Braintree vs Stripe Fee Calculator
Calculate exact merchant fees between Braintree (2.59% + $0.49) and Stripe (2.90% + $0.30) on US cards, ACH direct debit, and cross-border billing.
2026 Complete Fee Schedule Comparison
| Feature / Rail | Braintree (PayPal) | Stripe | Cheaper Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Credit & Debit Cards | 2.59% + $0.49 | 2.90% + $0.30 | Braintree (over $613) |
| ACH Direct Debit | 0.75% (Cap $5.00) | 0.80% (Cap $5.00) | Braintree (under $625) |
| International Cards | +1.00% surcharge | +1.50% surcharge | Braintree (+1.0%) |
| Currency Conversion Spread | +1.00% FX spread | +1.00% FX spread | Tie (1.00%) |
| Chargeback / Dispute Fee | $15.00 (per lost case) | $15.00 (refundable if won) | Tie ($15.00) |
| Custom Merchant Account | Dedicated MID | Aggregator (Master MID) | Braintree (Lower freeze risk) |
The $612.90 Breakeven Math Explained
The difference between Braintree and Stripe comes down to fixed fee vs percentage rate:
- • Under $612.90 (Micro-transactions & small e-commerce): Stripe is cheaper because the $0.30 fixed fee outweighs the percentage difference.
- • Over $612.90 (B2B invoices, high-ticket courses, wholesale): Braintree is significantly cheaper because saving 0.31% on large volumes adds up to hundreds of dollars per month.
- Braintree Pricing Schedule: braintreepayments.com/pricing
- Stripe US Pricing & Fee Documentation: stripe.com/pricing
- Verified by FeeFlow Financial Computation Engine.
Frequently Asked Questions: Braintree vs Stripe
What is the core transaction fee difference between Braintree and Stripe in 2026? ▼
In 2026, Braintree and Stripe operate on distinct fee schedules. Standard domestic card processing ranges from 2.9% + $0.30 to 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction, with volume-based interchange-plus options available for high-growth enterprises.
What is the volume tipping point where Braintree becomes cheaper than Stripe? ▼
Fee differentials of just 0.50% represent $500 in savings per $100,000 processed. Analyzing fixed-fee authorisations (e.g. 10¢ vs 30¢) and percentage spreads reveals that low-ticket orders favor lower fixed fees, while high-ticket orders favor lower percentage cuts.
How do international card surcharges and currency conversion spreads compare? ▼
Cross-border card transactions typically incur an additional 1.0% to 1.5% international card assessment, plus a 1.0% to 4.0% foreign exchange spread depending on whether dynamic currency conversion is utilized.
How do dispute fees and chargeback liability protections compare between Braintree and Stripe? ▼
Dispute fees range between $15.00 and $25.00 per claim. Implementing 3D Secure (3DS2) authentication shifts fraudulent chargeback liability to the card issuer, protecting earned merchant revenue.
What are the payout schedules and working capital clearing times? ▼
Standard domestic payouts settle on a 1-to-2 business day rolling schedule for free. Instant payout transfers to debit cards are typically available for an additional 1.5% fee.
Are processing fees refunded when a customer receives a full or partial refund? ▼
Under standard merchant agreements across payment processors, the original per-transaction processing fee is retained by the gateway upon issuing a refund to the buyer.
How do developer APIs, mobile SDKs, and pre-built eCommerce plugins compare? ▼
Both platforms offer drop-in checkout integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and Adobe Commerce, as well as full developer REST APIs, webhooks, and client-side tokenization SDKs for custom checkout flows.
Are merchant processing fees from Braintree and Stripe tax-deductible? ▼
Yes. All transaction commissions, fixed gateway fees, and dispute fees are 100% tax-deductible operating expenses on federal and state business tax returns.