For card payments typed on your own checkout, Stripe's published US rate of 2.9% plus 30 cents usually costs less than PayPal Checkout at 3.49% plus 49 cents. PayPal's advantage is its wallet: buyers who already have a PayPal account pay without typing a card. Many stores offer both and let the customer choose.
| Stripe | PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Online card payment | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.99% + $0.49 (card payments) |
| PayPal Checkout button | Not applicable | 3.49% + $0.49 |
| International card | +1.5% | +1.50% |
| Dispute fee | $15 received, $15 more if you counter | $15 standard dispute, $20 chargeback |
Updated
Type a sale amount and pick where the buyer is. The comparer applies only the rates each company publishes for US businesses, so you can see what one order costs before choosing. It runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere.
Sale amount (USD): 100
| Payment type | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe card payment | $3.20 | $96.80 |
| PayPal card payment | $3.48 | $96.52 |
| PayPal Checkout (wallet) | $3.98 | $96.02 |
Both providers charge a percentage of the sale plus a fixed amount per transaction. This function is the whole calculation the comparer uses.
Pass the rate as a percent. Add the international percentage to pct when the buyer is abroad.
function processingFee(amount, pct, fixed) {
const fee = amount * (pct / 100) + fixed;
return Math.round(fee * 100) / 100;
}
processingFee(100, 2.9, 0.30); // 3.2 (Stripe card)
processingFee(100, 3.49, 0.49); // 3.98 (PayPal Checkout)With Stripe, the buyer usually types a card on a form that matches your site, or on a page Stripe hosts for you. With PayPal Checkout, the buyer clicks the PayPal button and logs in to an account they may already trust, which helps on a shop nobody has heard of yet.
Neither choice locks you in. The setup time is small, so many owners start with one and add the other when customers ask for it.
Stripe lets you receive standard payouts on a rolling, weekly or monthly basis at no charge, and offers Instant Payouts for 1.5% of the amount. PayPal shows payout options inside its business account, so check them there before you count on a date.
Disputes cost money on both, even when you win, so clear product descriptions and a visible refund policy pay for themselves.
On the published US rates, a Stripe card payment costs less than a PayPal Checkout payment at every order size, because both the percentage and the fixed fee are lower. PayPal's own card rate of 2.99% plus 49 cents sits closer.
Not for PayPal's card payments product, which takes cards directly. The PayPal Checkout button is aimed at shoppers who log in to their PayPal wallet.
Stripe lists a $15 fee for each dispute you receive and another $15 if you respond to it manually. PayPal lists $15 for a standard dispute raised through PayPal and $20 for a chargeback on a card payment.
Yes. Show the card form from one and a PayPal button as an extra option. Watch the order flow so a buyer cannot pay twice for the same cart.
They are the standard rates each company publishes for US businesses as of October 2026. Your account may get different pricing, and other countries have their own rate pages.
Related: PayPal fee calculator, Accept payments on your website, Stripe Payment Links guide, Stripe webhooks, Shopify pricing.
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