# What Stripe, PayPal, Square and Bonsai Take From Every Paid Invoice (Checked)

Source: https://lotsinvoice.com/blog/stripe-paypal-square-bonsai-invoice-fees
Published: 2026-10-21T03:30:47.135511+00:00

On a $2,000 invoice paid by a US card, Stripe Invoicing takes $66.30 on Starter, PayPal $60.29, Square $66.30 on Square Free and Bonsai Payments $58.30, before any plan fees. Paid by bank transfer, it's $10 to $20. LotsInvoice adds no fee, because it never handles payments: clients pay you directly through your own provider.

Every number below comes from the vendor's own pricing or fee page, opened on 20 October 2026. I list what each one takes when a client pays an invoice: the invoicing fee, the card rate, the bank (ACH) rate, what changes for clients abroad, and the subscription you pay on top. US rates, US dollars, list prices only.

## Invoice fees at a glance

| | Invoicing fee | US card payment | Bank (ACH) payment | Clients abroad | Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Stripe Invoicing** | 0.4% per paid invoice (Starter), 0.5% (Plus, adds quotes) | 2.9% + 30¢ | ACH Direct Debit 0.8%, capped at $5 | +1.5% for international cards, +1% if currency conversion is needed | None; custom pricing for large invoices |
| **PayPal invoicing** | Built into the transaction rate | Cards and wallets 2.99% + 49¢; PayPal Checkout or Venmo 3.49% + 49¢; Pay Later 4.99% + 49¢ | Pay by Bank 1%, capped at $10 | +1.5% on international invoicing transactions | None to send invoices; an optional Invoice Subscription Service is $14.99 a month |
| **Square Invoices** | Built into the processing rate | 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free; 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium | 1%, $1 minimum; capped at $10 on Plus and Premium | +1.5% for cards issued outside the US | Free $0; Plus $49 and Premium $149 a month per location |
| **Bonsai** | 1% platform fee if you get paid through Stripe or PayPal where Bonsai Payments is available | Bonsai Payments 2.9% + $0.30 (Amex 3.25% + $0.30) | 1%, $1 minimum | 2.5% FX fee on international online payments | Per user; invoices from Essentials, $25 a user a month ($19 billed annually) |
| **LotsInvoice** | None | None from LotsInvoice; your own provider's rate | None from LotsInvoice | None from LotsInvoice | $12 a month per business ($120 a year), team included |

Checked on 20 October 2026 on each vendor's own page. Sources at the end.

## What a $2,000 invoice costs to get paid

The same $2,000 invoice, paid in full by a client in the US, at each vendor's list rates. Plan and subscription fees are not included.

| How the client pays | Stripe Invoicing Starter | Stripe Invoicing Plus | PayPal | Square Free | Square Plus or Premium | Bonsai Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US card | $66.30 | $68.30 | $60.29 | $66.30 | $58.30 | $58.30 |
| Bank (ACH) | $13.00 | $15.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 |

How the numbers add up:

- **Stripe Invoicing:** 0.4% invoicing fee ($8.00) plus 2.9% + 30¢ for the card ($58.30). By ACH Direct Debit, the 0.8% fee hits its $5 cap, plus the $8.00 invoicing fee. On Plus, the invoicing fee is 0.5% ($10.00).
- **PayPal:** 2.99% + 49¢ for a card or wallet payment. If the client pays with their PayPal balance through PayPal Checkout or with Venmo, it's 3.49% + 49¢, so $70.29. Pay by Bank is 1%, capped at $10.
- **Square:** 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free, 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium. ACH by invoice is 1% with a $1 minimum; Plus and Premium cap it at $10, and Square's page lists no cap for Square Free.
- **Bonsai:** 2.9% + $0.30 through Bonsai Payments. If you're somewhere Bonsai Payments is available and you get paid through Stripe or PayPal instead, Bonsai adds a 1% platform fee (about $20 on $2,000).

For a client abroad, add the international line from the table: on Stripe Starter, the same card payment from an international card is $96.30.

