Payment Processing Fee Calculator
Reviewed by Hamza Gujjar, Algorithm Architect & Software Developer
Last updated: July 27, 2026Payment Processing Fee Calculator
Most card payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Square, and similar) charge a combination of a percentage fee plus a small fixed fee per transaction - this calculator shows exactly what you'll net after both are deducted.
Total Fee = (Transaction Amount x Percentage Fee%) + Fixed Fee
Net Received = Transaction Amount - Total Fee
Example
A $100 transaction at 2.9% + $0.30 (a common processor rate structure):
Total Fee = ($100 x 2.9%) + $0.30 = $3.20 → Net Received = $96.80 (3.2% effective rate)
Why Small Transactions Pay a Higher Effective Rate
Because the fixed fee component stays constant regardless of transaction size, it represents a much bigger percentage bite out of a small sale than a large one - a $5 sale at 2.9% + $0.30 carries an effective rate of roughly 8.9%, while a $500 sale under the same pricing carries an effective rate closer to 2.96%. This is worth factoring into pricing strategy for businesses with a lot of very small transactions.