What is Payment processing fee?

A payment processing fee is what a payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shopify Payments) charges to accept a card payment — usually a percentage plus a fixed amount.

Example

At 2.9% + $0.30, a $100 payment costs $3.20 in fees.

Why it matters

The fixed part hurts low-priced items most: on a $5 sale, $0.30 is 6% on its own.

Calculate it: Stripe Fee Calculator

Card fees, international and payouts

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Question

What is payment processing fee?

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Answer

A payment processing fee is what a payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shopify Payments) charges to accept a card payment — usually a percentage plus a fixed amount.

Related terms

Chargeback

A chargeback is when a customer disputes a card payment with their bank and the money is pulled back from the seller, usually with a dispute fee.

Read more in our guide: Etsy Fees Explained (2026): What Etsy Takes From Every Sale