Stripe Managed Payments fees (2026): what the +3.5% buys, who can use it, and when Paddle is cheaper

Stripe's merchant of record looks like a flat 3.5% add-on. It isn't quite: the fee lands on the tax as well as the price, Billing charges its own… Aliteq Ledger · Payments & Deals Editor

Stripe Managed Payments adds 3.5% per successful transaction on top of Stripe's normal processing fee, and the 3.5% is calculated on the full amount including sales tax or VAT. Subscriptions also…

The stack: 2.9% + 30¢ processing, +3.5% Managed Payments, +0.7% Billing

The catch: the 3.5% is charged on the tax too

Break-even with Paddle: price = 20¢ ÷ (Stripe's total % − 5%)

Who can use it: 37 seller countries, fully automated digital products, Checkout or Payment Links only

This fee is calculated based on the full transaction amount, including any indirect taxes (for example, the VAT or sales tax assessed on the transaction).

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