larger impact on small payments than large ones.
Fee breakdown by transaction size
If your $10,000 comes from a single transaction:
Metric
Value
Gross revenue
$10,000
Stripe fee (2.9% + $0.30)
$290.30
Net payout
$9,709.70
Effective rate
2.903%
If your $10,000 comes from 100 × $100 transactions:
Metric
Value
Gross revenue
$10,000
Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 × 100)
$320.00
Net payout
$9,680.00
Effective rate
3.20%
If your $10,000 comes from 1,000 × $10 transactions:
Metric
Value
Gross revenue
$10,000
Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 × 1,000)
$590.00
Net payout
$9,410.00
Effective rate
5.90%
Key insight: the $0.30 fixed fee is regressive
On a $10 transaction, $0.30 is 3% on its own — meaning Stripe's effective rate is
5.9% before the percentage component. On a $1,000 transaction, $0.30 is only 0.03%.
If your average order value is low (under $20), consider:
- Bundling purchases (e.g., credit top-ups rather than per-unit purchases)
- Using Stripe's Link feature, which can reduce card-not-present fee rates for
returning customers
- Evaluating Paddle or Lemon Squeezy, whose all-in rates may work out cheaper for
micro-transaction models
Use the calculator above to enter your actual typical transaction amount and see
the exact fee and net payout.
Stripe processing fees for German businesses — 1.5% + 25¢ EUR for European cards, with examples and VAT treatment.
German businesses using Stripe pay 1.5% + €0.25 for European cards (EEA-issued
Visa and Mastercard). For cards issued outside the EEA (US, UK, international), the
rate rises to 2.5% + €0.25. These are among the lowest Stripe rates globally
due to EU interchange fee regulation (capped at 0.2–0.3% for consumer cards).
Stripe Germany fee examples (EUR)
Charge
EEA card
Non-EEA card
€25
€0.63 (2.5%)
€0.88 (3.5%)
€100
€1.75 (1.75%)
€2.75 (2.75%)
€500
€7.75 (1.55%)
€12.75 (2.55%)
VAT (Umsatzsteuer) on Stripe fees
Stripe applies German VAT (19%) to its fees for German businesses. VAT-registered
businesses (Umsatzsteuer-ID required) can recover this as input tax. Stripe issues
a monthly VAT invoice in EUR.
SEPA Direct Debit as an alternative
For German customers, SEPA Direct Debit is a popular payment method. Stripe supports
SEPA and charges only 0.8% (capped at €5) per transaction — significantly cheaper for
large B2B invoices. For recurring subscriptions with German enterprise customers,
SEPA is worth enabling.
Use the calculator above with custom rate 1.5% and €0.25 for EEA-issued card transactions.
Stripe Fees in France — EUR Rates and Payout Examples
Stripe processing fees for French businesses — 1.5% + 25¢ EUR for European cards, French-specific payment methods.
French businesses on Stripe pay 1.5% + €0.25 for EEA-issued cards and 2.5% + €0.25
for non-EEA cards (UK, US, international) — the same rates as other EU countries.
France is notable for Carte Bancaire (CB), a domestic card network used by most French
consumers, which Stripe supports with the same fee structure.
French payment specifics
Carte Bancaire (CB): Stripe supports CB through its European card acceptance. The
fee is the same as Visa/Mastercard since CB cards are co-branded. No additional fee for CB.
Bancontact (Belgium-specific, less relevant in France): not applicable.
3D Secure: France has one of the highest 3DS usage rates in Europe. Stripe
automatically handles 3DS compliance with no additional per-transaction fee.
Stripe France fee examples (EUR)
Charge
EEA card
Non-EEA card
€50
€1.00 (2.0%)
€1.50 (3.0%)
€150
€2.50 (1.67%)
€4.00 (2.67%)
€1000
€15.25 (1.53%)
€25.25 (2.53%)
Use the calculator above with 1.5% and €0.25 for French EEA card transactions.
Exact Stripe fee on a $10 transaction — domestic and international breakdown.
