Stripe vs PayPal Fees: Which Is Cheaper for Your Amount?
On a $1,000 domestic card transaction, Stripe costs $29.30 versus PayPal's $30.39 — Stripe saves you $1.09. The rate difference is small (2.9% vs 2.99%), but Stripe's lower fixed fee ($0.30 vs $0.49) means Stripe is cheaper at every amount. Enter any amount below to see your exact comparison.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Stripe US
PayPal US
Fee Comparison at a Glance
Pre-calculated using each processor's default card rate (Domestic Card vs Standard Card).
| Amount | Stripe US Fee | Stripe US Net | PayPal US Fee | PayPal US Net | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | $3.48 | $96.52 | Stripe US |
| 500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | $15.44 | $484.56 | Stripe US |
| 1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | $30.39 | $969.61 | Stripe US |
| 2,000.00 | $58.30 | $1,941.70 | $60.29 | $1,939.71 | Stripe US |
| 3,000.00 | $87.30 | $2,912.70 | $90.19 | $2,909.81 | Stripe US |
| 5,000.00 | $145.30 | $4,854.70 | $149.99 | $4,850.01 | Stripe US |
Fee Breakdown by Transaction Amount
| Amount | Stripe Fee | PayPal Fee | Stripe Saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $3.20 | $3.48 | $0.28 |
| $500 | $14.80 | $15.44 | $0.64 |
| $1,000 | $29.30 | $30.39 | $1.09 |
| $5,000 | $145.30 | $149.99 | $4.69 |
Based on Stripe domestic card (2.9% + $0.30) vs PayPal standard card (2.99% + $0.49). US market only.
For US domestic card payments, the gap between Stripe and PayPal is smaller than most people expect. Stripe's standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30, while PayPal's standard card rate is 2.99% + $0.49 — a difference of just 0.09 percentage points plus $0.19 in fixed fee. That said, Stripe is cheaper at every transaction amount: on a $1,000 invoice, Stripe costs $29.30 versus PayPal's $30.39, saving you $1.09. At $5,000, the saving grows to $4.69. The gap widens as the fixed-fee difference ($0.19 per transaction) compounds across many payments.
For very small transactions, the fixed-fee gap matters more than the rate difference. On a $10 payment, Stripe charges $0.59 ($0.30 fixed + 2.9%) while PayPal charges $0.79 ($0.49 fixed + 2.99%) — PayPal is 34% more expensive at this amount. Conversely, PayPal's QR code rate (2.29% + $0.09) beats Stripe domestic card on every amount: at $1,000 the QR code fee is just $22.99 versus Stripe's $29.30, saving $6.31; at $5,000 the saving grows to $30.71. The catch: QR code pricing is exclusively for in-person, face-to-face payments where the customer scans a PayPal code — it does not apply to online checkout, invoices, or e-commerce transactions.
When customers pay through the PayPal Checkout button on your website (rather than entering card details directly), PayPal applies its PayPal Checkout rate of 3.49% + $0.49 — 0.50 percentage points higher than the standard card rate. On a $1,000 transaction that adds an extra $5.00 in fees compared to Stripe. If a significant share of your customers use PayPal Checkout as their payment method, that surcharge compounds quickly. Freelancers and SaaS businesses collecting card details directly via Stripe's hosted payment page avoid this premium entirely.
Which Processor Is Right for You?
Freelancers & Independent Contractors
StripeFor invoice amounts of $500–$5,000, Stripe saves $0.64–$4.69 per transaction compared to PayPal standard card. Across 50 invoices a month, that's roughly $30–$230 in direct fee savings.
Caveat: If your clients strongly prefer paying via their PayPal balance or PayPal Credit, offering PayPal as a secondary option can improve collection rates — just expect the 2.99% + $0.49 fee on those transactions.
