Stripe vs Square — which takes less?
| Stripe | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction | 2.9% + $0.30 online / 2.6% + $0.15 in person |
| $100 → fees | $3.20 | $3.20 |
| $100 → net | $96.80 | $96.80 |
Side-by-side quick reference
| Amount | Stripe fees | Stripe net | Square fees | Square net | Difference | Stripe charge→net | Square charge→net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | $0.59 | $9.41 | tie | $10.61 | $10.61 |
| $25.00 | $1.03 | $23.97 | $1.03 | $23.97 | tie | $26.06 | $26.06 |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | $1.75 | $48.25 | tie | $51.81 | $51.81 |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | $3.20 | $96.80 | tie | $103.30 | $103.30 |
| $250.00 | $7.55 | $242.45 | $7.55 | $242.45 | tie | $257.78 | $257.78 |
| $500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | $14.80 | $485.20 | tie | $515.25 | $515.25 |
| $1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | $29.30 | $970.70 | tie | $1,030.18 | $1,030.18 |
Stripe formula
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction — verified 2026-11-10
Square formula
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
2.9% + $0.30 online / 2.6% + $0.15 in person — 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).
Square 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
- Keyed-in and card-on-file payments cost 3.5% + $0.15 — the most expensive Square channel.
- Afterpay/BNPL orders cost 6% + $0.30, more than double the online card rate.
- Square keeps the processing fee when you refund a customer.
- Instant transfers cost 1.75% of the transfer amount (standard next-day deposits are free).
- Square Payroll, Loyalty and advanced POS tiers bill separately from processing.
Frequently asked questions
Which takes less on a $100 sale: Stripe or Square?
Stripe takes $3.20 (net $96.80); Square takes $3.20 (net $96.80). Stripe wins by $0.00 at $100.
Which is better for international sellers, Stripe or Square?
Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction. Square: 2.9% + $0.30 online / 2.6% + $0.15 in person. Check the regional variants above — rates change materially by country.
What is the effective take rate difference between Stripe and Square?
At $100, Stripe takes 3.2% vs Square at 3.2% — a 0.0 point gap before modifiers.