Getting-paid tools
PayPal receiving fee calculatorEnter the amount and the fees to see exactly what PayPal takes and what actually lands with you.
Most people remember PayPal's percentage fee but forget the fixed fee, and cross-border payments usually stack a currency-conversion markup on top. Together, a $1,000 invoice can arrive $60–70 lighter. Every fee field below is editable, so put in the numbers your own account shows; the tool just does the arithmetic right.
The defaults are illustrative mid-range figures, not a live PayPal quote. Replace them with the rates your account and region actually show before you read the result.
Total taken US$0.00 · 0.0% of the amount
Where the three deductions come from
PayPal business payments usually settle as a "percentage fee + fixed fee": the percentage scales with the amount, while the fixed fee is charged no matter the size, so the smaller the payment, the heavier the fixed fee weighs. If your client pays in a different currency from the one you receive, PayPal adds a conversion markup on top of the market rate when it converts, and this one is the easiest to overlook, especially cross-border. Count all three and you get your real take-home.
To pay less, two directions: agree on the same currency with your client to avoid repeated conversions, or build the cost into your quote, using the quote gross-up calculator to back out what to charge. Still deciding on a channel? See Wise vs Payoneer and the four channels compared.
FAQ
Why do small payments feel hit so hard?
Because the fixed fee doesn't shrink with the amount. You pay the same fixed fee on $20 as on $2,000, so on small amounts its share is high. Keep the fixed-fee field in to see the real percentage.
Is the number here accurate?
It only does the arithmetic on what you enter. Fees, conversion markups and regional differences are set by PayPal's official page in real time; go by what your account shows. This is an estimate to build intuition.
How do I pay less of that conversion fee?
Receive and get paid in the same currency where you can, to cut conversions; or compare channels with more transparent rates. Before any choice, go by each platform's live rates on its official page.