PayPal Fee Calculator UK

Work out your PayPal fee

Friends & Family is for gifts and personal payments between people who know each other. It carries no buyer or seller protection, and using it for sales breaks PayPal's rules — always use Goods & Services (commercial) when you sell something.

This free PayPal Fee Calculator is set up for UK sellers first — because PayPal's UK rates are different from the US ones most calculators assume. A standard UK commercial payment costs 2.9% plus a fixed 30p, and this tool applies that rate by default, then shows you the fee and exactly what lands in your account. It also works in reverse: tell it how much you want to receive after fees, and it works out the amount you need to charge so the fee does not come out of your pocket. US, Canadian, Australian and eurozone rates are one click away in the country selector.

Three things catch UK sellers out, and this calculator handles all of them. First, the fixed fee is charged in the currency you receive, so a payment in pounds always loses that flat 30p however small it is — which is why fees sting most on small sales. Second, international commercial payments cost more: PayPal adds 1.29% when the payer is in the EEA and 1.99% for the rest of the world on UK accounts, and the payer-location selector applies that for you. Third, Friends & Family is not a way to dodge fees on sales — it has no protection and using it for business breaks PayPal's rules, so here it is shown separately, clearly labelled, for genuine personal payments only. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is recorded.

How to use

  1. Select your PayPal account country — the UK is the default, with its 2.9% + £0.30 commercial rate.
  2. Choose Commercial for sales and invoices, or Friends & Family for genuine personal payments.
  3. If the payer is abroad, set their location so the international percentage is added.
  4. Pick the direction: enter what the buyer pays to see what you receive, or enter what you want to receive to see what to charge.
  5. Read the fee and the final amount — the figures update as you type.

Frequently asked questions

How much does PayPal charge in the UK?

For a standard domestic commercial transaction — a UK buyer paying a UK seller in pounds — PayPal charges 2.9% of the payment plus a fixed fee of £0.30. On a £100 payment that is a £3.20 fee, leaving £96.80. Approved charity rates, micropayments and QR-code payments use different schedules, and high-volume sellers can negotiate custom pricing.

How much should I charge so I receive the full amount?

Switch the calculator to "What I want to receive" mode. Because the fee is a percentage of the total plus a fixed amount, you cannot simply add 2.9% on top — the fee is also charged on the extra you add. The calculator solves it exactly: to receive £100 in the UK you need to charge £103.30, of which £3.30 is the fee.

What does PayPal charge for international payments to the UK?

The standard 2.9% + £0.30 still applies, plus an extra percentage based on where the payer is registered: 1.29% for payers in the EEA and 1.99% for payers anywhere else, including the United States. If the payment is in another currency and you convert it to pounds, PayPal's currency conversion margin (around 3% above the base rate for business accounts) applies on top — that conversion cost is not included in this calculator.

Is Friends & Family really free?

A domestic Friends & Family payment funded by a bank account or PayPal balance is free for both sides in the UK and the US. Paying by card, or sending a personal payment internationally, can carry a fee paid by the sender. Crucially, Friends & Family has no Purchase Protection: never accept it from a buyer, and never use it to sell, because PayPal can limit accounts that do.

Why does my actual fee sometimes differ?

This calculator uses PayPal's standard published commercial rates, verified in November 2026. Your fee can differ if you have negotiated pricing, use a different PayPal product (such as QR codes at 1.5% + fixed fee, or micropayments at 5% + fixed fee on approved accounts), or the payment falls into a special category. Check PayPal's UK Merchant Fees page for the schedule that applies to your account.

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