How to use it
- Enter the charge amount the customer will pay.
- Toggle international card if the card was issued outside your Stripe account's country.
- Toggle currency conversion if the charge is in a different currency from your payout currency.
- Read the fee and net amount.
- Switch to how much to charge to enter a target net amount and get the price that produces it.
How Stripe fees are calculated
Base card rate and fixed fee
Each successful domestic card charge is billed a percentage of the amount plus a fixed fee. The fixed portion is why the effective rate on a small charge is noticeably higher than on a large one.
International cards
Cards issued outside your account's country carry an additional percentage. This is based on where the card was issued, not where the customer is located, so a domestic shopper using a foreign card still triggers it.
Currency conversion
If you charge in one currency and get paid out in another, Stripe adds a conversion percentage. This stacks with the international card surcharge, so a foreign card charged in a foreign currency pays both.
Other costs not in the base fee
Stripe also offers products that are priced separately, such as Stripe Tax, Radar for fraud teams, Billing for subscriptions, and instant payouts. Disputes carry their own fee. The calculator covers the core card transaction; add these separately if you use them.
Working backward to a target amount
To net a specific amount, add the fixed fee to your target and divide by one minus the combined percentage rate. Simply adding the fee on top leaves you short, because Stripe charges its percentage on the larger total too. The reverse mode does this correctly for you, including any international or conversion surcharges you toggled on.
Worked examples
- Domestic vs. cross-border. Enter your average order value, then turn on international card and currency conversion. The gap shows the real cost of cross-border buyers so you can decide whether to price in local currencies or adjust shipping zones.
- Subscription pricing. If you want a set amount per month from each subscriber, enter it in reverse mode. Remember that Billing fees, if you use it, are additional.
- Comparing processors. Run the same order through the PayPal fee calculator and the Shopify fee calculator to compare effective rates for your actual order size.
Common mistakes
- Flagging international by customer address. Stripe's surcharge follows the card's issuing country.
- Forgetting conversion stacks. International and conversion fees are separate and can both apply.
- Assuming refunds return fees. Stripe generally does not return processing fees on refunded charges. Check your current terms.
- Planning ads on gross revenue. Payment fees come out of every order. Use your net amount when you set targets with the break-even ROAS calculator.
Tips to reduce Stripe fees
- Settle in the currencies you sell in most often to limit conversion charges.
- Raise average order value with bundles and thresholds so the fixed fee is spread over more revenue.
- Use clear billing descriptors and fast support to reduce disputes, which carry a separate fee.
- At higher volumes, Stripe offers custom pricing. Contact Stripe sales once your monthly volume justifies it.