Standard Stripe Processing Fees (2026)
The standard Stripe rate is the same regardless of card network — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover all cost the same 2.9% + $0.30. This is a significant advantage over older processors that charged higher rates for Amex (often 3.5%+). The flat rate also means no surprise fees when premium rewards cards are used.
On a $5 transaction, the $0.30 fixed fee represents 6% of the sale on its own — making your total effective rate nearly 9%. On a $500 transaction, the $0.30 is only 0.06% of the total. If you process many small transactions, consider batching them or using Stripe's micro-transaction pricing (available for businesses processing under $1 average order value at a negotiated rate).
Live Stripe Fee Calculator
Enter your transaction amount and type to see your exact Stripe fee, net payout, and how much to charge to cover fees completely:
Complete Stripe Fee Table (2026)
| Fee Type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Card Processing — Online | ||
| Standard domestic card | 2.9% + $0.30 | All card networks — Visa, MC, Amex, Discover |
| International card surcharge | + 1.5% | Added on top of standard rate; 1.5% currency conversion if needed |
| Manual card entry | + 0.5% | Keyed-in card numbers add 0.5% due to higher fraud risk |
| Card Processing — In-Person | ||
| Stripe Terminal (card present) | 2.7% + $0.05 | Chip, tap-to-pay, swipe |
| Stripe Terminal (keyed) | 3.4% + $0.15 | Manually entered at terminal |
| Bank Transfers | ||
| ACH Direct Debit (US) | 0.8% (max $5) | 1–3 business day settlement; ideal for large B2B payments |
| ACH Credit / Wire (US) | $1.50 per transfer | Outbound bank transfers |
| SEPA Direct Debit (EU) | 0.8% (max €5) | EUR-denominated bank debits |
| Payouts to Your Bank | ||
| Standard payout (2 days) | FREE | Default — arrives in 2 business days |
| Instant payout | 1.5% (min $0.50) | Arrives within 30 minutes to eligible debit cards/banks |
| Stripe Products (Add-Ons) | ||
| Stripe Billing (subscriptions) | + 0.5% | On top of standard card fees; subscription management |
| Stripe Connect (marketplace) | + 0.25% | For platforms paying out to connected accounts |
| Stripe Radar (fraud — standard) | Included | Basic machine-learning fraud detection included free |
| Stripe Radar (chargeback protection) | 0.4% per transaction | Stripe covers dispute liability; you keep the sale amount |
| Stripe Tax | 0.5% of transactions | Automatic sales tax calculation and collection |
| Disputes & Refunds | ||
| Dispute fee (chargeback) | $15.00 | Charged when dispute opened; refunded if you win |
| Refund | No extra fee | Stripe does NOT charge a refund fee — but the original processing fee is not returned |
| Failed card attempt | $0 | Declined transactions are not charged |
| International & Currency | ||
| Currency conversion | + 1.5% | When charge currency ≠ settlement currency |
| International card (all types) | + 1.5% | Any card issued outside the US |
International Card Fees — What to Expect
If your business serves international customers, Stripe adds a 1.5% surcharge on top of the standard 2.9% + $0.30. If the customer pays in a different currency than your payout currency, another 1.5% currency conversion fee applies. In the worst case — an international customer paying in a foreign currency — you could pay up to 5.9% + $0.30 on a single transaction.
+ International card surcharge: +1.5%
+ Currency conversion: +1.5%
Total: 5.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Standard fee: 2.9% × $200 + $0.30 = $6.10
International surcharge: 1.5% × $200 = $3.00
Currency conversion: 1.5% × $200 = $3.00
Total fee: $12.10 (6.05% effective rate)
You can avoid the 1.5% currency conversion fee by charging customers in their local currency (called "presentment currency") and settling in USD. Stripe handles the conversion at interbank rates with only the 1.5% international card surcharge — saving you the additional 1.5% conversion markup when Stripe converts on your behalf. Set up multi-currency in your Stripe Dashboard under Settings → Business → Bank accounts and scheduling.
Instant Payout Fees
Standard Stripe payouts to your bank account arrive in 2 business days for free. If you need money faster — same day or within 30 minutes — Stripe charges 1.5% of the payout amount (minimum $0.50).
