What this calculator does
Find out what Stripe takes from a payment and what actually lands in your account. You can also work backward: enter the amount you want to end up with, and the calculator shows what to charge.
The rates come from Stripe's US pricing page, checked on October 31, 2026. They cover online cards, in-person cards and ACH bank debits. Larger businesses can sometimes get custom pricing, so you can enter your own rate too.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Online shops. A shop owner sees that a $10 sale loses $0.59 and sets a $25 order minimum.
- Freelance invoices. A designer who wants to net $2,000 bills by ACH and pays a $5 fee instead of a card fee near $58.
- Price setting. A coach who wants to keep $100 per session charges $103.30 online.
- Bookkeeping. A small business records a $100 sale as $96.80 received plus a $3.20 fee expense.
How to use it
- Choose whether you want the fee on an amount, or the amount to charge.
- Pick how your customer pays, or enter your own rate.
- Enter the payment amount or the amount you want to receive.
- Read the fee and the amount you keep.
What the inputs mean
- Payment type
- How the card reaches Stripe sets the price. Typing a card in by hand, taking a card from another country, and converting currency each add to the rate. The options here already include those additions.
- Amount you want to receive
- This is the money you want left after the fee.
Formula and method
fee = amount × rate + fixed fee you receive = amount − fee amount to charge = (target + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate)
Stripe charges a percentage of the whole payment plus a small flat amount. A US online card costs 2.9% plus 30 cents. A US card used with a card reader costs 2.7% plus 5 cents.
International cards add 1.5%, typing a card by hand adds 0.5%, and currency conversion adds 1%. Tap to Pay adds 10 cents per authorization on top of the in-person rate.
ACH bank debits work differently. They cost 0.8% with a $5 cap, so a large invoice pays far less than it would by card.
The third formula matters if you want a set amount. If you add the $3.20 fee to a $100 bill, you'll fall short, because Stripe also charges its percentage on the part you added. Dividing by the share you keep fixes that.
Worked example
A customer pays you $100 online with a US card, at 2.9% plus $0.30.
- The percentage part is $100 × 2.9% = $2.90.
- Add the fixed fee: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20.
- Take it off the payment: $100 − $3.20 = $96.80.
Result: The fee is $3.20 and you receive $96.80. To receive a full $100, you'd charge $103.30, and the fee would be $3.30.
Understanding the result
The fixed part hits small payments hardest. On $10, the fee is $0.59, nearly 6% of the sale. On $1,000, it's $29.30, just under 3%. If you sell low-priced items, a minimum order can matter more than the headline rate.
For big invoices, ACH can save real money. A $2,000 invoice costs $58.30 by online card but only $5 by ACH, because the fee stops at the cap. The trade-off is timing, since bank debits usually settle more slowly than card payments.
Disputes cost extra. Stripe lists a $15 fee when a customer disputes a charge, and a further $15 if you counter it, which comes back if you win. That isn't in this estimate.
Before you pass the fee to your customer, check your card network rules and your state's law, since surcharges have their own limits.
Assumptions and limitations
- Payments are in US dollars to a US Stripe account, at standard rates.
- The fee is rounded to the nearest cent. Stripe's own rounding could differ by a cent.
- Add-ons are combined into the listed options, so the international option is 2.9% + 1.5% = 4.4%, plus 30 cents.
- Stripe Billing, Tax, Connect and other paid products aren't included.
- Dispute fees, instant payout fees and refunds aren't included.
- Other payment methods have their own prices. This is an estimate, and your Stripe dashboard shows the amount actually charged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Stripe charge on $100?
For a US online card, the fee is $3.20, leaving you $96.80. With a card reader, it's $2.75, leaving you $97.25.
Does Apple Pay or Google Pay cost more through Stripe?
Apple Pay and Google Pay don't have a separate line on the rates used here, so this estimate treats them as card payments. Google says it adds no fee of its own, and merchants keep paying their processor.
Is ACH always cheaper than a card?
At these rates, yes. 0.8% is below the card rate at every amount, and above $625 the $5 cap applies, so the saving grows quickly. The trade-offs are slower settlement and asking your customer for bank details.
Why isn't the amount to charge just the target plus the fee?
Because Stripe charges its percentage on the extra you add too. The total has to be a little higher than a simple sum.
How current are these rates?
We read them from Stripe's US pricing page on October 31, 2026. If your rate differs, choose "Enter my own rate".
Sources
- Stripe: Pricing and fees (checked 2026-10-31)
How this calculator is checked
Method: Stripe US pricing page, read 2026-10-31. Rates are in src/lib/finance/payment-fees.ts. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-31. Found a problem? Tell us.
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