PayPal's fee depends on how your client pays: with a PayPal balance, a card, a bank account or Pay Later. Pick the payment type to see PayPal's fee and your payout, or reverse it to work out what to invoice so you receive the full amount.
PayPal charges the business that receives the money, and the rate depends on how the client pays. These are PayPal's standard US rates as updated on 1 October 2026.
| How the client pays | Published fee | Fee on $1,000 | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout, PayPal invoice paid with PayPal, Pay with Venmo | 3.49% + $0.49 | $35.39 | $964.61 |
| PayPal invoice paid by credit or debit card | 2.99% + $0.49 | $30.39 | $969.61 |
| Pay by Bank (ACH) | 1%, max $10 | $10.00 | $990.00 |
| Pay Later | 4.99% + $0.49 | $50.39 | $949.61 |
| QR code / in person | 2.29% + $0.09 | $22.99 | $977.01 |
| International commercial payment | Domestic rate + 1.5% | $50.39 | $949.61 |
| Friends and family from balance or bank | Free | $0.00 | $1,000.00 |
Fees as published by PayPal, checked 16 October 2026. Sources: PayPal merchant fees (updated 1 Oct 2026) and PayPal consumer fees (updated 19 May 2026).
Add the fixed fee to the amount you want, then divide by one minus the percentage. To receive $500 through PayPal Checkout: ($500 + $0.49) ÷ 0.9651 = $518.59. PayPal's fee on $518.59 is $18.59, leaving $500.
Usually, if the client is happy to pay by bank. On ten $1,000 invoices a month, PayPal Checkout fees come to about $4,247 a year, and ACH through PayPal caps out at $1,200. A direct bank transfer or Zelle costs $0 from PayPal. The trade-off is that PayPal gives the client buyer protection and a card option. Many small businesses list PayPal and a bank option on the same invoice: try the PayPal invoice template, or compare apps with the Venmo fee calculator and Cash App fee calculator.
On standard US rates updated 1 October 2026, PayPal Checkout, PayPal invoices paid with PayPal and Pay with Venmo cost 3.49% + $0.49. Invoices paid by credit or debit card cost 2.99% + $0.49, Pay by Bank (ACH) costs 1% capped at $10, and Pay Later costs 4.99% + $0.49. International payments add 1.5%.
$3.98 when the client pays with PayPal (3.49% + $0.49), leaving $96.02. Paid by card through a PayPal invoice it's $3.48, and paid by bank (ACH) it's $1.00. A friends-and-family payment funded by balance or bank is free.
$35.39 for a PayPal Checkout or goods-and-services payment, leaving $964.61. By card it's $30.39, and by bank (ACH) it's capped at $10.
Creating and sending a PayPal invoice is free. You pay when the client pays: 3.49% + $0.49 if they use PayPal or Venmo, 2.99% + $0.49 by card, 1% (max $10) by bank, or 4.99% + $0.49 with Pay Later.
Yes, within the US when funded by a PayPal balance or bank account. Funding with a card costs the sender 2.9% + $0.30. Friends and family isn't meant for business payments and gives neither side purchase protection.
For business accounts, PayPal's merchant fee page lists 1.5% of the amount moved, with a $0.50 minimum. Personal accounts pay 1.75% ($0.25 minimum, $25 maximum). Standard transfers to a bank are free.
Offer a direct option next to PayPal, such as bank transfer, ACH or Zelle, so clients who don't need PayPal can pay without a percentage fee. InvoiceSonic puts every payment method you choose on the invoice and takes no cut; your bank's terms still apply.
PayPal invoice template · Venmo fee calculator · Cash App fee calculator · Stripe fee calculator · Compare payment fees · Free invoice generator