Finance Calculator
Stripe Fee Calculator
Calculate Stripe processing fees and how much you keep after a sale. Enter your transaction amount, payment method, and charge type to see the percentage component, fixed fee, total Stripe cost, net payout, and effective fee rate — with a full step-by-step breakdown.
Stripe Fee Calculator
Processing fees & net payout
Results
Enter amount and payment type, then click Calculate
How Stripe Fees Work
Stripe uses a simple per-transaction model: a percentage of the charge plus a fixed fee (for example 2.9% + $0.30 on US online cards). The fixed fee has a bigger impact on small payments — a $10 sale pays nearly 5% effective, while a $1,000 sale is closer to 2.93%.
Rates vary by card type (domestic vs international), channel (online vs in-person terminal), and payment method (cards vs ACH vs SEPA). Large merchants often receive custom pricing; this calculator uses Stripe's published standard US rates as defaults.
Stripe Payment Method & Fee Matrix
Depending on how your customers choose to pay, Stripe applies different pricing. Card-present in-person terminal fees are lower, and bank debit transfers offer the absolute lowest rates for businesses.
| Payment Channel / Type | Standard Fee Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US Online Cards | 2.9% + $0.30 | Standard credit & debit cards |
| US Terminal (In-Person) | 2.7% + $0.05 | Requires Stripe terminal reader hardware |
| International Online Cards | 3.9% + $0.30 | Includes 1% cross-border assessment fee |
| International with Currency Conv. | 4.9% + $0.30 | Adds 1% conversion fee if currency differs |
| ACH Direct Debit | 0.8% (Capped at $5.00) | No fixed fee, capped at $5 max |
| SEPA Direct Debit (Europe) | 0.8% + €0.25 (Capped at €5.00) | Popular electronic bank transfer in the EU |
| Non-Profit (501c3) Discount | 2.2% + $0.30 | Requires approval from Stripe support |
Additional Platform Add-on Charges: In addition to payment gateway transaction costs, Stripe offers optional services that incur additional percentages or transaction fees:
- Stripe Billing: 0.5% to 0.8% on recurring subscription billing volumes.
- Stripe Invoicing: 0.4% per paid invoice (starter tier) or 0.5% (plus tier).
- Stripe Tax: 0.5% per transaction where taxes are calculated automatically.
- Stripe Radar: $0.05 per screened transaction (3D Secure is free).
- Instant Payouts: 1.5% fee (minimum $0.50) to route funds instantly to a debit card.
Fee Formulas
Stripe Fee = (Transaction Amount × Percentage Rate) + Fixed Fee
Net Amount Received = Transaction Amount − Stripe Fee
Effective Fee % = (Stripe Fee ÷ Transaction Amount) × 100
How to Pass Stripe Fees to Your Customers
Many merchants prefer to charge their clients an extra amount to completely cover the Stripe processing fee, ensuring they receive exactly their desired net amount.
Simply adding 2.9% to your price is a common mistake. Because Stripe calculates its 2.9% fee on the total charged amount (including the fee surcharge itself), you will still come up short. To cover the fee correctly, you must use the Stripe Reverse Fee Formula:
Ask: How much do I charge to receive exactly $100 net?
Invoice Amount = (Desired Payout + Fixed Fee) ÷ (1 − Percentage Rate)
Invoice Amount = ($100 + $0.30) ÷ (1 − 0.029)
Invoice Amount = $100.30 ÷ 0.971
Invoice Amount = $103.30
If you charge the client $103.30: Stripe takes 2.9% ($3.00) plus the $0.30 fixed fee (total fee of $3.30), leaving you with exactly $100.00 net payout.
Note: Surcharging (passing credit card fees to buyers) is subject to local and regional laws. In certain jurisdictions or states, adding a credit card surcharge is restricted or requires specific notifications to the customer. Ensure you comply with local regulations.
Standard Rate Presets
- US domestic cards: 2.9% + $0.30 online · 2.7% + $0.05 in-person
- International cards: 3.9% + $0.30 online (additional cross-border fees may apply)
- ACH / bank transfer: 0.8% with a $5 maximum cap per transaction
- SEPA / EU cards: 1.4% + €0.25 for European card payments
5 Practical Tips to Lower Your Stripe Fees
Transaction fees can add up to thousands of dollars every month as your business scales. Here are the most effective ways to lower your processing bill:
- Offer ACH Direct Debit for Large Invoices: For B2B sales or high-ticket coaching/services, encourage clients to pay via bank transfer. Stripe ACH debits cost only 0.8% and are capped at a maximum of $5.00. Processing a $5,000 card payment costs $145.30, whereas ACH costs only $5.00 — saving you $140.30 on a single transaction.
