📖 Overview
This calculator quantifies effective take rate on international PayPal transactions.
It helps creators and ecommerce sellers compare payout outcomes and set minimum prices for sustainable margin.
🧪 Example Scenarios
Use these default and higher-pressure example inputs to explore how sensitive this calculator is before using your real numbers.
| Input | Base Case | Higher Pressure Case |
|---|---|---|
| Sale Amount ($) | 50 | 57.5 |
| Processor Fee Rate (%) | 3.49 | 4.19 |
| Fixed Fee ($) | 0.49 | 0.56 |
| Cross Border Surcharge (%) | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| FX Conversion Fee (%) | 3.5 | 4.2 |
⚙️ How It Works
Calculates total processing drag on international transactions by summing percentage fee fixed fee cross-border surcharge and FX conversion fee.
The Formula
Net Payout = Sale Amount − (Processor Fee + Cross-border Fee + FX Fee)
| Sale Amount | Gross transaction value before deductions |
| Processor Fee Rate | Base percentage fee charged by processor |
| Fixed Fee | Flat per-transaction fee component |
| Cross-border Surcharge | Additional international transaction percentage fee |
| FX Conversion Fee | Currency conversion percentage fee |
💡This calculator is scenario-based. Better input quality leads to better decision quality.
⚠️Micro-transactions are disproportionately hit by fixed fees. If net payout is weak raise minimum order value or bundle offers.
Quick Reference
| Sale Amount | Total Fee % | Total Fees | Net Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | 10.5% | $2.10 | $17.90 |
| $50 | 8.8% | $4.40 | $45.60 |
| $120 | 7.9% | $9.48 | $110.52 |
When To Use This
- Use this tool when you need a fast decision during active planning or execution.
- Use this before committing money, time, or tradeoffs that are hard to reverse.
- Use this to compare options using the same assumptions across scenarios.
Edge Cases To Watch
- Results can be misleading if key inputs are missing, stale, or unrealistic.
- Very small or very large values may amplify rounding effects and interpretation risk.
- If assumptions change mid-decision, recalculate before acting.
Practical Tips
💡 Model fee drag before setting international promo discounts.
💡 Compare processors on your real average order value not headline rates.
💡 Separate fixed and percentage components when pricing low-ticket products.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Why is effective take-rate higher on small sales?
The fixed fee becomes a larger share of the transaction amount.
❓ Should FX fee always be included?
Include it whenever payout and customer currency are different or automatic conversion is applied.