Polar fee calculator
Polar sells your digital products as merchant of record. Pick your plan and see the fees: from 5% + $0.50 on the free plan down to 3.4% + $0.30 on Scale.
Rates assume a US-registered account settling in USD. Any card issued outside the US counts as international.
Polar fee breakdown
- You charge
- $100.00
- Processing fee (5%)
- −$5.00
- Fixed fee per transaction
- −$0.50
- Total fees
- $5.50
You receive
$94.50
Effective rate
5.5%
At 50 sales a month that is about $275 in fees a month, or $3,300 a year.
The same sale on other gateways
Standard rate for the same amount, customer location and options.
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.
Polar fees at a glance
Standard pay-as-you-go pricing for a US account settling in USD.
| Fee | Rate |
|---|---|
| Starter plan (free) | 5% + $0.50 |
| Pro plan ($20/month) | 3.8% + $0.40 |
| Growth plan ($100/month) | 3.6% + $0.35 |
| Scale plan ($400/month) | 3.4% + $0.30 |
| Early Member (organisations before 27 May 2026) | 4% + $0.40 |
| International cards | +1.5% |
| Payouts (Stripe Connect) | $2 per month with a payout, plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout |
| Cross-border payouts | 0.25% to 1% depending on country |
| Disputes | $15 per dispute, whatever the outcome |
| Refunds | Original transaction fees are not returned |
Source: Polar pricing page
Polar's plans and what they cost
Since 27 May 2026 Polar prices by plan. The free Starter plan is 5% + $0.50, so a $100 sale costs $5.50 and you receive $94.50. On Pro the same sale costs $4.20.
A card issued outside the US adds 1.5% on every plan, so an international sale on Starter costs $7.00. The new plans have no separate subscription fee.
Pro saves 1.2% + $0.10 per sale, so it covers its $20 monthly fee after about 29 sales of $50 a month.
- Growth ($100/month): 3.6% + $0.35.
- Scale ($400/month): 3.4% + $0.30.
- Early Member (organisations created before 27 May 2026): 4% + $0.40 plus 0.5% on subscriptions.
Before you build on Polar
Polar is built for developers selling software, digital products and subscriptions, and handles sales tax and VAT as merchant of record.
Payouts go through Stripe Connect, so check that your country can receive Stripe Connect payouts before you rely on it. If you have a US company, Stripe directly is much cheaper, but tax becomes your responsibility.
Compare Polar with the other gatewaysMore payment fee calculators
Run the same sale through another gateway, or compare them all at once.
- Payment gateway fee calculator Compare Stripe, PayPal, Airwallex, Dodo Payments and Polar on one sale.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Polar charge on $100?
On the free plan, $5.50 for a US customer, leaving you $94.50. For an international customer it is $7.00. On Pro it is $4.20 plus $20 a month.
Which Polar plan should I pick?
Enter your monthly sales in the calculator and switch plans. At a $50 average sale, Pro beats Starter from about 29 sales a month.
Does Polar charge extra for subscriptions?
Not on the new plans. Only the legacy Early Member rate adds 0.5% on subscriptions.
What are Polar's payout fees?
Stripe Connect's fees passed through at cost: $2 for each month with a payout, 0.25% + $0.25 per payout, and 0.25% to 1% for cross-border payouts.
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.