How much does Stripe take from a sale?

The rates, by how the customer pays

For Stripe's standard pricing, a US business taking online payments:

• Domestic cards2.9% + $0.30
• Card typed in manually, extra+ 0.5%
• International card, extra+ 1.5%
• Currency conversion needed, extra+ 1%
• Klarna (buy now, pay later)5.99% + $0.30
• ACH Direct Debit (bank debit)0.8%, capped at $5.00

The extras stack. An international card that also needs currency conversion pays 2.9% + 1.5% + 1% = 5.4%, plus the 30 cents. Large-volume businesses can negotiate custom pricing, so if you are on one, your own fee schedule is the authority.

What a card payment costs on three sales

The fee is the percentage of the sale plus 30 cents. The figure in brackets is the fee as a share of the sale.

A $10 sale

• Domestic card$0.59 (5.9%)
• Card typed in manually$0.64 (6.4%)
• International card$0.74 (7.4%)
• International, with conversion$0.84 (8.4%)

A $50 sale

• Domestic card$1.75 (3.5%)
• Card typed in manually$2.00 (4.0%)
• International card$2.50 (5.0%)
• International, with conversion$3.00 (6.0%)

A $200 sale

• Domestic card$6.10 (3.05%)
• Card typed in manually$7.10 (3.55%)
• International card$9.10 (4.55%)
• International, with conversion$11.10 (5.55%)

The fixed 30 cents is why small sales hurt: it is 3% of a $10 sale and 0.15% of a $200 one.

When a bank debit is cheaper

ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% with a $5.00 cap, and no fixed 30 cents. On a $50 sale that is $0.40, against $1.75 on a card. On $500 it is $4.00. At $625 it reaches the cap, and above that you pay $5.00 however large the payment: on a $2,000 invoice that is 0.25%, against $58.30 on a domestic card.

That makes bank debit worth offering if you send large invoices. The cost is on the customer's side: they have to link a bank account, which not every customer will do.

Costs that come after the sale

• Refunds. For most payment methods Stripe charges nothing to issue a refund, but the processing fee from the original payment is not returned. A fully refunded $50 sale costs you the $1.75. Bank transfers may carry a refund fee.
• Disputes. A dispute received costs $15.00. If you respond to it yourself, a second $15.00 "countered" fee applies. You get that one back if you win, and not if you lose. In rare cases network fees apply as well.
• Payouts. Paying your balance out on the standard schedule is free. An instant payout to an eligible debit card or bank account costs 1.5% with a 50 cent minimum: $3.00 on $200, and 50 cents rather than 30 on a $20 payout.

What to charge to receive an exact amount

Adding the fee to the price does not work, because the percentage applies to the larger total too. The charge that leaves you a target is that target plus 30 cents, divided by one minus the percentage. To receive $50 on a domestic card: ($50 + $0.30) ÷ (1 − 0.029) = $51.80. Check: 2.9% of $51.80 is $1.50, plus $0.30 is $1.80, and $51.80 minus $1.80 leaves $50.00.

If some of your buyers are international, price for that case. The extra 1.5% costs you on every foreign card, and you cannot tell which one it will be in advance.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Remembering only "2.9%". The fixed 30 cents and the add-ons are where the real cost is, especially on small orders and foreign cards.
2. Counting a refund as free. The original fee stays with Stripe.
3. Forgetting disputes. A $15 fee on a $20 order is three quarters of the sale.
4. Using these figures for a different country. The page lists US rates. Other countries have their own, and your account can differ.