Free tool
Payment fee calculator
Enter an invoice amount and see what you’d actually receive with each way of getting paid, cheapest first.
Updated 2026-10-01
| How your client pays | Fees | You receive |
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Rates from each provider’s own pricing page, read October 1, 2026: Stripe, PayPal, Square, HoneyBook (the “starting at” rate in its plan table; its FAQ lists 2.7% + 10¢). US domestic payments; international cards and currency conversion cost more everywhere. Check current rates before relying on them.
The cheapest way to get paid for a big invoice
For card payments, every provider takes roughly 3%. For bank transfers (ACH) the difference is large: Stripe caps its fee at $5, while percentage-only bank fees grow with the invoice. On a $5,000 invoice that’s $5 with Stripe’s bank transfer versus $75 at 1.5%.
So for large invoices, offer bank transfer first. tab shows clients the bank option before the card option for exactly this reason, and payments land in your own Stripe account.
Who pays the fee?
Usually you, the person getting paid. Some freelancers add a card surcharge, but rules vary by state and card network, so check before you do. Offering a cheap bank transfer option is the simpler fix.
Questions
What’s the cheapest way to get paid online for an invoice?
For large invoices, a bank transfer (ACH) with a capped fee. Stripe’s ACH fee is 0.8% capped at $5, so a $5,000 invoice costs $5.
What does Stripe charge to receive a card payment?
2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% if currency is converted.
What does tab charge?
Nothing on the first $2,000 you collect online through tab each month, then 1% up to $10,000 and 0.5% above. Stripe’s processing fee is separate. Payments you receive outside tab are free.
Offer the cheap option first.
tab invoices show clients bank transfer before card, so big invoices cost you $5, not $150. Free until you’re earning.
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