If you sell or invoice through PayPal, the PayPal goods and services fee (PayPal calls them "commercial transactions") is paid by whoever receives the money, not by the person paying. It is a percentage plus a fixed amount, and the percentage changes with the type of payment, the customer's country and the currency.
The PayPal goods and services fee in Spain and the eurozone
According to PayPal Spain's fee table (last updated 7 September 2026), for receiving a domestic payment:
- Most commercial transactions: 2.9% plus a fixed fee of €0.35 (the fixed fee depends on the currency you receive; in dollars it is $0.30).
- Card payment from someone without a PayPal account: 1.2% plus the fixed fee.
- QR code payments: 0.9% + €0.10 from €10.01, and 1.4% + €0.05 up to €10.
- Micropayments: a separate rate (5% domestic, 6% international, plus a fixed fee) that is only granted on application and approval; it suits payments under €5.
For an ordinary payment through a website or a link, the figure that matters is 2.9% + €0.35. That fixed fee is what makes small amounts expensive:
| Customer pays | PayPal fee | Effective | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| €10.00 | −€0.64 | 6.4% | €9.36 |
| €50.00 | −€1.80 | 3.6% | €48.20 |
| €100.00 | −€3.25 | 3.25% | €96.75 |
| €500.00 | −€14.85 | 2.97% | €485.15 |
| €1,000.00 | −€29.35 | 2.94% | €970.65 |
On €10.00 PayPal keeps 6.4%; on €1,000.00, barely more than the percentage. That is why, when you charge small amounts, the calculator is worth a look before you pick a processor.
PayPal international transaction fees
If the customer is in another region, a percentage surcharge is added on the amount: 1.29% from the UK and 1.99% from all other markets outside the EEA. Between EEA countries there is no surcharge. And if the currency has to be converted, PayPal applies its own rate with 3% over the base rate. A payment of 1,000 in each customer's currency, into a Spanish account:
| Customer in | PayPal fee on 1,000 | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (EEA, same currency) | −€29.35 | 2.94% |
| United Kingdom | −£70.98 | 7.1% |
| United States | −$77.77 | 7.78% |
The layer-by-layer breakdown, including the currency conversion, is in PayPal fees on international payments.
Who pays the PayPal fee, the seller or the buyer?
The seller. PayPal's fee pages describe these figures as what the receiver pays; the buyer pays PayPal nothing extra for buying. If you want to net €100.00, you need to charge €103.35: that is (amount + €0.35) / (1 − 2.9%). Passing the fee to the customer as a "PayPal surcharge" can be restricted depending on the country and the service's terms; building it into the price is safer.
Refunds and disputes
- Refunds: according to PayPal's own page, the fees you paid to receive the payment are not returned; you give back the amount and lose the fee.
- Disputes: €14.00 per standard dispute.
- Chargebacks: €16.00 per chargeback.
That seller and buyer protection is what the fee pays for. It is also why hiding a payment for work inside "friends and family" is a bad idea.
From a US account
PayPal's US table (last updated 1 October 2026) is pricier: 3.49% + $0.49 for PayPal Checkout and most commercial payments, 2.99% for card payments and for "send/receive money for goods and services", 2.29% for QR codes and 4.99% for pay-later options. A 1.5% surcharge applies to international payments. A domestic $100.00 payment costs $3.98. Disputes cost $15.00 and chargebacks $20.00.
How much does PayPal charge per transaction, and how to cut it
- Ask for the micropayments rate if your payments are small and numerous.
- Offer bank transfer to regular clients: card or bank transfer shows how much it saves.
- Do not let PayPal convert if you are paid in another currency; see the currency conversion markup.
- Compare with Stripe in Stripe vs PayPal for freelancers.
Sources: PayPal's Spain and US business fee tables, checked on 12 October 2026. PayPal can change them: the binding figure is the one in your account. The full breakdown is on the PayPal fee card.
Every figure in this guide is calculated from the providers' public pricing pages, with the same function as the calculator. See the methodology for what the model includes and leaves out.