Small E-commerce & Retail
Stripe for card payments; PayPal as optional checkout alternativeStripe's 2.9% + $0.30 is cheaper than PayPal standard card on card-not-present transactions at every amount we tested. If you also offer PayPal Checkout as a secondary option, the 3.49% + $0.49 on those transactions is $0.50/100 higher than Stripe — budget for the mix.
Caveat: PayPal Checkout transactions cost 3.49% + $0.49 — budget for the higher rate when forecasting blended payment costs.
SaaS & Subscription Businesses
StripeOn 200 monthly subscriptions at $50 each, Stripe costs $350 ($1.75 per transaction × 200) versus PayPal standard card's $398 ($1.99 per transaction × 200, rounded to the cent) — a $48/month saving, purely on the fee math. International subscribers shift the picture: Stripe's international card rate is 4.4% + $0.30 (see /stripe-international-fees/ for the full breakdown).
Caveat: Stripe's international card rate (4.4% + $0.30) applies to cards issued outside the US. If your subscriber base is heavily international, factor in the 1.5% surcharge when comparing total processing costs.
In-Person & Event Payments
PayPal QR CodePayPal's QR code rate of 2.29% + $0.09 is the cheapest option for face-to-face transactions among major processors. On $1,000 of in-person payments, PayPal QR saves $6.31 versus Stripe's domestic card rate.
Caveat: QR code pricing applies only to transactions where the buyer scans a PayPal-generated code in person. It does not apply to online sales, keyed-in card numbers, or remote invoices.
Data Sources & Transparency
- Stripe US — rates sourced from stripe.com/pricing (last verified 2026-04-11)
- PayPal US — rates sourced from paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/merchant-fees (last verified 2026-04-08)
- Rates reflect US market standard plans only. International cards trigger additional surcharges not shown in the domestic comparison above. Currency conversion costs are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a $1,000 invoice, is Stripe or PayPal cheaper?
Stripe is cheaper. On a $1,000 domestic card transaction, Stripe charges $29.30 (2.9% + $0.30) while PayPal standard card charges $30.39 (2.99% + $0.49) — Stripe saves you $1.09. At $5,000, the saving grows to $4.69.
Does PayPal charge less for QR code payments than Stripe?
Yes — but only for in-person transactions. PayPal's QR code rate is 2.29% + $0.09, which beats Stripe's domestic card rate at every amount. On $1,000 the QR code fee is $22.99 versus Stripe's $29.30 — a saving of $6.31. However, PayPal QR code pricing is exclusively for face-to-face, in-person payments where the customer scans a PayPal code. It does not apply to online checkout, e-commerce, or invoice payments.
What's the fee difference on $10,000 monthly volume?
On $10,000 of monthly card volume, Stripe charges approximately $290.30 (2.9% + $0.30 × number of transactions) while PayPal standard card charges roughly $299.00 to $303.90 depending on transaction count. The percentage difference alone (0.09%) saves about $9 per $10,000 — plus Stripe's lower fixed fee saves an additional $0.19 per transaction. At 50 transactions per month, that's an extra $9.50 in savings, totaling ~$18.50 per month.
Is the rate difference between Stripe and PayPal significant?
The percentage difference is small — 0.09% (Stripe 2.9% vs PayPal 2.99%) plus $0.19 per transaction in fixed fees. For a freelancer processing $3,000/month, Stripe saves roughly $5–$7 per month. That grows to $55–$65/month at $30,000 in monthly volume. If payout speed, integrations, or checkout experience matter more to your business, the fee savings alone may not be the deciding factor.
Compare with Other Processors
Stripe US
2.9% + $0.30 to 5.4% + $0.30
Calculate →PayPal US
2.29% + $0.09 to 3.49% + $0.49
Calculate →Wise US
0.41% + $1.70 to 0.66% + $1.70
Calculate →Stripe UK
1.5% + £0.20 to 3.25% + £0.20
Calculate →PayPal UK
1.5% + £0.10 to 4.89% + £0.30
Calculate →Wise UK
0.33% + £0.21 to 0.56% + £1.50
Calculate →Compare All Processors
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