What PayPal charges for goods and services
When a buyer sends you money marked goods and services, a US seller pays 2.99% of the payment, with no fixed fee, on personal and business accounts. A buyer outside the US adds 1.50%, and if PayPal converts the currency for you its rate includes a 3.00% spread (PayPal Merchant Fees). The buyer pays nothing on top.
This is cheaper than a PayPal Checkout button on a website, which costs 3.49% + $0.49 per payment. Our PayPal fee calculator covers Checkout, cards, Pay Later and invoices.
| Payment | Total fees | Fee rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.30 | 3.00% | $9.70 |
| $25.00 | $0.75 | 3.00% | $24.25 |
| $50.00 | $1.50 | 3.00% | $48.50 |
| $100.00 | $2.99 | 2.99% | $97.01 |
| $250.00 | $7.48 | 2.99% | $242.52 |
| $500.00 | $14.95 | 2.99% | $485.05 |
| $1,000.00 | $29.90 | 2.99% | $970.10 |
With no fixed fee, the rate is the same 2.99% at every price: $0.30 on a $10 sale, $29.90 on $1,000.
PayPal G&S Fee: Who Pays It and How to Price Around It
The seller pays the G&S fee, and it comes off before the money reaches your balance. If you want to receive a specific amount, don’t just add 2.99%: the fee also applies to what you add. Divide your target by 0.9701, or switch the calculator to What to charge and type the amount you want.
| $100 payment | Fees | Fee rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods and services, US buyer | $2.99 | 2.99% | $97.01 |
| Goods and services, buyer abroad | $4.49 | 4.49% | $95.51 |
| PayPal Checkout button (for comparison) | $3.98 | 3.98% | $96.02 |
Two habits keep the fee down. First, if you sell through a website, compare the 2.99% goods and services route with your Checkout button, which costs more per payment. Second, for big jobs, send a PayPal invoice and allow bank payment, which costs 1% with a $10 cap.
A worked example: a $40 sale
A buyer sends $40 as goods and services. PayPal takes 2.99%, $1.20, and $38.80 lands in your balance. If the buyer is abroad, add 1.50% ($0.60). If you then need the money in your bank today, a personal-account instant transfer costs another 1.75%; a standard transfer is free (PayPal Consumer Fees).
Goods and services vs friends and family
Asking a buyer to pay as “friends and family” avoids the fee but removes their protection, and PayPal’s user agreement says personal payments aren’t for buying goods or services. We wouldn’t do it with strangers. For gifts and shared bills, friends and family is free; see the friends and family fee calculator.
| Fee | Amount | Charged on | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods and services (send/receive) | 2.99%, no fixed fee | Each payment | Paid by the seller; personal and business accountssource |
| PayPal Checkout button (for comparison) | 3.49% + $0.49 | Each payment | Buyer pays through a checkout buttonsource |
| International | +1.50% | Each payment | Buyer outside the USsource |
| Currency conversion | 3.00% spread | Converted amount | PayPal converts what you receivesource |
