To keep a specific amount from a freelance project after payment processing fees, gross up your quote: Gross quote = (target net + fixed transaction fees) ÷ (1 − percentage fee). Use the fee schedule for the exact processor, payment method, checkout channel, and installment plan your client will use, then round the result up to the smallest currency unit.
Calculate the quote that leaves you your target net
Processors commonly charge a percentage of the transaction, a fixed amount per transaction, or both. If your target net is N, the percentage rate is r, and the fixed fee per transaction is f, the one-payment formula is:
Gross quote = (N + f) ÷ (1 − r)
This follows from the fee calculation: the processor keeps r times the amount charged, plus f. The formula grosses up both components, so the fee itself is also covered by the percentage calculation.
Worked example using a hypothetical rate
Suppose you want to retain $1,000 and your applicable fee is hypothetically 3% plus $0.30 for one transaction. The calculation is ($1,000 + $0.30) ÷ (1 − 0.03) = $1,031.237… . Round up to $1,031.24. This is an illustration of the math, not a claim about any processor’s current or account-specific rate.
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Account for installments and fixed fees
With installments, the percentage fee applies to each charge, while a fixed fee is generally charged for each transaction. If the client will make k payments, and each transaction has the same fixed fee f and percentage rate r, use:
Total amount charged = (target net + k × f) ÷ (1 − r)
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For example, if the same hypothetical 3% + $0.30 fee applies to four installments and your target net remains $1,000, the total to charge is ($1,000 + 4 × $0.30) ÷ 0.97 = $1,032.27 after rounding up. Divide that total across the planned installments, ensuring the actual rounded installment amounts still cover the target. If installments differ in amount or fee treatment, calculate each transaction separately using its applicable terms.
For a percentage-only fee, divide the target net by one minus the rate. Do not simply add the fixed fees to the net target and stop: the percentage fee also applies to the amount used to recover those fixed fees.
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Find the fee that actually applies to your invoice
There is no universal payment-processing percentage. Fees can vary by processor, payment method, invoice or checkout channel, transaction location, account agreement, and pricing model. Compare the expected total fee on a realistic project invoice and payment schedule—not just headline percentages.
- Check the processor’s current schedule and your account agreement; negotiated or legacy terms may differ from published examples.
- Match the fee to how the client will pay: for example, online invoice, hosted checkout, manually entered card, card on file, or bank transfer.
- Include per-transaction charges, international or currency-related additions, and any minimum fee that applies.
- For a project paid in installments, calculate the fixed fee for every payment.
As U.S. examples, Square’s published Square Free schedule lists online or invoice payments at 3.3% + 30¢, online API at 2.9% + 30¢, manual entry or card on file at 3.5% + 15¢, and ACH via invoice at 1% with a $1 minimum. It also lists an additional 1.5% fee for international cards. These are published examples, not a guarantee of the terms on a particular seller’s account. See Square’s U.S. fee schedule.
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PayPal’s U.S. merchant fee page, last updated October 1, 2026, lists different rates by service. For example, it shows 2.89% plus a fixed fee for certain Online Payment Services transactions, while virtual terminal use has a different rate. The page lists a USD fixed fee of $0.29 for some card payment services and $0.49 for Payments Advanced and Payments Pro; international fees can add a percentage charge for some transaction types. Use the line for the PayPal product and transaction you actually offer, not any one figure as a general freelance rate. See PayPal’s U.S. merchant fees.
Pricing models also differ. Stripe describes blended pricing as an agreed transaction fee that is independent of underlying network-cost differences, while interchange-plus pricing attributes network costs and adds a Stripe fee. Its policy, last modified July 20, 2026, also notes that network costs may be adjusted when relevant information becomes available and that the pricing agreement can supersede listed fees. Read Stripe’s pricing policy.
Choose how to handle the cost in your quote
Build expected fees into the project price
For the simplest predictable quote, price the project to cover the expected processing cost and state the total project amount clearly. This avoids having to add a separate payment-method charge at checkout. Base the allowance on the method and payment schedule you expect the client to use; if those change, recalculate the quote.
Consider a separate payment-method fee only after checking the rules
A separate surcharge is not automatically permitted everywhere or for every payment type. The Federal Trade Commission says, “Businesses may charge or pass through credit card or other payment processing fees if otherwise permitted by law.” It also says, “The business still must disclose the fee, include it in the final amount of payment before asking for payment, and may not misrepresent the purpose or amount of the charge.” If credit card payment is required, the FTC says the fee is mandatory and must be included in the total price. If a viable no-fee method is available, the fee for the chosen payment method may be optional, but disclosure and final-amount requirements still apply. Read the FTC’s Rule FAQ.
Local laws, card-network rules, payment type, processor functionality, notice requirements, and caps can all matter. Square’s U.S. guidance, for example, describes surcharges as an open-beta feature for credit cards in supported contexts, unavailable in some jurisdictions. It says a surcharge cannot exceed the seller’s cost of acceptance and is capped at 3%, though some jurisdictions may set a lower limit. Those are Square’s feature rules and guidance, not a universal legal rule. Review Square’s U.S. surcharge guidance.
Quick Recap
Use a repeatable pricing check before sending a quote
- Set your net target. Decide how much project revenue you need to retain after processing fees.
- Confirm the payment plan. Record the method, channel, number of transactions, and any international or currency considerations.
- Look up the applicable terms. Use your account agreement and current processor schedule rather than an unspecific fee figure.
- Calculate the gross amount. Apply the percentage-and-fixed-fee formula; for installments, include the fixed fee once per transaction.
- Round up and verify the schedule. Check that the actual rounded payment amounts, after their fees, still meet your target net.
- Disclose the total clearly. If charging a separate payment-method fee, verify legal, network, and processor requirements and show the final amount before requesting payment.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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