Multiply the transaction amount by the processor’s percentage rate, then add the fixed per-transaction fee to get the total processing fee and the net amount you actually receive.
Transaction Fee Calculator
Payment processing fee and net proceeds from a sale amount — generic, PayPal, Stripe or credit-card processing rates.
What Payment Processing Fees Cover
Payment processing fees are what card networks, payment gateways, and processors charge a merchant for accepting a card or online payment, and they’re typically structured as a percentage of the transaction plus a small fixed fee per transaction. This calculator estimates that fee and the resulting net payout for a generic processor, plus dedicated modes for PayPal, Stripe, and general credit card processing, covering searches like payment processing fee calculator, credit card processing fee calculator, and online payment fee calculator.
How the Payment Processing Fee Calculator Works
Formula
Fee = (Transaction amount × Percentage rate) + Fixed fee per transaction
Net amount received = Transaction amount − Fee
Explaining the Variables
- Transaction amount — the total charge the customer pays
- Percentage rate — the processor’s percentage cut, which varies by card type, processor, and business category
- Fixed fee — a flat per-transaction charge added on top of the percentage
Worked Example
A $100 sale processed at 2.9% + $0.30: Fee = (100 × 0.029) + 0.30 = 2.90 + 0.30 = $3.20. Net amount received = 100 − 3.20 = $96.80.
Generic vs Named-Processor Modes
PayPal Mode
Uses PayPal’s own published percentage-plus-fixed-fee structure for the transaction type selected, since PayPal’s standard rate differs from a generic card rate.
Stripe Mode
Uses Stripe’s own published percentage-plus-fixed-fee structure, which again can differ from PayPal’s or a generic processor’s rate.
Credit Card Mode
Lets you enter your own negotiated or quoted rate and fixed fee, useful when your merchant account has custom pricing rather than a standard published rate.
Why Rates Vary Between Processors
Processing rates depend on factors like card type (debit vs. credit vs. rewards card), transaction method (card-present vs. online/card-not-present), business risk category, monthly volume, and the specific processor or merchant account agreement, so always confirm your actual contracted rate rather than assuming a single industry-standard figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my actual fee different from what this calculator shows?
Your specific card type, transaction method, monthly volume tier, and merchant agreement can all shift your real percentage rate and fixed fee away from a generic estimate, so use your actual contracted rate for the most accurate result.
Do PayPal and Stripe charge the same rate?
Not necessarily — each platform publishes its own percentage-plus-fixed-fee structure that can vary by transaction type (domestic vs. international, card vs. other payment methods), which is why this calculator offers separate modes for each.
Is the fixed fee charged even if the percentage fee is also charged?
Yes — most processors charge both components on every transaction: the fixed fee is added on top of the percentage-based fee, not instead of it.
Does a refunded transaction get the processing fee back?
This depends entirely on the processor’s policy — some refund the percentage portion but keep the fixed fee, others keep the full original fee, so check your specific processor’s refund policy.
How can I lower my effective processing rate?
Options can include negotiating volume-based pricing, choosing a different processor or pricing plan, encouraging card-present transactions where rates are often lower, or reducing chargebacks and risk flags that can raise your rate — the best option depends on your specific business and processor.
Why do international or foreign cards sometimes cost more to process?
Processors often add a cross-border or currency-conversion surcharge on top of the standard rate for cards issued outside your home country, reflecting the added risk and currency-handling involved.
