How much does Stripe charge? Stripe fees explained
The problem“Stripe says 2.9% + 30 cents. Why is my real cost so much higher?”
Stripe charges 1.5% + €0.25 per European card payment in the EU, and 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment in the US, with no monthly fee. That is only the start. In the US, international cards add 1.5%, currency conversion adds 1%, subscriptions through Stripe Billing add 0.7%, Stripe Tax costs 0.5% per sale (Basic) or from $90 a month (Complete), and each dispute costs $15. You also stay the seller, so registering and filing VAT and sales tax abroad is yours. All-in, a first year selling €2,000 a month costs about €3,066 with Stripe on a company you already have, or €5,957 if you open a US company for it, against about €2,010 with AgentaOS.
What are all of Stripe’s fees?
How much does Stripe take from one sale?
At the standard card rate, before Billing, Tax or currency conversion:
| Sale | Stripe EU (EEA card) | Stripe US (US card) |
|---|---|---|
| €10 / $10 | €0.40 | $0.59 |
| €50 / $50 | €1.00 | $1.75 |
| €100 / $100 | €1.75 | $3.20 |
A card from outside Europe costs 3.15% + €0.25 in the EU (€3.40 on €100); in the US an international card adds 1.5% ($4.70 on $100).
| Fee | Stripe US | Stripe EU (Ireland) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard card | 2.9% + $0.30 | 1.5% + €0.25 (EEA cards) |
| International cards | +1.5% | 3.15% + €0.25 |
| Currency conversion | +1% | +2% |
| Subscriptions (Billing) | 0.7% of volume | 0.7% of volume |
| Tax calculation (Tax Complete) | From $90 a month | From €80 a month |
| Dispute | $15, +$15 to respond | €20, +€20 to counter |
| Monthly fee | $0 | €0 |
Sources: Stripe US pricing, Stripe Ireland pricing, checked 7 October 2026.
“$15.00 for each dispute you receive”
Source: Stripe pricing
What does Stripe cost once you add everything?
| First year, all-in | AgentaOS | Stripe, existing company | Stripe + new US company | Stripe + new EU company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card and payout fees | €1,725 | €678 | €1,110 | €678 |
| Subscription billing | Included | €168 | €168 | €168 |
| Tax registration and filing abroad | Included | €960 | €1,080 | €960 |
| Company and accountant | Not needed | Already have one | €1,799 | €2,443 |
| Your time | 9.5h · €285 | 42h · €1,260 | 60h · €1,800 | 68h · €2,040 |
| Total first year | €2,010 | €3,066 | €5,957 | €6,289 |
First year, selling €2,000 a month (€50 average, half the buyers abroad, subscriptions). Your time (setup, invoicing, tax and bookkeeping each month) valued at €30 an hour. Sources: each provider’s pricing page; company and accountant costs from Stripe Atlas, the State of Delaware, e-resident.gov.ee and enty.io, as on our cost calculator. Existing company: no setup costs; time covers setting up Stripe, Billing and Tax and about 3 hours a month of reconciling payouts, invoices, disputes and tax returns (our estimate).
All-in, the first year costs about €2,010 with AgentaOS. With Stripe it is about €3,066 if you already have a company, and €5,957 to €6,289 if you open one abroad. Stripe’s card fees are lower; tax filing abroad, subscription billing, the company and accountant, and the hours you spend running payments every month are what make the difference.
Honestly: for a company already set up in the US or EU, selling mostly at home and without subscriptions, Stripe is the cheapest way to take cards. The gap above comes from selling abroad: tax filing in other countries, subscription billing and the hours of running it yourself.
What do people miss?
- Comparing only the card feeBilling, Tax, international cards and conversion can double the headline rate on cross-border subscriptions.
- Forgetting the filingsStripe Tax calculates tax, but you are the seller: registrations and returns abroad stay with you.
- Assuming you can open an accountStripe does not open accounts in 37 of the 85 countries we checked. What to do instead.
Where does AgentaOS fit?
If Stripe works for you and you sell at home, use it. If you sell worldwide, sell services, or Stripe isn’t available where you live, see what you’d receive with AgentaOS.
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Related questions
How much does Stripe charge per transaction?
In the EU, Stripe charges 1.5% + €0.25 per card payment with a European card, and 3.15% + €0.25 with a card from outside Europe. In the US, it charges 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% when currency is converted. There is no monthly fee. Subscriptions through Stripe Billing add 0.7%, and each dispute costs €20 in the EU or $15 in the US. Sources: Stripe pricing (Ireland), Stripe pricing (US), checked 20 October 2026.
Does Stripe charge a monthly fee?
Not for standard payments; Billing and Tax have their own fees.
Is Stripe a Merchant of Record?
Not when used directly: you are the seller. Its Managed Payments product is open only in 35 locations.
Can you sell from your country?
Pick your country. See how you get paid, what it costs and which platforms work there.
86 countries, checked 6 October 2026No company needed
Merchant of Record directory
Every provider’s fees, read on its own price page. Pick one, or see them all in one table.