Sample Transaction Fee Schedules
| Customer Payment | Stripe Fee | Net Deposit | Effective Take Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | 5.90% |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | 3.50% |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | 3.20% |
| $500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | 2.96% |
| $1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | 2.93% |
| $5,000.00 | $145.30 | $4,854.70 | 2.91% |
US Payment Rails & The Durbin Amendment Impact
In the United States, Stripe operates under a blended pricing model of 2.9% + $0.30 for standard card-not-present (CNP) transactions. This fee bundles interchange costs (paid to issuing banks like Chase and Capital One), card network assessments (Visa and Mastercard), and Stripe's margin.
Under the Durbin Amendment of the Dodd-Frank Act, interchange on regulated US debit cards is capped at 0.05% + $0.21. While merchants on interchange-plus pricing capture these savings, Stripe's flat 2.9% rate keeps the difference as processor margin on debit transactions.
For B2B SaaS and high-ticket service companies, enabling ACH Direct Debit cuts processing costs by up to 90%. Because ACH fees are capped at $5.00, collecting a $5,000 invoice via ACH costs $5.00 compared to $145.30 on a credit card.
Operational Scenarios & Fee Impacts
E-Commerce Checkout ($50 Average Order)
On a typical $50 consumer online purchase, Stripe deducts $1.75 in processing fees, leaving $48.25 in merchant net payout.
$50.00 × 2.9% ($1.45) + $0.30 fixed = $1.75 feeB2B SaaS Annual Contract ($5,000 Card vs ACH)
Card processing costs $145.30 on a $5,000 subscription invoice. Routing the client through ACH Direct Debit costs just $5.00, saving $140.30.
ACH 0.8% on $5,000 = $40.00, capped at $5.00 flatIn-Person Point of Sale via Stripe Terminal
Using Stripe Terminal card readers drops processing fees to 2.7% + $0.05 for card-present transactions.
$100.00 in-person = $2.75 fee (saving $0.45 vs web)Payment Processing FAQs
Does Stripe return transaction fees when I refund a customer?
No. Since April 2020, Stripe does not return the original processing fees when you issue a full or partial refund to a customer.
What is the minimum charge amount on Stripe US?
The minimum charge amount for US Dollar transactions is $0.50 (50 cents). Charges below this threshold are rejected by the API.
When does Stripe pay out funds to my US bank account?
Standard US accounts operate on a rolling 2-business-day payout schedule. Faster payout options (Instant Payouts) cost an additional 1% fee with a minimum of $0.50.