## Stripe Invoicing

Stripe Invoicing has no fixed or setup fees. It charges a percentage of each paid invoice: 0.4% on Starter and 0.5% on Plus, which adds quotes. Stripe Payments pricing applies on top: 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, plus 0.5% for manually entered cards, 1.5% for international cards and 1% if currency conversion is needed. ACH Direct Debit is 0.8%, capped at $5.00. A card dispute costs $15.00, and another $15.00 if you counter it (returned if you win). Stripe says businesses with large invoice amounts can contact sales for custom pricing.

Stripe Payment Links are a different product. On Stripe's standard pricing they're included at no additional charge, so you pay the payment rate only; if you turn on post-payment invoices for a link, that's 0.4% of the transaction.

What you get for the invoicing fee: a Stripe-hosted invoice page, a customer portal, automatic reminders and retries, and automatic reconciliation of invoices paid by ACH credit or wire.

## PayPal invoicing

PayPal doesn't charge to send an invoice. It charges when the invoice is paid, at its invoicing transaction rates: 2.99% + a fixed fee for cards and wallets such as Apple Pay, 3.49% + a fixed fee when the client pays through PayPal Checkout, Venmo or PayPal Guest Checkout, and 4.99% + a fixed fee for Pay Later. The fixed fee for US dollars is 49¢. Pay by Bank (ACH) is 1%, capped at $10.00 per transaction. Invoices paid from abroad add 1.50%. If you refund a payment, PayPal doesn't charge to refund it, but the fees you paid to receive it aren't returned.

PayPal also lists an optional Invoice Subscription Service at $14.99 a month, described in its invoicing terms. PayPal's fee page shows "Last Updated: October 1, 2026".

## Square Invoices

Square includes invoices and recurring invoices on every plan. Square Free is $0 a month, and Square Plus ($49) and Premium ($149) are charged per location. The plan sets the rate for an invoice paid by card: 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium. ACH bank transfers on an invoice are 1% with a $1 minimum, capped at $10 on Plus and Premium. A card entered by hand or charged from a card on file is 3.5% + 15¢, Afterpay is 6% + 30¢, and cards issued outside the US add 1.5%. Cash and check payments are free.

## Bonsai

Bonsai is a client and project suite priced per user, and invoices and payments start on Essentials: $25 a user a month, or $19 billed annually. Its help center, updated on 18 September 2026, lists the payment fees:

- **Bonsai Payments** (US, UK, Canada and Australia): cards 2.9% + $0.30, American Express 3.25% + $0.30, bank transfer (ACH) 1.0% with a $1 minimum, and an extra 1.5% for instant payouts.
- **Stripe Payments** through Bonsai: the same card and ACH rates.
- **Third-party platform fee:** where Bonsai Payments is available, getting paid through Stripe Payments or PayPal adds a 1% platform fee (1.35% for American Express through Stripe).
- **Foreign exchange fee:** 2.5% of the invoice amount when you're paid internationally through Bonsai Payments or Stripe Payments.
- **"Other" payment methods** such as wire transfer or a mailed check carry no Bonsai fee; Bonsai shows your instructions and you mark the invoice paid yourself.

## LotsInvoice: no fee, because it never touches the money

I built LotsInvoice so the invoice and the money are separate. LotsInvoice makes the invoice exact, sends it from your business name, runs the client portal and follows up with reminders until you're paid. The payment goes from your client to you through options you already have: a Stripe Payment Link, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App or Square link, bank transfer or ACH details, Zelle, a check, or UPI on INR invoices. LotsInvoice never holds your money, so it adds no fee to any payment, by any method.

Your provider still charges its own rate. With a Stripe Payment Link on Stripe's standard pricing, a $2,000 US card payment costs $58.30 in Stripe fees and nothing from LotsInvoice. Paid by bank transfer or Zelle to your account, LotsInvoice isn't involved at all.

You pay for LotsInvoice as a flat price per business instead: $12 a month or $120 a year on Starter, with unlimited invoices, clients and team members. The full breakdown is in [LotsInvoice pricing explained](/lotsinvoice-pricing-explained). The difference is the shape of the cost: a flat monthly price that doesn't grow with your invoices, against a percentage that grows with every paid invoice.

