Choose Stripe if
You want lower blended fees on straightforward card processing.
- Online checkout is your main flow
- Your card mix is mostly domestic
- You care more about margin than wallet familiarity
Quick scenarios
Fee breakdown
Payment stack — next step
- PayPal fee detailCheck the per-sale math
- Stripe hidden feesModel all-in Stripe cost
- Full AI compare pagePaste a real volume snapshot
Fee sources & last verified
Rates checked: 2026-07-24 · US published rates · Custom pricing and optional services excluded
- Stripe pricing (US) — 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge; +1.5% international cards
- PayPal merchant fees (US) — Product-specific: PayPal/Venmo 3.49% + $0.49; Standard Checkout cards 2.99% + $0.49; international commercial +1.50%
- Square processing fees (US) — 2.6% + $0.15 in-person; 2.9% + $0.30 e-commerce
Which costs less?
Enter your numbers, then click Compare fees
Breakdown
Estimates only · Not financial advice · Not affiliated with third-party brands
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Your proprietary-style report
Stripe vs PayPal: quick decision guide
Good competitor pages don’t stop at one number. They immediately tell you which product fits which business.
Choose PayPal if
You think buyer trust can offset the extra fee.
- Clients already expect a PayPal option
- Freelance invoicing is a big use case
- You value the PayPal wallet and Pay Later behavior
Watch the hidden cost
The fixed fee hurts small orders more than most people expect.
- $0.30 matters a lot below ~$25
- Cross-border volume widens the gap fast
- Refund-heavy businesses should model all-in cost
What changes the winner?
| Input | If it goes up | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Average charge | Stripe often improves | Fixed fees become a smaller share of each transaction. |
| International share | PayPal often gets pricier | Its higher blended percentage can outrun wallet conversion gains. |
| Monthly volume | Savings become more obvious | Even a small rate delta compounds across the month. |
Keep comparing
PayPal fee detailSee per-sale and monthly fee math before you invoice.Stripe all-in costAdd refund leakage, extra fees, and international card mix to the model.Full processor compareBring Square into the decision when POS or smaller tickets matter.Square fee detailUseful when in-person volume changes the winner entirely.