As of October 2026, PayPal charges US sellers 3.49% plus a fixed fee of $0.49 on a standard PayPal Checkout payment, and 2.99% when someone pays you through Send and Receive for Goods and Services. Sending to friends and family from your PayPal balance or bank is free, but paying with a card costs 2.90% plus $0.30, and an instant transfer to your bank costs 1.5% on a business account or 1.75% on a personal one.
Those are PayPal's own US rates, taken from its Merchant Fees page (last updated October 1, 2026) and its Consumer Fees page. If you're in the UK, the numbers are different; see PayPal fees in the UK. Here's the US picture, in the order most small businesses meet it.
Fees for receiving payments as a seller
| How the customer pays you | PayPal's rate as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout or PayPal Guest Checkout | 3.49% + fixed fee |
| Pay with Venmo | 3.49% + fixed fee |
| Send and Receive for Goods and Services | 2.99% |
| Standard credit and debit card payments | 2.99% + fixed fee |
| PayPal Pay Later options | 4.99% + fixed fee |
| QR code transactions | 2.29% + fixed fee |
| All other commercial transactions | 3.49% + fixed fee |
The fixed fee depends on the currency you receive. For US dollars it's $0.49. If the buyer is in another country, PayPal adds an extra 1.50% on commercial transactions, on top of the domestic rate.
So a $100 sale through PayPal Checkout costs you $3.49 plus $0.49. The same sale as a goods and services payment would cost $2.99, because that row on PayPal's table carries no fixed fee. On PayPal's own table, that's the cheapest commercial option for a one-to-one sale.
Invoices cost the same as checkout
If you send a PayPal invoice and the customer pays it, PayPal calls it an invoicing transaction. The rates mirror checkout: 3.49% + fixed fee when they pay with PayPal, Venmo or guest checkout, and 2.99% + fixed fee for a card, Apple Pay or other third party wallet. International invoices add the same 1.50%. If you invoice a lot, here's how to send a PayPal invoice.
Sending payments to friends and family
| How you fund it | Domestic fee | International fee |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal balance or bank account | No fee | 5.00%, minimum $0.99, maximum $4.99 |
| Credit or debit card | 2.90% + fixed fee ($0.30 in US dollars) | Card fee plus 5.00% |
| Receiving a personal payment | No fee (when no currency conversion is involved) | No fee to receive |
PayPal's fee pages put payments for goods or services under commercial transaction rates, and friends and family under personal transactions. If you're being paid for work, the goods and services or checkout rates are the ones that apply.
What it costs to get your cash out
| Withdrawal | Business account | Personal account |
|---|---|---|
| Standard transfer to bank or eligible debit card | No fee | No fee |
| Instant transfer to bank or eligible debit card | 1.50% of the amount, minimum $0.50 | 1.75% of the amount, minimum $0.25, maximum $25.00 |
| Paper check mailed to you | Not listed | $1.50 (accounts without a linked PayPal Balance account) |
Standard transfers are free when no currency conversion is involved, so instant is a choice you're paying for. On a $1,000 business withdrawal, instant costs $15. Waiting costs nothing.
The fees people forget
- Refunds: PayPal doesn't charge you to refund a sale, but it doesn't return the fees you paid to receive it either.
- Disputes: a standard dispute fee is $15.00 in US dollars, and the high volume dispute fee is $30.00.
- Chargebacks on card payments that didn't go through a PayPal account or guest checkout: $20.00.
- Currency conversion: PayPal's exchange rate includes a spread of 3.00% on most conversions, or 4.00% when you pay for goods in another currency or send to someone who receives a different currency.
- Cashing a check into your business account: 2% for payroll or government checks and 5% for other checks, each with a $6.00 minimum.
Five ways to pay PayPal less
- Ask one-off clients to pay through goods and services (2.99%) rather than checkout (3.49% + $0.49).
- Use standard withdrawals. They're free when there's no currency conversion; instant costs 1.5% on a business account.
- Price foreign work in the currency you want to receive, so you're not paying the conversion spread.
- Fund personal payments from your balance or bank, never a card, to avoid 2.90% + $0.30.
- Keep good delivery records. PayPal may charge a $15.00 dispute fee when a buyer files a claim on a PayPal payment.
Large card or app sales can also mean tax forms. If you sell through PayPal, read how the PayPal 1099-K works before January.
The verdict
PayPal's headline US rate is 3.49% plus $0.49, and for most small sellers that's the number to plan around. You can pay less: ask one-off clients to pay through goods and services at 2.99% with no fixed fee, and skip instant withdrawals, which turn a free transfer into a 1.5% charge. The two costs that hurt are the ones you don't see coming, the $15 dispute fee and the conversion spread on foreign payments, so price international work with that spread in mind.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal charge to receive a payment in the US?
As of October 2026, PayPal Checkout costs 3.49% plus a $0.49 fixed fee for US dollar payments. Send and Receive for Goods and Services costs 2.99%.
Is it free to send to friends and family on PayPal?
Yes, from your PayPal balance or bank account within the US. Paying with a card costs 2.90% plus $0.30, and international personal payments add 5.00%, between $0.99 and $4.99.
How much is a PayPal instant transfer?
1.5% of the amount on a business account, with a $0.50 minimum, and 1.75% on a personal account, between $0.25 and $25.00. Standard transfers are free.
Does PayPal charge extra for international sales?
Yes. PayPal adds 1.50% to commercial payments from buyers in other markets, on top of the domestic rate, and currency conversion includes a spread.
Do I get PayPal fees back when I refund a customer?
No. PayPal doesn't charge to refund, but the fees you paid to receive the original payment aren't returned.
What is PayPal's dispute fee?
The standard dispute fee is $15.00 and the high volume dispute fee is $30.00 in US dollars.
What's the cheapest way to get paid on PayPal?
For a one-to-one sale, Send and Receive for Goods and Services at 2.99% with no fixed fee listed is cheaper than PayPal Checkout at 3.49% plus $0.49.
