Choose PayPal when…
Online sellers whose buyers prefer PayPal and value a familiar wallet checkout.
Head-to-head fee guide
PayPal vs Square fees
Compare standard PayPal Checkout and Square online API fee estimates across common sale sizes.
Pa
VSPayPal
3.49% + $0.49Sq
Square
2.9% + $0.30 online APIGross revenuePayPal keepsSquare keepsDifference
$10.00$9.16$9.41$0.25
$50.00$47.77$48.25$0.48
$100.00$96.02$96.80$0.78
$500.00$482.06$485.20$3.14
$1000.00$964.61$970.70$6.09
ClearFeeMath verdict
Square has the lower baseline online rate in this model. PayPal can still be worth offering when wallet familiarity improves checkout conversion or customers expect it.
Choose Square when…
Businesses combining online payments with Square’s broader point-of-sale and commerce ecosystem.
Common questions
Is Square cheaper than PayPal online?
In the US baselines modeled here, Square’s online API rate is lower than standard PayPal Checkout. Product type, account pricing, payment method, and country can change the result.
Are in-person Square fees included?
No. This comparison uses the online API baseline; in-person and manually entered transactions have different rates.