- Stripe card rates by country
- Why one sale can carry two extra charges
- Dispute fees, and the one you can get back
- Bank debits cost less than cards
- Two details Australian sellers should know
- Instant payouts and buy now, pay later
- How to estimate your Stripe fees
- Plain advice before you pick Stripe
- Frequently asked questions
Stripe charges no monthly fee, just a fee per successful payment, and the rate depends on where your Stripe account is. As of October 2026, Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 1.65% + A$0.30 for Australian cards and 2.9% + CA$0.30 for Canadian cards. International cards and currency conversion add more on top.
Stripe's pricing looks simple until you sell to someone in another country. Then two extra charges can stack onto the same payment. I read Stripe's own pricing pages for the US, the UK, Australia and Canada side by side, because the gaps between countries are big, especially for UK sellers.
Stripe card rates by country
| Your Stripe account | Domestic cards | International cards | Currency conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2.9% + 30¢ | Plus 1.5% | Plus 1% |
| United Kingdom | 1.5% + 20p (standard UK cards) | 3.15% + 20p (2.5% + 20p for EEA cards) | Plus 2% |
| Australia | 1.65% + A$0.30 | 3.5% + A$0.30 | Plus 2% |
| Canada | 2.9% + CA$0.30 | Plus 0.8% | Plus 2% |
All four pages say the same thing up front: no setup fees, no monthly fees and no hidden fees. Standard payouts to your bank are free. In the US and Canada, Stripe adds 0.5% when a card number is typed in by hand rather than entered by the customer.
Why one sale can carry two extra charges
Say a UK business sells to a customer in the US who pays in US dollars, and the business is paid out in pounds. Stripe's UK page lists 3.15% + 20p for the international card, plus 2% because the currency has to be converted. That's a very different number from the 1.5% + 20p a UK customer pays. If you sell abroad a lot, Stripe's multi-currency settlement option is worth a look: the UK page lists it at 1% of payout volume or a minimum fee.
Dispute fees, and the one you can get back
| Country | Dispute received | Dispute countered |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| United Kingdom | £20.00 | £20.00 |
| Australia | A$25.00 | A$25.00 |
| Canada | CA$15.00 | CA$15.00 |
Stripe charges the first fee when a customer disputes a payment, and the second if you respond to it manually. Stripe's pages say you get the countered fee back if you win the dispute, but not if you lose. So before you fight a small dispute, weigh up the fee against the sale.
Bank debits cost less than cards
- US: ACH Direct Debit at 0.8%, capped at $5.00.
- UK: Bacs Direct Debit at 1%, with a minimum of 20p and a cap of £4.00.
- Australia: PayTo and BECS Direct Debit at 1% + A$0.30, capped at A$3.50.
- Canada: pre-authorised debits at 1% + CA$0.40, capped at CA$5.00.
For regular, larger invoices or memberships, those caps make bank debits much kinder to your margin than cards.
If you're taking subscriptions for a newsletter, our Substack free guide covers it.
Two details Australian sellers should know
Stripe's Australian page says its card fees include GST, so the rate you see is the rate you pay. It also flags lower pricing for international cards starting 1 April 2027, so that 3.5% figure has an end date.
Instant payouts and buy now, pay later
| Country | Instant Payouts | Buy now, pay later example |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1.5% of the payout, minimum 50¢ | Klarna at 5.99% + 30¢ |
| United Kingdom | 1% of the payout, minimum 40p | Listed on Stripe's page by provider |
| Australia | 1.5% of the payout, minimum A$0.50 | Zip at 5.49% + A$0.30 |
| Canada | 1% of the payout, minimum CA$0.60 | Klarna from 5.99% + CA$0.30 |
Standard payouts on Stripe's normal schedule are free, so Instant Payouts are only worth it when you need the money the same day. Buy now, pay later options can lift order values, but they cost noticeably more than a card payment, so switch them on with your margins in mind.
If you sell digital products, our Lemon Squeezy vs Stripe guide covers it.
How to estimate your Stripe fees
- Split last quarter's payments into domestic and international customers.
- Apply your country's domestic card rate to the first group and the international rate to the second.
- Add the currency conversion fee for any payments taken in a different currency from your payout currency.
- Add dispute fees for the disputes you had, and any Instant Payouts you used.
If you're weighing Stripe against other options, my comparison of Stripe and Square covers in-person selling too, and this guide to chasing overdue invoices pairs well with setting up direct debits.
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Plain advice before you pick Stripe
Look at where your customers are before you look at the headline rate. A UK business selling mostly to UK customers gets one of the lowest card rates on Stripe, while the same business selling to the US pays a much bigger percentage on each sale. Price your international products with that in mind, use bank debits for regular invoices, and don't contest a tiny dispute unless the evidence is strong.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Stripe charge per transaction?
As of October 2026, Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 1.65% + A$0.30 for Australian cards and 2.9% + CA$0.30 for Canadian cards.
Does Stripe have a monthly fee?
No. Stripe's pricing pages say there are no setup fees, monthly fees or hidden fees on standard pricing. You pay per successful payment.
How much is Stripe's international card fee?
It depends on your account country. Stripe's US page adds 1.5% for international cards, and its UK page lists 3.15% + 20p for international cards, plus 2% if currency conversion is needed.
Does Stripe refund the dispute fee?
Stripe says you get the dispute countered fee back if you win the dispute. You don't get it back for a lost dispute.
How much do Stripe Instant Payouts cost?
Stripe's US page lists 1.5% of the payout with a minimum of 50¢. The UK page lists 1% with a minimum of 40p. Standard payouts on the normal schedule are free.
Is a typed-in card payment more expensive on Stripe?
In the US and Canada, Stripe adds 0.5% for manually entered cards, on top of the domestic card rate.
Do Stripe fees include GST in Australia?
Yes. Stripe's Australian pricing page says its card fees include GST.
