Stripe fees in 2026
Stripe's standard pricing has no monthly fee: you pay a percentage plus a small fixed fee on every successful card payment.
| United States | Fee |
|---|---|
| Domestic cards | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Manually entered cards | +0.5% |
| International cards | +1.5% |
| Currency conversion | +1% |
| ACH Direct Debit | 0.8%, capped at $5 |
| United Kingdom | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard UK cards | 1.5% + 20p |
| EEA cards | 2.5% + 20p |
| International cards | 3.15% + 20p |
| Currency conversion | +2% |
Stripe vs PayPal for freelancers
For a typical $100 card payment in the US, Stripe costs $3.20 and PayPal costs $3.48 for a card or $3.98 when the client pays with their PayPal account. In the UK the gap is bigger: £1.70 with Stripe for a UK card versus £3.20 with PayPal. PayPal is convenient when clients already have an account; Stripe is usually cheaper for card payments. Compare your own numbers with the PayPal fee calculator.
Tips to reduce Stripe fees
- Offer ACH bank payments for large US invoices: 0.8% capped at $5, so a $2,000 invoice costs $5 instead of $58.
- Invoice in your client's currency only if you need to: conversion adds 1–2%.
- Combine small charges to spread the fixed fee.
- Create the invoice itself with our free invoice generator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Stripe charge per transaction?
In the US, 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card payment. In the UK, 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p for international cards.
How much does Stripe take from $100?
$3.20 for a domestic US card, so you receive $96.80. International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1%.
Is Stripe cheaper than PayPal?
For card payments it usually is. A $100 US card payment costs $3.20 on Stripe versus $3.48 to $3.98 on PayPal, and the UK difference is larger.
Does Stripe have a monthly fee?
Standard pricing has no setup or monthly fee; you only pay per successful transaction. Some extra products, like Stripe Billing or Tax, cost more.
Sources
This calculator gives estimates for planning only. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules and fees change, so check the official source or a qualified professional before making decisions.