PayPal Fee Calculator: Know Exactly What PayPal Takes Before You Send or Invoice

Each transaction with PayPal incurs a fee of a percentage of the sale plus a fixed fee based on the currency. 

Make use of the calculator above to view the exact numbers in your country, second by second, and this step-by-step guide below to understand how the fee is calculated, how it gets so high, and how to set your prices so you get what you need.

What Does This PayPal Fee Calculator Do?

With this simple tool you can quickly calculate the paypal cut for the amount you’re sending, receiving or invoicing based on the rate for your country and currency. 

It displays three values: the fee PayPal withholds, the net amount you will credit to a client, and the amount you should mark up if you go in reverse mode so that the amount that ends up in your hands is a certain amount.

Each field in the calculator is adjustable as the rates paypal can offer are based on account type, payment method and time. If you have a different rate on your PayPal dashboard than the default listed here, simply tap “edit” and enter your own numbers, and the math will be instantly updated.

How to Use the Calculator

• Choose your mode: “sending/receiving this amount” if you know the payment amount, or “I need to receive this net amount” if you’re working backward from a target payout.
• Enter the amount in the box at the top.
• Pick your country or region: this sets the correct currency symbol and default fee rate.
• Choose the fee type: standard checkout/invoicing, goods & services, micropayments (for small sales), or international, if the payment is crossing borders.
• Tap Calculate to see the fee, your net amount, and the effective fee rate as a percentage.

Why PayPal Fees Are Worth Calculating in Advance

PayPal’s pricing looks simple on paper as a percentage plus a small flat fee but it adds up fast on smaller transactions, where the fixed fee alone can eat a large share of the payment. Working the numbers out ahead of time helps in a few concrete ways:

• Accurate invoicing: know exactly what to charge so the amount that lands in your account matches what you actually need.
• Better pricing decisions: see how much a $10 sale loses to fees compared with a $500 sale, and price accordingly.
• Fewer surprises: cross-border payments and currency conversion both add extra charges on top of the standard rate — worth knowing before you agree a price with an overseas client.
• Faster comparisons: quickly see how switching from standard checkout to a micropayments or goods & services rate changes your payout.

PayPal Fee Rates by Country and Currency

PayPal’s fee is always a percentage of the transaction plus a small fixed fee, and that fixed fee is set by currency rather than by country. 

The table below shows the typical standard commercial rate for popular markets the same defaults used in the calculator above.

How PayPal Calculates the Fee

Every PayPal fee follows the same basic formula:

Fee = (Amount × Percentage Rate) + Fixed Fee

So on a $100 sale at the US standard rate of 3.49% + $0.49, the fee is $3.49 + $0.49 = $3.98, leaving you with $96.02.

If you’re working backward say a client needs to receive exactly $100 after fees — the formula flips:

Amount to Charge = (Desired Net + Fixed Fee) ÷ (1 − Percentage Rate)

Using the same rate, that comes out to roughly $104.13, since ($100 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 ≈ $104.13. This is exactly what the calculator’s reverse mode does for you automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does PayPal charge a fee to receive money?

Yes, for commercial payments (goods, services, checkout, or invoicing). Personal payments between friends and family funded by a bank account or PayPal balance are usually free; funding one with a card usually isn’t.

Why is the fixed fee different in each currency?

PayPal sets a separate fixed fee for each currency it supports, roughly equivalent in value, rather than converting a single USD figure. That’s why the table above lists a different fixed amount for euros, pounds, yen, and so on.

Does PayPal refund the fee if I refund a payment?

No. PayPal generally returns the percentage-based portion of the fee but keeps the fixed fee, so issuing a lot of refunds has a small ongoing cost.

Are international payments more expensive?

Yes. Cross-border transactions typically add a surcharge on top of the domestic rate, and converting between currencies adds a further spread on top of the exchange rate. Select “International” in the fee type dropdown to see this reflected in the calculation.

Can I use this calculator for a country not listed?

Pick the closest currency match and use the edit option to enter the exact percentage and fixed fee for your account — the math works the same regardless of currency.