Stripe vs PayPal: pricing compared
Payment Processing APIs · June 2026 snapshot
On a typical US online sale, Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than standard PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49). On a $100 sale that is $3.20 vs $3.98. PayPal can still win on conversion thanks to buyer trust, and its card-only tiers are cheaper than its wallet rate. Stripe wins on developer experience and platform features.
Source: Vendor published pricing pages. Data as of June 2026.
Stripe vs PayPal side by side
| Dimension | Stripe | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Online card rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.49% + $0.49 (standard checkout) |
| Fee on a $100 sale | $3.20 | $3.98 |
| Fee on a $20 sale | $0.88 | $1.19 |
| Monthly fee | None | None |
| Developer experience | Best-in-class API | Good, but heavier |
| Best for | Developers, platforms, marketplaces | Buyer trust, Venmo, Pay Later |
Vendor pricing as of June 2026 — verify on the vendor pricing page.
The verdict
On headline price, Stripe wins this matchup, but the cheaper option is not always the right one. On a typical US online sale, Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than standard PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49). On a $100 sale that is $3.20 vs $3.98. PayPal can still win on conversion thanks to buyer trust, and its card-only tiers are cheaper than its wallet rate. Stripe wins on developer experience and platform features.
Read the full profiles: Stripe pricing · PayPal pricing. Or see the whole Payment Processing APIs comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stripe or PayPal cheaper?
On price, Stripe is generally the cheaper option. On a typical US online sale, Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than standard PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49). On a $100 sale that is $3.20 vs $3.98. PayPal can still win on conversion thanks to buyer trust, and its card-only tiers are cheaper than its wallet rate. Stripe wins on developer experience and platform features.
What is the difference between Stripe and PayPal?
On a typical US online sale, Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) is cheaper than standard PayPal Checkout (3.49% + $0.49). On a $100 sale that is $3.20 vs $3.98. PayPal can still win on conversion thanks to buyer trust, and its card-only tiers are cheaper than its wallet rate. Stripe wins on developer experience and platform features. See the full comparison table for payments pricing, free tiers and best-fit use cases.
Source
Figures are snapshots of the Stripe and PayPal public pricing pages, captured in June 2026. Names are trademarks of their respective owners. Pricing changes often — verify on each vendor's page. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-18