What card fees will I pay selling online?
What the fees add up to over a month, which cards cost more, the ones people forget, and keeping them down.
See the templatesThe short answer: between about 1.5 and 3 percent of each sale plus 20p to 30p, depending on the provider and the card. On £1,000 of sales a month that is £20 to £40. Platforms that take a monthly fee as well add that on top.
A month at £1,000 in sales, 40 orders
| Provider | Fees for the month |
|---|---|
| Stripe, 1.5 percent plus 20p | £23 |
| SumUp, 2.5 percent plus 20p | £33 |
| PayPal, about 2.9 percent plus 30p | About £41 |
| Shopify Basic, 2 percent plus 25p, plus the £30 plan | £60 |
Cards that cost more
- Cards issued outside the UK: usually 1 to 2 percent more
- American Express: often a little more
- Currency conversion: around 2 percent on top
Fees people forget
- Disputes: a fixed fee per chargeback with most providers
- Refunds: the original fee is usually not returned
- Instant payouts: a percentage for same day money
- The platform's own cut, separate from the card fee
Keeping them down
Use a provider with no monthly fee if you sell a little. Avoid a platform that takes a cut on top of the card fee. Price postage honestly rather than absorbing it. Offer bank transfer for big orders. And do not chase the lowest headline rate if the payouts are slow; cash flow matters more than half a percent.
Fees in this post were checked on 9 October 2026 and change; confirm on the provider's own page before you decide.
A shop of your own is £99 then £20 a month, with card payments through your own Stripe account at 1.9% + 20p per sale, paid straight to you. See the shop templates.