Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Stripe, Square and PayPal. The names are trademarks of their owners and appear here only to identify whose published fee schedule we use.
Stripe vs Square fees at a glance
Stripe and Square both charge per payment with no monthly fee on their standard plans, but their rates split differently between online and in-person payments.[1][2]
| Fee (U.S.) | Stripe | Square Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| Online card | 2.9% + 30¢ | 3.3% + 30¢ |
| In person (tap, dip, swipe) | 2.7% + 5¢ | 2.6% + 15¢ |
| Keyed-in card | 3.4% + 30¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ |
| Card issued outside the U.S. | +1.5% (+1% if currency is converted) | +1.5% |
| Bank payment (ACH) | 0.8%, capped at $5 | 1% (min $1) on invoices; $10 cap on Plus and Premium |
| Instant payout | 1.5%, minimum $0.50 | 1.95% |
| Chargeback or dispute | $15 | No fee |
| Monthly plan | None | Free $0; Plus $49; Premium $149 |
Square lists no fee for chargebacks, while Stripe charges $15 per dispute.[4][1] Square's monthly plans lower its card rates in exchange for the subscription.[3]
Online payments: Stripe costs less at every amount
Online, Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ is 0.4 points below Square Free's 3.3% + 30¢ with the same fixed fee, so Stripe is cheaper on every online payment; the gap is 40¢ per $100.
| Payment | Stripe | Square Free | PayPal Checkout |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $0.45 | $0.47 | $0.66 |
| $10 | $0.59 | $0.63 | $0.84 |
| $25 | $1.03 | $1.13 | $1.36 |
| $50 | $1.75 | $1.95 | $2.24 |
| $100 | $3.20 | $3.60 | $3.98 |
| $250 | $7.55 | $8.55 | $9.22 |
| $1,000 | $29.30 | $33.30 | $35.39 |
PayPal Checkout, at 3.49% + $0.49, costs more than both at every amount shown.[6] The PayPal fee calculator covers its other payment types, including goods and services at 2.99%.
In person: Stripe below $100, Square above
In person the rates cross: Stripe charges 0.1 point more but 10¢ less per payment, so the two cost the same at $100 (0.1% of $100 is 10¢). Stripe is cheaper on smaller tickets, Square Free on larger ones.
| Payment | Stripe | Square Free | Square Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $0.19 | $0.28 | $0.28 |
| $10 | $0.32 | $0.41 | $0.40 |
| $25 | $0.73 | $0.80 | $0.78 |
| $50 | $1.40 | $1.45 | $1.40 |
| $100 | $2.75 | $2.75 | $2.65 |
| $250 | $6.80 | $6.65 | $6.40 |
| $1,000 | $27.05 | $26.15 | $25.15 |
Square Plus (2.5% + 15¢ in person) beats Stripe from about $50 per payment, but its $49 monthly fee only pays for itself on rate savings alone above about $49,000 a month of in-person card sales (or $12,250 of online sales, where Plus drops to 2.9% + 30¢).
A month of online sales compared
For a store taking 400 online card payments of $50 a month ($20,000 in sales), Stripe is the lowest of the four standard options.
| Processor | Card fees | Plan | Total | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | $700.00 | $0 | $700.00 | 3.50% |
| Square Free | $780.00 | $0 | $780.00 | 3.90% |
| Square Plus | $700.00 | $49 | $749.00 | 3.74% |
| PayPal Checkout | $896.00 | $0 | $896.00 | 4.48% |
Effective rate is total cost divided by sales. It rises on small tickets, where the fixed 30¢ is a bigger share: on a $10 payment Stripe's effective rate is 5.90%.
Other differences that change the cost
- International cards. Stripe adds 1.5% for cards from outside the U.S. and another 1% if it converts the currency. Square adds 1.5% for cards issued outside the U.S.
- Large bills. Stripe's ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% capped at $5, so a $2,000 payment costs $5. Square charges 1% for ACH-paid invoices, capped at $10 only on Plus and Premium.
- Getting paid faster. Standard payouts are free on both. Instant payouts cost 1.5% (minimum 50¢) on Stripe and 1.95% on Square.[5]
- Disputes. A business with frequent chargebacks pays $15 each on Stripe and nothing on Square.
Rates are the published standard ratesBoth companies offer custom pricing to larger businesses. Use your own statement or quote if you have one, and check both pricing pages before you switch.
Work out your own numbers
Enter your own amount, plan and payment type in the Stripe fee calculator and the Square fee calculator; both have a reverse mode that finds the price to charge to receive an exact amount. If your monthly volume is large, the credit card processing fee calculator compares a flat rate like these with interchange-plus pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stripe or Square cheaper?
Online, Stripe (2.9% + 30¢) is cheaper than Square's Free plan (3.3% + 30¢) at every amount. In person, Stripe (2.7% + 5¢) is cheaper below $100 a payment and Square Free (2.6% + 15¢) above it.
What do Stripe and Square charge on $100?
Online: $3.20 on Stripe and $3.60 on Square Free. In person: $2.75 on both.
Is PayPal more expensive than Stripe?
For online checkout, yes: PayPal Checkout is 3.49% + $0.49, so a $100 payment costs $3.98 against $3.20 on Stripe.
Does Square or Stripe charge for chargebacks?
Stripe charges $15 per dispute. Square does not charge for chargebacks.