Payment Fee Calculator
Estimate what payment fees leave you with, or work backwards from your take-home target. Compare payment methods using the same scenario.
Payment details
Choose a payment method and scenario. The comparison updates as you edit.
Currency symbol changes the display only. Defaults are illustrative US-account rates; enter your own rates for a different market.
Goods and Services rate. The FX markup is the expensive part on cross-border work, not the headline percentage.
Use my own rates
Fees vary by country and account type. Leave a field blank to use the published default. Check your own dashboard for the exact numbers.
Your payment breakdown
An estimate based on standard rates or the rates you enter.
What you keep by payment method
$2,000.00 invoice; international client, with conversion.
If your client can use Wise Business, you could keep $165.28 more on this invoice.
Illustrative defaults last checked August 2026; selected method uses your custom rates if entered. Payment methods are not always interchangeable, and fees depend on location, account, currency, and how your client pays. Confirm in your provider account before quoting.
Guide & practical tipsHow to use this tool well, limits, and common questions
Work out what actually lands in your account after PayPal, Stripe, Wise, Payoneer, or a bank wire takes its cut, and how much to invoice if you need a specific amount to arrive. The currency conversion markup is usually the part that catches people out, not the headline percentage.
How to use it
- 1
Choose what you are working out
Start from an invoice amount to see what you keep, or start from what you want to receive to see what to invoice.
- 2
Pick how you are getting paid
Select the processor, then say whether the client is abroad and whether you will be paid in a different currency than your payout account. Both change the answer significantly.
- 3
Compare, then adjust your rate
The comparison shows the same invoice through every option, ranked by what you keep. If a processor is costing you two percent, that belongs in your rate, not in your margin.
Tips that make a difference
- The FX markup usually costs more than the transaction fee on international work. A 3% conversion on a 3,000 invoice is 90, on top of the percentage everyone quotes.
- Flat fees punish small invoices. A 35 wire fee is 17.5% of a 200 invoice and 0.7% of a 5,000 one, so bundle small jobs into one monthly invoice.
- Agree who absorbs the fee before you send the invoice, in writing. "Plus payment processing" in a contract avoids an awkward conversation later.
- Holding a balance in the currency your clients pay in, and converting when you choose, avoids paying the markup on every single invoice.
- Check the real numbers in your own account. Rates vary by country, account type, and how the client chooses to pay.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal take from a freelance payment?
For Goods and Services on a US account the standard rate is around 3.49% plus a fixed fee, with roughly 1.5% more for international payments and a currency conversion markup of about 4% on top when the currencies differ. The conversion is usually the largest single component on cross-border work.
What are Stripe fees for freelancers?
The standard published rate is around 2.9% plus 30 cents per successful card charge, with about 1.5% more for international cards and about 1% for currency conversion. Stripe is generally cheaper than PayPal on conversion.
Is Wise or Payoneer cheaper for freelancers?
It depends on the currencies involved. Wise typically charges a small conversion fee near the mid-market rate and nothing to receive in a currency you already hold. Payoneer is often around 1% when the client pays by bank debit and around 3% by card. Use the comparison to check your own amount.
How do I invoice so I receive an exact amount?
Switch to "What to invoice" and enter the amount you want to land in your account. The calculator works backwards through the percentage, fixed, conversion, and withdrawal fees to give you the invoice figure.
Should I pass payment fees on to the client?
Many freelancers build fees into their rate rather than adding them as a line item, because a surprise surcharge on an invoice creates friction. Whichever you choose, agree it in the contract before you send the first invoice.
Are these fee rates up to date?
They are the standard published rates at the date shown under the comparison, and they are editable. Fees vary by country, account type, and payment method, so treat them as a starting point and confirm in your own dashboard.