PayPal Fee Calculator
Enter your sale price to see the exact PayPal fees and what you'll actually keep.
How PayPal fees work
PayPal charges the seller a fee on goods-and-services payments: 2.99% of the total plus a fixed $0.49 per transaction (standard US rate). Personal payments sent from a friend or family member's balance or bank are free, but those don't offer seller or buyer protection. If you're selling something, you'll almost always be on the goods-and-services rate.
PayPal fee breakdown
| Percentage fee | 2.99% of the total received |
|---|---|
| Fixed fee | $0.49 per transaction |
| Micropayments | Different rate available for very small transactions |
Worked example
Say you sell an item for $100.00 on PayPal:
| Sale total | $100.00 |
|---|---|
| Payment processing | −$3.48 |
| You keep | $96.52 |
That's $3.48 in total fees, or about 3.5% of the sale. Use the calculator above for your own numbers.
How to reduce your PayPal fees
- For lots of small payments, PayPal's micropayments rate (higher percentage, lower fixed fee) can work out cheaper — you have to opt in.
- The fixed $0.49 hurts most on small sales: on a $5 item it's nearly 10% before the percentage even applies.
- Only 'goods and services' payments are charged this fee; friends-and-family transfers are free but give you no seller protection.
- International payments add a cross-border fee on top of the standard rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal take in fees?
Enter your sale price above and this calculator breaks down the exact PayPal fees and shows your net payout. The fee note under the result explains the rate used.
Does this include payment processing fees?
Yes — where the marketplace charges a separate payment processing fee, it's included in the total. The breakdown shows the marketplace fee and payment fee separately so you can see both.
Are these fee rates accurate?
They reflect PayPal's commonly-published standard US rates. Marketplaces change fees periodically and some categories or seller tiers differ, so treat the result as a close estimate and check your account for your exact rate.
Is it free?
Completely free, no sign-up. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you enter is stored.
Fee rates reflect PayPal's commonly-published standard US rates and can change. Some categories and seller tiers differ — treat the result as a close estimate and check your account for your exact rate.