Free tool
Payment Fee Calculator
See what Stripe, PayPal, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar keep from every sale, or work out the price to charge so you keep the amount you want.
Runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us.
What you keep from a $29.00 sale
The lowest cost at 100 sales a month: Stripe, with $114.00 in fees.
| Provider | Rate | Buyer pays | Fee | You keep | Fees a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StripeLowestYou handle tax | 2.9% + 30¢3.9% of the price | $29.00 | $1.14 | $27.86 | $114.00 |
| PayPalYou handle tax | 2.99% + 49¢4.7% of the price | $29.00 | $1.36 | $27.64 | $136.00 |
| PaddleHandles sales tax | 5% + 50¢6.7% of the price | $29.00 | $1.95 | $27.05 | $195.00 |
| Lemon SqueezyHandles sales tax | 5% + 50¢6.7% of the price | $29.00 | $1.95 | $27.05 | $195.00 |
| PolarStarterHandles sales tax | 5% + 50¢6.7% of the price | $29.00 | $1.95 | $27.05 | $195.00 |
| PolarPro ($20 a month)Handles sales tax | 3.8% + 40¢5.2% of the price | $29.00 | $1.50 | $27.50 | $170.00includes $20.00 a month |
| PolarGrowth ($100 a month)Handles sales tax | 3.6% + 35¢4.8% of the price | $29.00 | $1.39 | $27.61 | $239.00includes $100.00 a month |
| PolarScale ($400 a month)Handles sales tax | 3.4% + 30¢4.4% of the price | $29.00 | $1.29 | $27.71 | $529.00includes $400.00 a month |
- Stripe and PayPal process payments only: you collect, report and pay sales tax and VAT yourself. Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar sell to the buyer in their own name and handle it for you, which is what their higher rates cover.
- Refunds do not return the fee on the original sale, and disputes cost extra ($15 to $20). Neither is counted above.
Where the numbers come from
Fees checked on October 29, 2026, from each provider's own page. Prices change, so confirm on the page before you commit:
Stripe
- United States rates for online card payments. Stripe shows other countries' rates on its own page.
- A subscription adds the 0.7% Stripe Billing fee. Stripe Tax is an extra fee if you use it.
- A payment processor: you collect, report and pay sales tax and VAT yourself.
- A dispute costs $15, and the fee on a refunded sale is not returned.
PayPal
- The PayPal button and PayPal Checkout cost 3.49% + 49¢. A card paid through PayPal costs 2.99% + 49¢.
- Converting another currency costs a 3% spread here (4% on some conversions).
- A payment processor: you handle sales tax and VAT yourself.
- A chargeback costs $20.
Paddle
- 5% + 50¢ for every checkout, with no separate charge for other countries or payment methods.
- A merchant of record: Paddle sells to the buyer and handles sales tax and VAT worldwide.
- Sales under $10 get custom pricing: Paddle asks you to contact them.
Lemon Squeezy
- 5% + 50¢, plus 1.5% for a buyer outside the United States, 1.5% for PayPal and 0.5% for a subscription payment.
- A merchant of record: Lemon Squeezy handles sales tax and VAT worldwide.
- Payouts to a non-US bank cost 1%, and PayPal payouts have their own fee. These are not in the numbers above.
- Sales under $10 get custom pricing: ask them.
How it works
- 1
Enter the sale
Type the price you charge, or the amount you want to keep, and how many sales you make a month.
- 2
Describe the buyer
Say whether they pay by card or PayPal, from outside the United States, by subscription, or in another currency.
- 3
Compare the cost
Every provider is shown side by side with the lowest cost marked, and the tax work each one leaves to you.
Questions
Which payment provider is cheapest?
On the fee alone, Stripe is usually the lowest for a US seller: 2.9% + 30¢ against 5% + 50¢ at Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar's free plan. But the fee is not the whole cost. Stripe and PayPal leave sales tax and VAT to you, while the other three handle it, so the right choice depends on where you sell and how much of that work you want to do yourself.
What is a merchant of record?
A merchant of record is the company that legally sells to your buyer. Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar act as one, so they charge, collect and pay the sales tax and VAT in each country and give you a single payout. Stripe and PayPal only process the payment: you are the seller, so you register, collect and file taxes yourself, or pay for a tax tool.
How do I work out the price to charge to keep a set amount?
Choose "What I want to keep" and type the amount. The fee is a percent of the price plus a fixed amount, so the price is (amount you want + fixed fee) divided by (1 minus the percent). For example, to keep $10.00 with Stripe you charge $10.61. The calculator finds the lowest price that works to the cent, and checks it against the real fee.
Why do some payments cost more?
A card from outside the United States adds 1.5% at Stripe, PayPal, Lemon Squeezy and Polar. A subscription adds 0.7% at Stripe (the Billing fee) and 0.5% at Lemon Squeezy. A payment made in another currency adds 1% at Stripe and a 3% spread at PayPal. Paying with PayPal costs 3.49% + 49¢ at PayPal and adds 1.5% at Lemon Squeezy. Tick the boxes that match your sale and the table updates.
Does a monthly plan ever pay off?
Polar's paid plans lower the fee on every sale in return for a monthly fee, so they win once you sell enough. Type your sales per month and the table adds each plan's monthly fee to its total, so you can see where the lowest cost changes from one plan to the next.
Are refunds and disputes included?
No. Refunds do not return the fee on the original sale at any of these providers, and a dispute (chargeback) costs extra: $15 at Stripe and Polar, $20 at PayPal. Plan for both when you set your price, especially if you sell low-priced products.
How up to date are the fees?
The rates were checked on October 29, 2026 against each provider's own pricing page, which is linked under the table. Providers change their prices and offer custom rates for large or low-priced sales, so confirm on the provider's page before you decide.
Is anything I type sent to you?
No. Everything is worked out in your browser, and nothing you type is stored or sent to us.
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