Payment processing fee calculator
Compare Stripe, PayPal, Square and Shopify Payments fees on your average sale and monthly sales count.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
- Published US standard rates as of 2026-10-19
- See sources
Lowest fee on a $50.00 sale
Stripe, US card: $1.75
$525.00 a month on 300 sales ($15,000)
- Effective rate
- 3.5%
- Highest
- PayPal Checkout: $2.24
- Gap a month
- $147.00
This is an example. Enter your numbers above and press the button to see your own result.
Online card payments, $50.00 each
| Stripe, US card (2.9% + $0.30) | $1.75 a sale, $525.00 a month |
|---|---|
| Shopify Payments (your rate) (2.9% + $0.30) | $1.75 a sale, $525.00 a month |
| Square online (Free plan) (3.3% + $0.30) | $1.95 a sale, $585.00 a month |
| PayPal card payments (2.99% + $0.49) | $1.99 a sale, $597.00 a month |
| PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49) | $2.24 a sale, $672.00 a month |
Where the fixed fee matters
| $5.00 sale | Stripe, US card at $0.45 |
|---|---|
| $10.00 sale | Stripe, US card at $0.59 |
| $25.00 sale | Stripe, US card at $1.03 |
| $100.00 sale | Stripe, US card at $3.20 |
| $500.00 sale | Stripe, US card at $14.80 |
- Published US standard rates as of 2026-10-19. Stripe, PayPal and Square offer custom pricing at higher volumes.
- Shopify Payments rates are not on Shopify's public pricing page. The default is the commonly published Basic plan online rate. Shopify Payments works only on a Shopify store, and Shopify's plan fee is not included.
What to do next
How it works
Each processor charges a percentage of the sale plus a fixed fee per transaction. The calculator applies each published rate to your average sale, sorts them from lowest to highest, and multiplies by your monthly sales count.
Things to keep in mind
The cheapest rate is not always the best choice. PayPal Checkout can raise conversion with buyers who already have accounts, and Shopify Payments avoids Shopify's third-party fee on a Shopify store.
Rates here are standard US card rates. International cards, currency conversion, chargebacks and payouts cost extra on every platform.
Stripe, PayPal, Square and Shopify are trademarks of their owners. motifly is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Figures come from public pricing pages and may change.
Sources
Rules applied as of 2026-10-19. See the sources below for details.
- Stripe pricing (US)Checked 2026-10-19
- PayPal merchant fees (US), last updated October 1, 2026Checked 2026-10-19
- Square processing fees (US, Square Free plan)Checked 2026-10-19
- Shopify pricing (US plans and third-party payment provider fees)Checked 2026-10-19
Frequently asked questions
Which payment processor is cheapest for small online sales?
On published standard rates, Stripe at 2.9% plus 30 cents beats PayPal Checkout at 3.49% plus 49 cents at every amount. On a $10 sale that is $0.59 against $0.84.
What does Square charge online?
On the Square Free plan, online and invoice card payments are 3.3% plus 30 cents. Square Plus and Premium drop that to 2.9% plus 30 cents.
What does Square charge in person?
On the Free plan, tap, dip or swipe payments are 2.6% plus 15 cents. A $50 sale costs $1.45.
Why does the fixed fee matter so much?
On a $5 sale, a 30 cent fixed fee is already 6% of the price. Sellers with many small orders should compare the fixed part as closely as the percentage.