Instant payouts require a linked debit card or a bank that supports real-time payments (RTP). Not all banks support instant payouts — check Stripe's eligible bank list before planning around it.
| Payout Amount | Standard (Free) | Instant Payout Fee | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $33 | FREE (2 days) | $0.50 (minimum) | 1.52% |
| $100 | FREE (2 days) | $1.50 | 1.50% |
| $500 | FREE (2 days) | $7.50 | 1.50% |
| $1,000 | FREE (2 days) | $15.00 | 1.50% |
| $5,000 | FREE (2 days) | $75.00 | 1.50% |
ACH Direct Debit — The Low-Cost Alternative
For B2B payments, subscription billing, or large transactions, ACH Direct Debit is dramatically cheaper than card processing. Stripe charges 0.8% per ACH transaction, capped at $5.00. That cap is the key insight: any ACH payment over $625 costs exactly $5.00 flat.
| Transaction Amount | Card Fee (2.9% + $0.30) | ACH Fee (0.8%, max $5) | Savings with ACH |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $3.20 | $0.80 | $2.40 |
| $500 | $14.80 | $4.00 | $10.80 |
| $1,000 | $29.30 | $5.00 (cap) | $24.30 |
| $5,000 | $145.30 | $5.00 (cap) | $140.30 |
| $10,000 | $290.30 | $5.00 (cap) | $285.30 |
The tradeoff: ACH takes 3–5 business days to settle (vs instant card authorization), and customers need to provide bank account details rather than a card number. For invoice-based B2B billing over $1,000, switching to ACH is almost always worth it.
Dispute and Chargeback Fees
When a customer disputes a charge (chargeback) through their bank, Stripe charges a $15.00 dispute fee. This fee is refunded if you win the dispute. You keep the fee if you lose, or if you don't contest it.
Beyond the fee, chargebacks are damaging for two reasons: you also lose the original transaction amount if you lose the dispute, and a chargeback rate above 1% can result in Stripe placing holds on your payouts or suspending your account. The average cost of a single chargeback — including the dispute fee, lost merchandise, and administrative time — is estimated at 2–3× the original transaction value.
Card networks flag accounts with dispute rates above 1%. Stripe will issue warnings at 0.8% and may restrict your account at 1%+. If you're seeing elevated disputes: add clear billing descriptors so customers recognize your charge, send receipts immediately after payment, make your refund policy highly visible, and respond to disputes within Stripe's 7-day submission window with all available evidence.
Stripe vs PayPal vs Square — Fee Comparison
| Fee Type | Stripe | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online card (standard) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.99% + $0.49 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| In-person card | 2.7% + $0.05 | 2.29% + $0.09 | 2.6% + $0.10 |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| International card | + 1.5% | + 1.5% | + 1.0% |
| Instant payout | 1.5% | 1.75% | 1.75% |
| Dispute fee | $15 | $20 | $0 (no fee) |
| ACH / bank transfer | 0.8% (max $5) | Not available | 1% (max $10) |
| Developer API | Best in class | Good | Good |
| Best for | Online businesses, SaaS, marketplaces | Consumer payments, international | Brick-and-mortar retail, food |
5 Ways to Reduce Your Stripe Fees
1. Use ACH for Large B2B Payments
Any invoice over $200 where the customer can provide bank details should go through ACH. At 0.8% capped at $5, a $2,000 invoice costs $5 via ACH vs $58.30 via card — a $53.30 saving per transaction.
2. Negotiate Custom Pricing at High Volume
Stripe offers custom pricing for businesses processing more than $250,000/year. Contact Stripe's sales team — interchange-plus pricing and volume discounts are available but not advertised. Businesses doing $1M+/year commonly get rates like 2.5% + $0.10.
3. Enable the Stripe Optimized Checkout Suite
Stripe's smart checkout features — Link (one-click checkout for returning customers), adaptive pricing, and payment method routing — can increase authorization rates and reduce declines, which means more successful transactions per checkout attempt. Higher authorization rates effectively lower your per-sale cost.
4. Reduce Chargebacks with Clear Descriptors
Every chargeback costs $15 + the transaction amount if lost. Set a clear billing descriptor (what appears on credit card statements) in your Stripe Dashboard. Use your recognizable brand name, not your legal entity name. Add a customer service phone number to the descriptor. This single step reduces "I don't recognize this charge" chargebacks dramatically.
5. Pass Fees to Customers Legally
In most US states, you can legally add a card surcharge to cover processing fees. Stripe supports surcharges natively. Check your state's laws — some states (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts) have restrictions on surcharging. If permitted, showing customers a "credit card surcharge: 3%" option often nudges them toward debit or ACH, which carries lower fees for you.