Payment gateway fee calculator
Compare Stripe, PayPal, Airwallex, Dodo Payments and Polar on the same sale. Enter an amount and where your customer is, and see which gateway leaves you the most and what it costs you a year.
Rates assume a US-registered account settling in USD. Any card issued outside the US counts as international.
Same sale, every gateway (cheapest first)
- AirwallexCheapest
Payment processor
- Fee on this sale
- $3.10
- You receive
- $96.90
- Effective rate
- 3.1%
- Stripe
Payment processor
- Fee on this sale
- $3.20
- You receive
- $96.80
- Effective rate
- 3.2%
About $60 a year more than the cheapest option at your volume.
- PayPal
Payment processor
- Fee on this sale
- $3.98
- You receive
- $96.02
- Effective rate
- 3.98%
About $528 a year more than the cheapest option at your volume.
- Dodo Payments
Merchant of record
- Fee on this sale
- $4.40
- You receive
- $95.60
- Effective rate
- 4.4%
About $780 a year more than the cheapest option at your volume.
- Polar
Merchant of record
- Fee on this sale
- $5.50
- You receive
- $94.50
- Effective rate
- 5.5%
About $1,440 a year more than the cheapest option at your volume.
Estimates from each provider's published standard pricing for US accounts. Negotiated rates, taxes, disputes, refunds and payout fees are not included. Check the provider's own pricing page before you rely on a number.
Rates checked on 28 September 2026 against each provider's published US pricing.
Standard fees side by side
Rates for a US account settling in USD. "None" means the gateway does not charge the merchant for that item.
| Gateway | Type | Standard rate | International cards | Currency conversion | Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Payment processor | 2.9% + $0.30 | +1.5% | +1% | +0.7% |
| PayPal | Payment processor | 3.49% + $0.49 | +1.5% | +3% | None |
| Airwallex | Payment processor | 2.8% + $0.30 | +1.5% | +1% | None |
| Dodo Payments | Merchant of record | 4% + $0.40 | +1.5% | None | +0.5% |
| Polar | Merchant of record | 5% + $0.50 | +1.5% | None | None |
Sources: Stripe · PayPal · Airwallex · Dodo Payments · Polar
Payment processor or merchant of record?
Stripe, PayPal and Airwallex are payment processors: you are the seller, the money lands in your account, and sales tax and VAT are your responsibility. That is why their fees are lower.
Dodo Payments and Polar act as merchant of record: they are the legal seller your customer buys from, and they calculate and remit tax and handle disputes. That saves a lot of work, in exchange for a higher fee.
Why your customer's country matters
Every gateway here adds a surcharge when the card was issued outside the US, and most also charge for currency conversion. On $100 from an international customer paying in their own currency, Stripe keeps $5.70 and PayPal about $8.48.
The cheapest option for a $100 international sale without conversion is Airwallex ($4.60). Change the amount and the customer's country above to see how the ranking moves.
What this means for a founder in Egypt or the Gulf
A merchant of record is the easiest start if you have no company, but a $100 international sale on Dodo Payments costs $5.90. The same sale on Stripe through a US company is clearly cheaper, and the gap grows with every sale.
Stripe is not available to companies registered in Egypt or Saudi Arabia, so the usual route is a US LLC and a US Stripe account. The gateway still makes the final decision after its review.
Read: every way to accept payments without a commercial registerA calculator for each gateway
Each one covers the gateway's own payment methods or plans and breaks every fee down.
- Stripe fee calculator 2.9% + $0.30 on US cards, +1.5% on international cards.
- PayPal fee calculator 3.49% + $0.49 for PayPal Checkout, +1.5% on international sales.
- Airwallex fee calculator 2.8% + $0.30 on US cards, 4.3% + $0.30 on international cards.
- Dodo Payments fee calculator 4% + $0.40 as merchant of record, tax and compliance included.
- Polar fee calculator From 5% + $0.50 on the free plan, tax included.
Frequently asked questions
Which payment gateway is cheapest for international sales?
On a $100 sale without currency conversion, Airwallex is cheapest ($4.60). The order changes with the amount and with conversion, so run your own numbers in the calculator.
Is Stripe or PayPal cheaper?
Stripe in most cases: 2.9% + $0.30 against 3.49% + $0.49 for the PayPal button, and PayPal's currency conversion spread is wider.
Does the calculator include tax?
No. It covers processing fees only. A merchant of record collects tax from the customer and remits it; with a processor, tax is your responsibility.
Can I use these gateways without a US company?
Dodo Payments and Polar accept sellers from many countries as merchant of record. Stripe, PayPal Business and Airwallex at these rates need a company registered in a supported country such as the US.
Want the lowest rate? Start with a US company.
A US LLC lets you apply for Stripe, PayPal Business and Airwallex at the US rates on this page. Foundlie forms it for one all-in price.