When Paddle makes sense
Paddle can be useful when you sell globally and want tax handling, invoicing, payment operations, and merchant-of-record responsibilities bundled.
SaaS Fee Calculator
Paddle fee calculator: 5% + $0.50 pricing
Paddle's official pricing page gives the headline 5% + $0.50 Checkout rate. This independent calculator turns that rate into monthly fees, net revenue, per-checkout cost, and fee drag for SaaS plans, then sends the same assumptions into a Paddle vs Stripe comparison.
Uses Paddle's public Checkout rate
Shows net revenue and fee drag
Compares the same scenario with Stripe
Paddle pricing fee estimate
See fee, net, and fee drag immediately.
Estimated monthly Paddle fee
$807.50
850 checkouts at $9.00 each
- Revenue
- $7,650.00
- Per checkout
- $0.95
- Net after fee
- $6,842.50
- Fee drag
- 10.6%
Default inputs use the public 5% + $0.50 checkout assumption. Custom pricing can differ.
Quick answer: Paddle pricing is 5% + $0.50
Paddle's public pricing page lists pay-as-you-go checkout pricing as 5% + $0.50 per Checkout transaction. In this calculator, that means a $9 SaaS checkout is about $0.95 in fees, and a $29 checkout is about $1.95 before custom pricing, low-ticket terms, refunds, tax handling details, or invoicing terms.
Paddle fees quick estimate
For the public pay-as-you-go checkout rate, use this formula: checkout amount multiplied by 5%, plus $0.50 per transaction. The fixed fee is why small SaaS plans need a real calculator instead of only a headline percentage. Use the links to open matching monthly scenarios.
| Checkout amount | Estimated Paddle fee | Estimated net before other costs | Effective fee drag | Open calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 SaaS plan | $0.75 | $4.25 | 15.0% | Open $5 scenario |
| $9 SaaS plan | $0.95 | $8.05 | 10.6% | Open $9 scenario |
| $29 SaaS plan | $1.95 | $27.05 | 6.7% | Open $29 scenario |
| $99 SaaS plan | $5.45 | $93.55 | 5.5% | Open $99 scenario |
These are simple one-transaction estimates before refunds, custom pricing, taxes collected separately, invoice terms, or provider changes.
What to compare
Compare Paddle against Stripe on net revenue, not just headline fees. Tax compliance, operations, and international customers can change the real answer.
Official Paddle public pricing source
Paddle's official pricing page currently lists pay-as-you-go pricing as 5% + $0.50 per Checkout transaction. This calculator uses that public rate as a planning assumption, while custom pricing, low-ticket products, invoicing, and special arrangements can differ.
Best Paddle comparison
The most useful comparison is usually Paddle vs Stripe. Stripe can win on raw card processing cost, while Paddle can win when MoR operations save time and risk.
Paddle fee snapshot
| Paddle pricing point | What to model | SaaS decision note |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go checkout | 5% + $0.50 per Checkout transaction. | Use this as the baseline before custom terms or enterprise pricing. |
| Products under $10 | Model the fixed $0.50 fee carefully and check whether custom pricing is available. | Low-ticket SaaS can lose margin fast if every monthly payment is a small transaction. |
| Invoicing or special terms | Do not assume the default checkout rate is the whole story. | Ask for custom pricing before choosing Paddle for invoice-heavy B2B SaaS. |
Simple Paddle fee example
On a $100 checkout, the simple public-rate estimate is $5.50 in Paddle fees before any custom pricing or edge cases. On a $10 checkout, the fixed $0.50 fee matters more because it adds five percentage points by itself.
Do not compare headline rates only
Paddle may look more expensive than a payment processor if you only compare percentage fees. The fair comparison includes tax registration, tax remittance, payment support, fraud operations, invoices, and the time saved by not maintaining those workflows internally.
What is included in Paddle fees?
Paddle positions the fee as an all-in-one merchant-of-record bundle that includes global payments, billing, tax compliance, fraud protection, customer support, and revenue recovery. That bundle is why a raw fee comparison can understate the value for global SaaS.
When Paddle fees hurt
The fixed $0.50 part can be painful when product prices are below $10. For low-ticket SaaS, run the calculator with the real monthly order count, not only monthly revenue, because many small transactions create a higher effective blended fee.
Who should run this page
Use a Paddle fee calculator if you are selling SaaS subscriptions, annual licenses, downloads, or software add-ons to customers in more than one country. It is especially useful before switching from Stripe, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, or a custom billing stack.
Decision rule
If Paddle costs a few percentage points more but removes weeks of compliance and billing work, it may still be the better business decision. If you already have tax tooling and sell mostly domestically, Stripe-style processing can still win.
Run the numbers
The interactive calculator compares Paddle, Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, and Polar from one set of assumptions.
Open the calculatorUseful official sources
Last checked: July 7, 2026. Provider pricing can change, and custom plans may differ.
Paddle Fees Calculator FAQ
Does Paddle include tax handling?
Paddle is a merchant of record, so tax handling is part of the reason founders compare it against lower-fee processors.
Is Paddle good for low-priced products?
The fixed $0.50 part matters more on low-ticket products. A $5 product and a $100 product feel very different after fixed fees.
What are Paddle pricing fees in 2026?
Paddle's public pay-as-you-go checkout pricing is modeled here as 5% of revenue plus $0.50 per Checkout transaction before custom terms, low-ticket arrangements, invoicing, or account-specific edge cases.
Should I choose Paddle just because it handles tax?
No. Tax handling is valuable, but the right answer depends on customer geography, order size, margins, support needs, and how much compliance work your team can own.