What Is a Payment Processor Fee?
Reviewed by The NetFee Tools Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-11-07
A payment processor fee is what Stripe, PayPal, or Square charges to accept a card or online payment — usually a percentage plus a fixed amount. Here’s how it works and why the structure matters.
The basic structure
Most US online payment fees follow the same shape: a percentage of the charge plus a fixed fee per transaction. For example, a 2.90% + $0.30 rate on a $100 payment means $2.90 (the percentage part) plus $0.30 (the fixed part) = $3.20 in fees, leaving you $96.80. See the current fee data for the three major processors.
Why the fixed fee matters more on small charges
The fixed fee has a bigger impact on low-value transactions. On a $10 charge, $0.30 is 3% of the amount before the percentage is even added — so the effective rate climbs well above the headline percentage. On a $1,000 charge, the same $0.30 is negligible. Use a comparison calculator to see how this plays out at your typical transaction size.
What you actually receive
The amount deposited to your bank account is the net amount: the charge minus the fee. Many processors also hold a rolling reserve or take payout timing into account, but the per-transaction fee is the part you can calculate precisely up front.
Common variations
- In-person vs online: tapping a card in person is often cheaper than keying in a payment online (Square, for instance, charges less in person).
- International and currency conversion: cross-border payments usually add a percentage and a fixed conversion fee.
- Micropayments: some processors offer a different rate for very small charges.
- Monthly or custom pricing: higher-volume businesses may negotiate a custom schedule.
Next steps
To see your exact fee and payout for any amount, use the Stripe, PayPal, or Square calculators, or compare them side by side.