Payment fees per order: percentage or fixed fee – which is cheaper?
A payment fee has two parts: a percentage of what the customer pays and a fixed amount per payment. Which provider is cheaper depends on the cart value: below a break-even cart value the lower fixed fee wins, above it the lower percentage. With the example fees below that point is €40.00. We do not quote provider rates here – take your own from your contract.
Enter your own percentage and fixed fee – the calculator shows the contribution per order for each provider.
Open the profit calculatorHow a payment fee is built
Most payment methods charge a percentage of the amount the customer pays plus a fixed fee per payment. The percentage is calculated on the price including VAT, because that is the amount that is paid. The profit calculator does the same and counts the fee in full, also for orders that are returned later.
| Fee per payment | percentage × price paid (incl. VAT) + fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Break-even cart value of two options | (fixed fee A − fixed fee B) ÷ (percentage B − percentage A) |
| Effective rate | all payment fees of a month ÷ turnover paid in that month |
Why the cart value decides
Take two example options: A charges 2.0 % plus €0.40, B charges 3.0 % with no fixed fee. These are invented rates for the arithmetic, not the prices of a provider. On a small cart the fixed €0.40 of A weighs heavily, on a large cart the one percentage point more of B does. Both cost the same at €40.00.
So the question is never only “which percentage is lower?” but “what is my typical cart value?”. A shop with many small orders and a shop with few expensive ones can prefer different providers.
Table: fee by cart value (example rates)
Option A: 2.0 % + €0.40. Option B: 3.0 % + €0.00.
| Cart value | Fee A | Fee B | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| €10.00 | €0.60 | €0.30 | Option B |
| €25.00 | €0.90 | €0.75 | Option B |
| €40.00 | €1.20 | €1.20 | same |
| €60.00 | €1.60 | €1.80 | Option A |
| €100.00 | €2.40 | €3.00 | Option A |
| €200.00 | €4.40 | €6.00 | Option A |
Find your real rate
Provider rates change, differ by country and card type, and some are agreed individually. That is why this guide does not list them. To get your own numbers:
- Open the contract or the fee page of your provider and note the percentage and the fixed fee per payment.
- Check whether the fee is different for foreign cards or other currencies, and whether extra fees apply for refunds.
- Calculate the effective rate from last month: all payment fees divided by the turnover paid.
- Enter percentage and fixed fee in the profit calculator and compare the contribution per order, not just the rate.
Worked examples: €59.90 product with two example fee structures
Own shop (no marketplace fee), purchase price €20.00, shipping €4.50, €3.00 advertising, 10 % returns, 19 % VAT. Option A 2.0 % + €0.40, option B 3.0 % + €0.00 – example rates, not provider prices.
- Fee per payment, option A
- €1.60
- Fee per payment, option B
- €1.80
- Contribution per order with A
- €17.20
- Contribution per order with B
- €17.01
- Difference per order (A − B)
- €0.20
- Break-even cart value of A and B
- €40.00
At €59.90 the option with the lower percentage is cheaper; below €40.00 the fixed fee decides. Compare with your own cart values.