A 2024 Guide to Stripe's Fees: What You Need to Know

Stripe has made a name for itself in the payment processing world since launching in 2010. Today, it's used by businesses around the world looking for an easy solution to process customer payments, both online and in person.

Stripe offers most essential point-of-sale (POS) features businesses need, so you can be confident you’re getting a straightforward solution that solves your problem. But how much does Stripe cost -- and is it worth it? This guide breaks down Stripe rates and whether the software makes sense for you.

What is Stripe’s pricing structure?

Stripe transaction fees are generally where the company makes money. They offer a range of options for payment processing, and the pricing varies depending on the payment used. It's a streamlined payment solution designed to make processing payments a lot easier for businesses, and it can be a godsend for small firms that don’t have the infrastructure to manage this complex process.

Stripe allows businesses to accept more payment options, which broadens their customer base. Their pricing structure breaks down several ways, depending on the transaction.

Stripe credit card fees

For businesses that want to accept credit card payments, Stripe payment fees are 2.9% plus $0.30 per completed charge (2.7% and $0.05 if the transaction is in person). The system accepts major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

Stripe processing fees for ACH direct deposit

If you’re wondering what percentage Stripe takes from a deposit, the answer is 0.8% per transaction with a maximum charge limit of $5. So any charge over $625 would not cost you any additional fees beyond $5.

ACH credit

To make an ACH credit charge, you’ll pay $1 per transaction, but you'll get hit with a $7 fee if Stripe can automatically reconcile a payment for an outstanding invoice.

International charges

You won't pay that much more for international charges, with foreign cards costing an additional 1%, although you must pay another 1% to convert the currency.

Failed deposits

Failed deposit charges can add up quickly. Stripe charges $4 for each failed direct deposit payment and $15 for disputed direct debit payments. However, the company verifies customer bank accounts for no charge.

Are Stripe fees worth the benefits for your business?

Yes. Stripe fees are reasonable for small businesses that need a turnkey payment processing solution that will accept all major credit cards. Without such a system, taking payments would be difficult, and their customer base would be severely limited. Stripe provides a broad range of payment solutions for customers, and it protects both vendors and customers from fraud and other security risks.

Explore other POS systems and compare

If you’re not wild about Stripe merchant fees and think you can do better, perhaps it’s time to go shopping for some other POS systems. Some systems are more suited for online, while others offer POS hardware you can set up in a restaurant or brick-and-mortar store.

The Ascent has reviewed some of the top POS systems, including Stripe, Square, Toast POS, Shopify, and many others. Check out a few and give the most promising ones a trial before settling on one for your business.