PayPal pricing
Payment Processing APIs · by PayPal · June 2026 snapshot
PayPal costs 3.49% + $0.49 per standard online transaction. 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for standard PayPal Checkout (US). Card-only (Advanced/Pay with card) is lower (~2.59-2.99% + fixed), and cross-border adds a markup. Free tier: No monthly fee; pay per transaction. It is best for merchants who want instant buyer trust and PayPal/Venmo as a checkout option.
Source: PayPal. Data as of June 2026.
PayPal pricing at a glance
| Detail | PayPal |
|---|---|
| Category | Payment Processing APIs |
| Company | PayPal |
| Headline price | 3.49% + $0.49 per standard online transaction |
| Free tier | No monthly fee; pay per transaction. |
| Pricing model | 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for standard PayPal Checkout (US). Card-only (Advanced/Pay with card) is lower (~2.59-2.99% + fixed), and cross-border adds a markup. |
Source: PayPal. Data as of June 2026.
Vendor pricing as of June 2026 — verify on the vendor pricing page.
What PayPal charges on a sale
PayPal's effective rate falls as the order value rises, because the
$0.49 fixed fee is a smaller share of a larger
charge. Formula: fee = 3.49% × amount + $0.49.
| Sale amount | Fee | You receive | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.84 | $9.16 | 8.4% |
| $20.00 | $1.19 | $18.81 | 5.95% |
| $50.00 | $2.24 | $47.76 | 4.48% |
| $100.00 | $3.98 | $96.02 | 3.98% |
| $500.00 | $17.94 | $482.06 | 3.59% |
Source: PayPal. Data as of June 2026.
Estimate — verify with the PayPal pricing page. Try other amounts in the payment fee calculator.
Pros and cons
- Huge buyer trust and reach
- Venmo and Pay Later included
- No monthly fee
- Highest headline rate on standard checkout
- Higher fixed fee ($0.49)
- Cross-border and FX markups are steep
How PayPal compares
See the full Payment Processing APIs comparison, or compare PayPal with other providers:
- Stripe — 2.9% + $0.30 per online card transaction
- Square — 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction
- Braintree — 2.59% + $0.49 per online transaction
- Adyen — ~$0.13 processing fee + interchange + scheme fees (interchange++)
Head-to-head: Stripe vs PayPal
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal cost?
PayPal's headline price is 3.49% + $0.49 per standard online transaction. 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction for standard PayPal Checkout (US). Card-only (Advanced/Pay with card) is lower (~2.59-2.99% + fixed), and cross-border adds a markup. Free tier: No monthly fee; pay per transaction. Verify current pricing on the PayPal pricing page, as rates change.
Does PayPal have a free tier?
No monthly fee; pay per transaction.
What is PayPal best for?
Merchants who want instant buyer trust and PayPal/Venmo as a checkout option. The standard PayPal rate is the highest of the group on a typical sale, but buyer recognition can lift conversion. Card-processing tiers are cheaper than the wallet rate.
Source
Pricing snapshot from the PayPal pricing page, captured in June 2026. PayPal and other names are trademarks of their respective owners. Pricing changes often — confirm on the vendor's page. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-18