On a $10 charge with a domestic US card, Stripe takes $0.59 (5.9% effective rate):
- 2.9% of $10 = $0.29
- Fixed fee = $0.30
- Total fee = $0.59 | You receive = $9.41
For an international card (4.4% + $0.30): $0.74 fee | $9.26 net.
Why small charges have a high effective rate
The $0.30 fixed fee is disproportionately large on small transactions. At $10, it's
already 3% before the percentage component is added. This is why Stripe offers a
micropayment rate (5% + $0.05) — available to eligible businesses processing
primarily small transactions under $10. At $10, the micropayment rate produces:
5% × $10 + $0.05 = $0.55, which is slightly cheaper than the standard rate.
To receive exactly $10 net
If you need to receive exactly $10 from a domestic card, you need to charge $10.62
(the gross-up: ($10 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $10.617).
Use the calculator above and enable "charge more to receive exactly that amount."
Exact Stripe fee on a $100 transaction — domestic (2.9% + $0.30) and international (4.4% + $0.30) breakdown.
On a $100 charge with a domestic US card, Stripe takes $3.20 (3.2% effective):
- 2.9% of $100 = $2.90
- Fixed fee = $0.30
- Total fee = $3.20 | You receive = $96.80
For an international card (4.4% + $0.30): $4.70 fee | $95.30 net.
Common $100 charge scenarios
Plan type
Monthly charge
Stripe fee
Net per subscriber
SaaS monthly
$99
$3.17
$95.83
SaaS monthly
$100
$3.20
$96.80
E-commerce
$100
$3.20
$96.80
To receive exactly $100 net
Charge $103.09 to receive exactly $100 after Stripe's fee:
($100 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $103.09.
This is useful if you want to price at "$100 to me" rather than "$100 to customer."
Exact Stripe fee on a $1,000 transaction — and when volume discounts kick in.
On a $1,000 charge with a domestic US card, Stripe takes $29.30 (2.93% effective):
- 2.9% of $1,000 = $29.00
- Fixed fee = $0.30
- Total fee = $29.30 | You receive = $970.70
For an international card: $44.30 fee | $955.70 net.
At what volume do you get Stripe's custom pricing?
Stripe negotiates custom pricing for businesses processing $80,000+/month in volume.
Custom rates typically range from 2.2–2.5% + $0.10–$0.20, depending on transaction mix
and risk profile. At $80k/month with a custom 2.4% + $0.15 rate, the $1,000 transaction
fee drops to $24.15 — saving $5.15 per transaction vs. standard pricing.
$1,000 is the ACH threshold
Stripe also supports ACH bank transfers at 0.8% (capped at $5). For a $1,000 transfer,
ACH costs $5.00 — 83% cheaper than card processing. For B2B invoices over $500,
offering ACH alongside card payment can significantly reduce processing costs. Note: ACH
takes 2–5 business days to settle vs. instant card authorization.
Stripe Fees in the United Kingdom — Rates, Examples & Net Payout
Exact Stripe processing fees for businesses in the United Kingdom — 1.5% + £0.2 for UK and EEA-issued cards, with worked examples.
Stripe charges businesses in the United Kingdom 1.5% + £0.20
per successful transaction for UK and EEA-issued cards, and
2.5% + £0.20 for non-EEA cards.
Stripe fee examples in GBP
Charge
UK and EEA-issued cards
non-EEA cards
£10
£0.35 (3.5%)
£0.45 (4.5%)
£50
£0.95 (1.9%)
£1.45 (2.9%)
£100
£1.70 (1.7%)
£2.70 (2.7%)
£500
£7.70 (1.5%)
£12.70 (2.5%)
VAT on Stripe fees
Stripe adds 20% UK VAT on top of its processing fee. This is recoverable if your business is VAT-registered — Stripe issues a monthly VAT invoice.
Stripe vs PayPal in UK
PayPal charges 2.99% + 30p for UK domestic payments — higher on both the percentage and the fixed fee, so Stripe is cheaper for most UK merchants.
