Rates checked: 2026-08
The payment fees dataset
Every number on this page is computed from the processors' and platforms' published standard rates, across realistic invoice sizes and income levels. Reproducible, dated, and downloadable. Quote it, link it, or take the CSV.
Numbers worth quoting
- On a $100 invoice, PayPal's standard rate costs 24% more than Stripe's.
- Card fees are regressive: Stripe's effective rate is 3.2% on a $100 invoice and 2.91% on a $2,500 one.
- A freelancer earning $5,000/month on Fiverr pays $12,000 per year in platform fees.
- The same earnings on Upwork cost $6,000 per year, less than half of Fiverr's toll.
What card processors take, by invoice size
| Invoice | Stripe | PayPal | Square | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fee | effective | fee | effective | fee | effective | |
| $100 | $3.2 | 3.2% | $3.98 | 3.98% | $3.2 | 3.2% |
| $500 | $14.8 | 2.96% | $17.94 | 3.59% | $14.8 | 2.96% |
| $1,000 | $29.3 | 2.93% | $35.39 | 3.54% | $29.3 | 2.93% |
| $2,500 | $72.8 | 2.91% | $87.74 | 3.51% | $72.8 | 2.91% |
| $5,000 | $145.3 | 2.91% | $174.99 | 3.5% | $145.3 | 2.91% |
| $10,000 | $290.3 | 2.9% | $349.49 | 3.49% | $290.3 | 2.9% |
The fixed fee makes small invoices expensive: the same processor costs nearly double in percentage terms at $100 vs $2,500.
What marketplaces take, by monthly earnings
| Monthly earnings | Upwork | Fiverr | Freelancer.com | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fee | /yr | fee | /yr | fee | /yr | |
| $1,000 | $100 | $1,200 | $200 | $2,400 | $100 | $1,200 |
| $3,000 | $300 | $3,600 | $600 | $7,200 | $300 | $3,600 |
| $5,000 | $500 | $6,000 | $1,000 | $12,000 | $500 | $6,000 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 | $12,000 | $2,000 | $24,000 | $1,000 | $12,000 |
Flat percentages scale linearly: the platform fee is small at the start and becomes a salary at volume.
Methodology
Published standard US rates as of the date above: Stripe 2.9% + $0.30, PayPal commercial 3.49% + $0.49, Square online 2.9% + $0.30; Upwork 10%, Fiverr 20%, Freelancer.com 10%. Fees computed per scenario with our open, unit-tested engines (the same ones behind the calculators). Negotiated, in-person, and international rates differ. Corrections welcome.
Take the data
Processor fees CSV · Platform fees CSV
Free to reuse with a link back to this page.