Stripe vs PayPal — which takes less?
| Stripe | PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction | 3.49% + $0.49 per Goods & Services transaction |
| $100 → fees | $3.20 | $3.98 |
| $100 → net | $96.80 | $96.02 |
Side-by-side quick reference
| Amount | Stripe fees | Stripe net | PayPal fees | PayPal net | Difference | Stripe charge→net | PayPal charge→net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | $0.84 | $9.16 | stripe +$0.25 | $10.61 | $10.87 |
| $25.00 | $1.03 | $23.97 | $1.36 | $23.64 | stripe +$0.33 | $26.06 | $26.42 |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | $2.24 | $47.76 | stripe +$0.49 | $51.81 | $52.32 |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | $3.98 | $96.02 | stripe +$0.78 | $103.30 | $104.13 |
| $250.00 | $7.55 | $242.45 | $9.22 | $240.78 | stripe +$1.67 | $257.78 | $259.55 |
| $500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | $17.94 | $482.06 | stripe +$3.14 | $515.25 | $518.59 |
| $1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | $35.39 | $964.61 | stripe +$6.09 | $1,030.18 | $1,036.67 |
Stripe formula
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction — verified 2026-11-10
PayPal formula
payment processing 3.49% + $0.49
3.49% + $0.49 per Goods & Services transaction — verified 2026-11-10
Stripe fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $3.20 fees → $96.80 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $103.30.
Hidden fees to watch
- International cards add +1.5% in the US — a $1,000 foreign card charge costs an extra $15.
- Currency conversion adds +1% (US) or +2% (UK/EU/CA/AU) on top of the card rate.
- Stripe does not refund the processing fee on refunds — refund a $100 charge and the $3.20 fee is gone for good.
- Stripe Invoicing (+0.4%), Billing subscriptions (+0.7%) and Radar/risk tools stack on top of the headline 2.9%.
- Instant Payouts cost an extra 1% of the payout amount (minimum $0.50).
PayPal fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 3.49% + $0.49
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $3.98 fees → $96.02 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $104.13.
Hidden fees to watch
- Cross-border commercial payments add +1.5% on top of the domestic rate.
- PayPal currency conversion applies a 3-4% markup over the wholesale exchange rate.
- On refunds PayPal returns the percentage portion but keeps the $0.49 fixed fee.
- Chargeback fees run $8-$20 per dispute on top of losing the sale.
- Instant transfers to a bank or card cost 1.75% (min $0.25, max $25).
Frequently asked questions
Which takes less on a $100 sale: Stripe or PayPal?
Stripe takes $3.20 (net $96.80); PayPal takes $3.98 (net $96.02). Stripe wins by $0.78 at $100.
Which is better for international sellers, Stripe or PayPal?
Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction. PayPal: 3.49% + $0.49 per Goods & Services transaction. Check the regional variants above — rates change materially by country.
What is the effective take rate difference between Stripe and PayPal?
At $100, Stripe takes 3.2% vs PayPal at 4.0% — a 0.8 point gap before modifiers.