Payment Processing Fee Calculator
Estimate online payment processing fees for invoices, payment links, checkout, subscriptions, and card payments.
Use this payment processing fee calculator for card payments, payment links, online invoices, ecommerce checkout, SaaS subscriptions, and service-business payments. It is designed for quick provider comparisons before you request quotes or set prices.
- Models percentage plus fixed per-payment fees.
- Does not include chargebacks, international card fees, PCI fees, hardware, or monthly minimums.
Formula:(payment amount x processing percentage fee) + fixed fee, multiplied by monthly payment count.
Last reviewed:2026-05-21
Sources: Stripe US pricing, Square processing fees
When to use this
Estimate online payment processing costs before comparing providers.
What you get
A $100 online payment at 2.9% + $0.30 costs $3.20. At 250 payments per month, processing costs about $800.
Useful next step
Use the estimate to compare options, pressure-test pricing, or decide which fee model deserves a closer look.
Problems this helps with
- Processor quotes use different fee structures
- Online and keyed payments can cost more than in-person payments
- Monthly volume changes the real cost quickly
Example estimate
A $100 online payment at 2.9% + $0.30 costs $3.20. At 250 payments per month, processing costs about $800.
Payment Processing Fee Calculator examples
Processor-specific inputs
Stripe
Use case: Online checkout, invoices, subscriptions, SaaS billing
Rate to enter: Use the payment method-specific rate
Start with 2.9% + $0.30 for a basic US online-card estimate.
Square
Use case: Retail, mobile POS, appointments, invoices
Rate to enter: Compare in-person, online, and keyed rates separately
Use monthly payment count to see the effect of volume.
PayPal
Use case: Checkout buttons, PayPal payments, invoices
Rate to enter: Use the rate for your transaction type
Enter both percentage and fixed fee because order size changes the effective rate.
Shopify Payments
Use case: Ecommerce checkout
Rate to enter: Use your plan's card rate
Pair with the Shopify fees calculator when monthly plan fees matter.
Sample calculations
Online invoice
- Amount
- $250
- Rate
- 2.9% + $0.30
- Result
- $7.55 fee
Useful for service businesses collecting invoice payments by card.
Payment link
- Amount
- $75
- Rate
- 3.0% + $0.25
- Result
- $2.50 fee
Models creator, booking, and one-off payment link costs.
Subscription billing
- Amount
- $39 x 500
- Rate
- 2.9% + $0.30
- Result
- $714.50 monthly fee
Shows how fixed fees matter when subscription prices are low.
High-ticket payment
- Amount
- $1,500
- Rate
- 2.7% + $0.15
- Result
- $40.65 fee
Percentage rate dominates when average payment size is high.
Fee table
| Payment type | Common input | Best use | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online card payment | Percentage plus fixed fee | Ecommerce, invoices, payment links | Card-not-present rates and international cards |
| In-person card payment | Lower percentage, small fixed fee | Retail, mobile POS, restaurants | Hardware, POS software, and keyed fallback rate |
| ACH or bank payment | Low percentage or capped fee | Large invoices and B2B payments | Settlement time and failed payment handling |
| Platform checkout | Platform fee plus processor fee | Marketplaces, bookings, tickets | Whether the platform fee is separate from processing |
Use your provider's current published or quoted rates for final decisions. This table is a planning aid.
Calculate credit card fees
Continue with a related tool or comparison that helps turn the estimate into a clearer decision.
Related fee calculators
FAQ
How do I calculate payment processing fees?
Multiply payment amount by the percentage fee, add the fixed fee, then multiply by payment count for a monthly estimate.
What is the difference between payment processing and credit card processing?
Credit card processing is one type of payment processing. Payment processing can also include payment links, invoices, ACH, wallets, subscriptions, and platform checkout fees.
Should I compare per-payment or monthly cost?
Compare both. Per-payment cost helps with pricing, while monthly cost shows the actual operating expense.
Why do small payments have a higher effective rate?
Fixed fees make low-ticket payments more expensive as a percentage of revenue. A $0.30 fixed fee matters much more on a $10 payment than on a $500 payment.