What built-in payments do that LotsInvoice doesn't: the tool can match the payment to the invoice for you. With LotsInvoice, you record each payment when it arrives (part payments are fine), and that's what stops the reminders.

## How to keep more of each paid invoice

These follow from the rates above:

- **Offer bank transfer or ACH for large invoices.** At every vendor here, ACH costs less than a card on a $2,000 invoice, and some cap it ($5 at Stripe ACH Direct Debit, $10 at PayPal and on Square Plus and Premium).
- **Watch the extras for clients abroad.** International cards add 1.5% at Stripe, PayPal and Square; Stripe adds 1% more for currency conversion, and Bonsai charges a 2.5% FX fee.
- **Know which PayPal rate your client triggers.** Cards are 2.99% + 49¢; paying with PayPal Checkout or Venmo is 3.49% + 49¢.
- **Check plan-dependent rates.** Square's card rate drops from 3.3% to 2.9% on Plus, which is $49 a month per location.

For how other invoicing tools charge for payments and seats, see [the best invoicing software for agencies and freelancers](/best-invoicing-software-for-agencies-and-freelancers).

## FAQ

### How much does Stripe charge for invoicing?

Stripe Invoicing charges 0.4% of each paid invoice on Starter and 0.5% on Plus, with no fixed or setup fees. Stripe's payment fees apply on top: 2.9% + 30¢ for a domestic card and 0.8% for ACH Direct Debit, capped at $5. On a $2,000 invoice paid by card on Starter, that's $66.30. Checked on 20 October 2026.

### Does PayPal charge to send an invoice?

No. PayPal charges when the invoice is paid: 2.99% + 49¢ for a card, 3.49% + 49¢ through PayPal Checkout or Venmo, and 1% capped at $10 for Pay by Bank, plus 1.5% for international payments. PayPal also lists an optional Invoice Subscription Service at $14.99 a month.

### What does Square charge for invoices?

Invoices are included on every Square plan. A card payment on an invoice is 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus ($49 a month per location) and Premium ($149). ACH is 1% with a $1 minimum, capped at $10 on Plus and Premium.

### Does Bonsai take a fee on invoice payments?

Bonsai Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 for cards and 1% for ACH with a $1 minimum. Where Bonsai Payments is available, getting paid through Stripe or PayPal instead adds a 1% platform fee, and international online payments carry a 2.5% FX fee. Bonsai's own plans are priced per user.

### Does LotsInvoice take a percentage of my payments?

No. LotsInvoice never holds or moves your money, so it adds no fee to any payment. Clients pay you directly through your own Stripe Payment Link, PayPal, Square, bank transfer, ACH, Zelle or check, and your provider's own rate applies. LotsInvoice costs $12 a month per business on Starter.

### What is the cheapest way for a client to pay a large invoice?

Of the rates checked here, bank transfer. ACH costs $10 to $20 on a $2,000 invoice across Stripe, PayPal, Square and Bonsai, against $58.30 to $70.29 for a US card. Stripe's ACH Direct Debit is capped at $5, and PayPal's Pay by Bank and Square Plus at $10.

## Sources

All opened on 20 October 2026:

- Stripe: [Invoicing pricing](https://stripe.com/invoicing/pricing), [payments pricing](https://stripe.com/pricing)
- PayPal: [business fees](https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees) (Invoicing Transaction Rates; page last updated 1 October 2026)
- Square: [Invoices pricing](https://squareup.com/us/en/invoices/pricing)
- Bonsai: [pricing](https://www.hellobonsai.com/pricing), [payments](https://www.hellobonsai.com/payments), [help center: online payment methods and fees](https://help.hellobonsai.com/en/articles/452273-understanding-online-payment-methods-and-fees-at-bonsai) (updated 18 September 2026)
- LotsInvoice: [pricing](https://lotsinvoice.com/pricing), [lotsinvoice.com](https://lotsinvoice.com)