Payment processing
Stripe Fee Calculator
Stripe's standard rate is a percentage plus a fixed amount per successful charge. The fixed component is what makes small transactions disproportionately expensive.
All amounts in USD. One unit = one order.
| Where the money goes | Amount |
|---|
Break-even price: $0.31 — below this you lose money on every sale.
Work backwards from the profit you want.
This accounts for the item price, shipping charged, every active fee, your item cost, shipping cost and monthly fixed costs spread over the units above.
On the example above, Stripe takes 3.6% of every sale. That is the number to compare, not the headline percentage — the fixed fees and the shipping-inclusive fee base are what make the effective rate diverge from the advertised one.
The full fee schedule
Every charge Stripe applies to a United States order, and when each one bites.
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | Standard US rate for domestic cards. |
| International card surcharge optional | 1.5% | Additional fee for cards issued outside the US, plus currency conversion where applicable. |
How the maths works
The calculator does exactly three things: it builds the fee base, applies every active fee, then subtracts your costs. No hidden steps.
Optional fees such as International card surcharge are excluded from those percentages until you switch them on, because they only apply to a share of orders. When enabled, they simply add to the rate.
What this calculator leaves out
- Stripe charges the fixed fee per successful charge and does not refund it on refunds in most cases.
- Dispute fees are separate and not modelled.
Common questions
Why is the effective rate higher than 2.9%?
Because of the fixed $0.30. On a $10 charge, 2.9% + $0.30 is 5.9%. The smaller the transaction, the further the effective rate drifts above the headline rate.
Do I get the fee back if I refund?
Usually not. Stripe generally does not return the original processing fee when you refund a charge, so a refunded sale can cost you the fee twice — once on the charge, once on the refund.
What about international cards?
Cards issued outside the US typically add about 1.5%, and currency conversion adds more. Toggle the international row to model a cross-border sale.
Where these numbers come from
Rates on this page: draft, awaiting verification · dataset updated 2026-10-26
Keep going
If the number above is worse than you expected, the fix is usually one of two things: raise the price, or move the shipping into the item price. Our reverse pricing calculator tells you the price that hits your target; the fee base guide explains why shipping is charged twice.