PayPal Fee Calculator — Net Amount & Reverse Calculation
Find out exactly what PayPal charges on any transaction — or use the reverse mode to work out what to invoice so your net receipt hits your target. Rates default to 2024 US Goods & Services (3.49% + $0.49); switch to Standard or International, or enter your own custom rate.
Transaction type
Calculate
$
Fee deducted — recipient receives the net amount
$3.98
FeeRecipient receives
96%
PayPal fee
4%
- 1
Percentage fee
100 × 3.49% ÷ 100 = 3.49 - 2
Fixed fee
0.49 - 3
Total fee
3.49 + 0.49 = 3.98
How does this calculator work?
PayPal fee = Amount × rate% + fixed (e.g. 3.49% + $0.49 in the US for Goods & Services, 2024). To receive a target net amount, charge = (net + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate%). Use reverse mode to invoice the right amount — rates are editable and should be verified on PayPal's pricing page.
Formula
How this is calculated
PayPal charges a percentage of the transaction amount plus a small fixed fee. For Goods & Services payments in the US as of 2024, this is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. The fee is deducted before the recipient is credited, so if you receive a $100 payment the recipient actually gets $96.02. These rates are subject to change — always confirm current rates on the PayPal pricing page before quoting.
The reverse calculation answers a common problem: "what amount should I invoice so that I receive exactly $X after PayPal takes its cut?" The formula is Charge = (desired_receipt + fixed_fee) ÷ (1 − percentage_rate). For example, to net $100 at 3.49% + $0.49: Charge = (100 + 0.49) ÷ (1 − 0.0349) ≈ $104.13.
The custom option lets you enter any percentage and fixed fee for non-US regions, different PayPal products (Checkout, Here, Invoicing) or competitor gateways with the same formula structure (Stripe, Square, etc.). The effective fee rate shown in the stats grid is the total fee as a percentage of the sent amount, giving you a single comparable figure.
Frequently asked questions
In the US, sending money to friends and family from a PayPal balance or bank account is free. Paying with a debit or credit card adds a 2.9% fee. Note that using Goods & Services for personal payments violates PayPal's terms — it exists to give buyers protection, not to avoid fees.
Because the fee is calculated on the full invoice amount, not on your desired net receipt. To net $100 you cannot simply add $3.49 + $0.49 = $103.98 — PayPal would then take 3.49% of $103.98, leaving you short. The correct formula (desired + fixed) ÷ (1 − rate%) accounts for this circular dependency.
For businesses, PayPal transaction fees are generally deductible as a cost of accepting payment — consult a tax adviser for your jurisdiction. PayPal issues 1099-K forms in the US when transactions exceed IRS thresholds; keeping records of fees paid helps calculate your net taxable income accurately.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). PayPal Fee Calculator — Net Amount & Reverse Calculation [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/paypal-fee-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "PayPal Fee Calculator — Net Amount & Reverse Calculation." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/paypal-fee-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "PayPal Fee Calculator — Net Amount & Reverse Calculation," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/paypal-fee-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_paypal_fee_calculator, title = {PayPal Fee Calculator — Net Amount & Reverse Calculation}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/paypal-fee-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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