- Utilize Stripe Terminal for Card-Present Taps: If you sell products or services in person, avoid manually typing card details or using online checkout links. Stripe Terminal payments run at 2.7% + $0.05.
- Negotiate Custom Volume Discounts: Stripe's standard pricing is built for startups. If your transaction volume exceeds $80,000 per month, contact Stripe Sales. They can often build a custom interchange-plus pricing model or discounted flat rates.
- Optimize Refund Policies to Limit Losses: Because Stripe does not return the 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee when you issue a refund, every customer return costs you money. Consider offering store credit or charging a restocking fee to offset the lost processing costs.
- Apply for Non-Profit Discounts: If you operate a registered 501(c)(3) organization, apply for Stripe's non-profit pricing. They reduce the standard card fee to 2.2% + $0.30, allowing more of every donation to go directly to your cause.
Benefits of Using the Stripe Fee Calculator
Example Calculations
Example 1 — Standard US Card
$500 transaction · US domestic cards · Online checkout
Percentage portion: $500 × 2.9% = $14.50
Fixed fee component: $0.30
Total Stripe Fee: $14.80
Net Payout Received: $485.20
Effective Rate: 2.96%
Example 2 — International Card with Currency Conversion
$1,200 transaction · International credit card · Online with Conversion
Percentage portion: $1,200 × 4.9% = $58.80
Fixed fee component: $0.30
Total Stripe Fee: $59.10
Net Payout Received: $1,140.90
Effective Rate: 4.93%
Example 3 — ACH Direct Debit Transfer
$10,000 transaction · Bank transfer · 0.8% capped at $5
Uncapped percentage fee: $10,000 × 0.8% = $80.00
ACH cap applied: $5.00 max fee
Total Stripe Fee: $5.00
Net Payout Received: $9,995.00
Effective Rate: 0.05%
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does Stripe calculate processing fees?
- Stripe charges a percentage of the transaction amount plus a fixed fee per successful charge. For standard US online card payments, the rate is 2.9% + $0.30. In-person card-present charges cost 2.7% + $0.05, while ACH bank debits are priced at 0.8% with a $5.00 maximum cap. International card processing adds a cross-border fee (usually +1%).
- How much does Stripe charge on a $1,000 transaction?
- For a standard US online credit card transaction of $1,000, Stripe's fee is $29.30 (2.9% or $29.00 plus the fixed $0.30). You receive a net payout of $970.70, resulting in an effective processing fee rate of 2.93%.
- Does Stripe refund processing fees when I issue a refund to a customer?
- No. Since 2020, Stripe does not refund its processing fees (neither the 2.9% percentage portion nor the $0.30 fixed fee) when you refund a customer. This means if you issue a full refund, you will lose the original processing fee from your own account balance.
- How can I calculate how much to bill a client so I receive a specific net amount?
- To receive a exact target payout, use the Stripe reverse fee formula: Invoice Amount = (Desired Net + Fixed Fee) / (1 - Percentage Rate). For example, to receive exactly $100 after Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 fee, you should charge the customer $103.30.
- What is the maximum fee for ACH payments on Stripe?
- Stripe charges 0.8% for ACH Direct Debit payments, but the fee is capped at a maximum of $5.00 per transaction. This makes ACH highly cost-effective for large B2B or invoice payments; any transaction over $625 will incur only the flat $5.00 fee.
- What are international cross-border fees on Stripe?
- When accepting cards issued outside the United States, Stripe adds a 1% cross-border fee. If the transaction also requires currency conversion, an additional 1% conversion fee is applied, raising the percentage rate component from 2.9% up to 4.9%.
- Does Apple Pay or Google Pay cost more to process?
- No. Wallet payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link are processed at the same standard rate as physical credit cards. For online transactions in the US, this is 2.9% + $0.30, and for in-person Terminal taps, it is 2.7% + $0.05.
- What is Stripe Radar and are there additional charges?
- Stripe Radar is an automated fraud prevention system. Standard Radar screening is free for accounts on standard pricing. Advanced features (Radar for Fraud Teams) cost $0.05 per screened transaction, or $0.02 for accounts on custom pricing. You can toggle Radar calculations on this tool.
- How much is Stripe's chargeback or dispute fee?
- Stripe charges a fee of $15.00 per dispute to cover the cost of processing the cardholder's inquiry. If the dispute is resolved in your favor (meaning your customer's bank rules that the charge was legitimate), Stripe refunds the $15.00 dispute fee.
- Can I get a discount or custom pricing on Stripe fees?
- Yes. If your business processes high volume (typically $80,000+ per month) or has a high average order value, you can contact Stripe's sales team to negotiate custom tier discounts. Registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations are also eligible for a discounted non-profit rate of 2.2% + $0.30.