Stripe vs PayPal vs Square fees for freelancers: what a 1,000 invoice actually costs
When a client pays you by card, the processor keeps a slice. On a 1,000 invoice that slice ranges from about 15 to 35 in your local currency, depending on where you're based and which service you use. In the UK and Australia, Stripe's domestic card rate is clearly the lowest. In the US and Canada the three are within a few dollars of each other, and how the client pays matters more than which service you pick.
These are the providers' published standard rates. They change often and don't include any custom pricing, so check the linked pricing pages before you decide.
Before you start
You'll need: to know where your business is based and where most of your clients pay from. Both change the rate.
Applies to: freelancers taking card payments from business clients through an online invoice or payment link.
How we checked this: every rate comes from each provider's own pricing page or fee schedule, checked October 19, 2026. We haven't run payments through all three accounts.
The quick answer
Outside the US: in the UK and Australia, Stripe's domestic card rate is the lowest; in Canada, Square edges it by a dollar on a C$1,000 payment. Stripe charges an extra 0.4% if you use its Invoicing product rather than a payment link.
US: all three land between about $29 and $35 on a $1,000 card payment. Bank payments are far cheaper if your client will use them: Stripe charges 0.8% capped at $5 for ACH Direct Debit, and PayPal charges 1% capped at $10 for Pay by Bank on invoices.
Clients abroad: every provider adds a surcharge for foreign cards, and more again if currencies are converted. That can double the cost.
What a 1,000 card payment costs in each country
Fees on a 1,000 invoice paid by a domestic card, in local currency, at each provider's standard published rate. Lower is better.
| Your business is in | Stripe | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (USD) | $29.30 | $30.39 by card, $35.39 via PayPal checkout | $33.30 |
| United Kingdom (GBP) | £15.20 | £29.30 | £25.00 |
| Canada (CAD) | C$29.30 | C$29.30 | C$28.30 |
| Australia (AUD) | A$16.80 | A$29.30 | A$22.00 |
If you use Stripe Invoicing rather than a payment link, add 0.4% (another 4.00 on 1,000) in every country. PayPal's UK, Canada and Australia pages don't list a separate invoicing rate, so these use its standard commercial rate.
The rates behind the table
Stripe charges the same structure everywhere: a percentage plus a small fixed fee, with extra for foreign cards and conversion.
US: 2.9% + 30¢; international cards +1.5%; currency conversion +1%; ACH Direct Debit 0.8%, capped at $5
UK: 1.5% + 20p for UK cards; 2.5% + 20p for EEA cards; 3.15% + 20p for other international cards, plus 2% if converted
Canada: 2.9% + C$0.30; international cards +0.8%; conversion +2%
Australia: 1.65% + A$0.30; international cards 3.5% + A$0.30; conversion +2%
Invoicing (Starter): 0.4% per paid invoice
PayPal rates differ more by country, and in the US by how the client pays.
US invoices: 2.99% + $0.49 by card; 3.49% + $0.49 through PayPal checkout or Venmo; 1% capped at $10 by bank (ACH); international payments +1.5%
UK: 2.9% + 30p; senders in the EEA +1.29%, elsewhere +1.99%
Canada: 2.9% + C$0.30; US senders +0.8%, elsewhere +1%
Australia: 2.9% + A$0.30; international +1%
Currency conversion: 3% to 4% above the base exchange rate, depending on the transaction
Square quotes a separate rate for invoices paid online on its free plan.
US: 3.3% + 30¢ by card; 1% by ACH bank transfer, $1 minimum and no cap on the free plan
UK: 2.5%
Canada: 2.8% + C$0.30
Australia: 2.2%
Foreign cards: Square's developer documentation describes a 1.5% international fee in the US and Canada. Its UK fee schedule lists a 1.95% charge on non-UK cards, so check Square's UK pricing if you bill clients abroad.
Costs the headline rate doesn't show
Foreign clients. A client paying with a card issued in another country adds 0.8% to 2% depending on the provider and country. If the payment is also converted to your currency, add another 1% to 4%. On a 1,000 invoice from abroad, that can turn a £15 fee into more than £50: Stripe UK's rate for a non-EEA card with conversion works out at £51.70.
How the client pays. In the US, a bank payment through Stripe or PayPal is capped at a few dollars, while a card costs about 3%. Offering both on the invoice lets the client choose.
The invoicing product itself. Stripe adds 0.4% for Stripe Invoicing; a plain payment link has no extra charge.
Which to choose
You're in the UK or Australia, with mostly local clients: Stripe's domestic rate is roughly half PayPal's.
You're in the US with business clients: offer bank payment as well as card. That saves more than switching providers.
Your clients already pay through PayPal: the convenience may be worth the higher rate. Check the international surcharge if they're abroad.
You already use Square for in-person sales: keeping everything in one place may matter more than a dollar or two per invoice, especially in Canada, where Square is cheapest anyway.
Whatever you choose, the fee should be part of your pricing, not a surprise.
Sources
Prices checked October 19, 2026.
Prices change often. If a rate here no longer matches the provider's page, let us know.
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