~2 min read
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.