CAL-006
Payment Fee Calculator
Almost every payment processor charges a percentage plus a fixed amount per transaction. This calculator shows the total fee and the amount that actually reaches your account.
- Free
- No signup
- Private · runs locally
How to calculate payment fees
- Enter the sale amount the customer pays.
- Enter the percentage fee your processor charges.
- Enter the fixed fee per transaction, if there is one.
- Read the total fee and your net payout.
Why the fixed fee hurts small orders
Total fee = (Amount × Percentage ÷ 100) + Fixed fee. On a $100 order a 2.9% + $0.30 structure costs $3.20, or 3.2%. On a $5 order the same structure costs $0.45 - 9% of the sale.
This is why low-value orders are often unprofitable even when the margin looks acceptable on paper, and why minimum order values and bundles exist.
Refunds usually do not return the fixed fee, and in many cases the percentage is not returned either. A high refund rate therefore costs more than the refunded amount alone.
Frequently asked questions
What are typical payment processing fees?
Online card processing commonly sits around 2–3% plus a small fixed amount per transaction, with higher rates for international or currency-converted payments. Check your own provider's current pricing rather than relying on a general figure.
Can I pass the fee on to the customer?
Sometimes, but surcharging is restricted or banned in several countries and by some card network rules. Building the cost into your price is usually simpler and always permitted.
How do I price so the fee does not reduce my margin?
Use the selling price calculator, which solves for a price that delivers your target margin after the fee has been taken.