Stripe Fees in Canada — Rates, Examples & Net Payout
Exact Stripe processing fees for businesses in Canada — 2.9% + C$0.3 for domestic Visa/Mastercard, with worked examples.
Stripe charges businesses in Canada 2.9% + C$0.30
per successful transaction for domestic Visa/Mastercard, and
4.4% + C$0.30 for international cards.
American Express is charged at 3.5% + C$0.30.
Stripe fee examples in CAD
Charge
domestic Visa/Mastercard
American Express
international cards
C$50
C$1.75 (3.5%)
C$2.05 (4.1%)
C$2.50 (5.0%)
C$100
C$3.20 (3.2%)
C$3.80 (3.8%)
C$4.70 (4.7%)
C$500
C$14.80 (3.0%)
C$17.80 (3.6%)
C$22.30 (4.5%)
GST/HST on Stripe fees
Stripe applies GST or HST to processing fees based on your business's province of registration. This is generally recoverable as an input tax credit for GST/HST-registered businesses.
Stripe vs Square in Canada
Square charges 2.9% + 30¢ for online payments — identical to Stripe. Stripe's API and developer ecosystem make it the better choice for software-first businesses; Square is often more practical for in-person retail.
Stripe Fees in Australia — Rates, Examples & Net Payout
Exact Stripe processing fees for businesses in Australia — 1.75% + A$0.3 for domestic Visa/Mastercard, with worked examples.
Stripe charges businesses in Australia 1.75% + A$0.30
per successful transaction for domestic Visa/Mastercard, and
3.25% + A$0.30 for international cards.
Stripe fee examples in AUD
Charge
domestic Visa/Mastercard
international cards
A$25
A$0.74 (3.0%)
A$1.11 (4.5%)
A$100
A$2.05 (2.0%)
A$3.55 (3.5%)
A$500
A$9.05 (1.8%)
A$16.55 (3.3%)
GST on Stripe fees
Stripe charges 10% GST on processing fees for Australian businesses. GST-registered businesses can claim this back as an input tax credit via their BAS.
Stripe vs Braintree in Australia
Braintree (PayPal's developer-focused gateway) charges 1.75% + A$0.30 — identical to Stripe's domestic rate. The choice comes down to documentation and integrations, where Stripe generally wins.
Stripe Fees in the European Union — Rates, Examples & Net Payout
Exact Stripe processing fees for businesses in the European Union — 1.5% + €0.25 for EEA-issued cards, with worked examples.
Stripe charges businesses in the European Union 1.5% + €0.25
per successful transaction for EEA-issued cards, and
2.5% + €0.25 for non-EEA cards.
Stripe fee examples in EUR
Charge
EEA-issued cards
non-EEA cards
€25
€0.62 (2.5%)
€0.88 (3.5%)
€100
€1.75 (1.8%)
€2.75 (2.8%)
€500
€7.75 (1.6%)
€12.75 (2.5%)
VAT on Stripe fees
Stripe adds local VAT to its fees, at the rate of the merchant's EU country of registration (17–27% depending on member state). VAT-registered businesses can generally recover this as input tax.
Stripe vs SEPA Direct Debit in the EU
For EU customers, SEPA Direct Debit costs only 0.8% capped at €5 per transaction — far cheaper than cards for large B2B invoices and recurring enterprise billing.
Stripe Fees in India — Rates, Examples & Net Payout
Exact Stripe processing fees for businesses in India — 2% + ₹0 for domestic Indian cards, with worked examples.
Stripe charges businesses in India 2% + ₹0.00
per successful transaction for domestic Indian cards, and
3% + ₹0.00 for international cards.
Stripe fee examples in INR
Charge
domestic Indian cards
international cards
₹500
₹10.00 (2.0%)
₹15.00 (3.0%)
₹2000
₹40.00 (2.0%)
₹60.00 (3.0%)
₹10000
₹200.00 (2.0%)
₹300.00 (3.0%)
Stripe vs Razorpay in India
Razorpay charges the same 2% for domestic cards but supports more India-specific payment methods (UPI, NetBanking, wallets). Stripe remains preferable for products with significant international card volume.