PayPal Friends & Family Fee Calculator
How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Enter Send Amount
Input the amount of money you want to send via PayPal Friends & Family (e.g., $100).
- 2
Select Funding Source
Choose between Bank Account / PayPal Balance (free for domestic) or Credit/Debit Card (incurs 2.9% + $0.30 fee).
- 3
Select Transfer Type
Choose Domestic (within US) for free bank transfers, or International (fees apply regardless of funding source).
- 4
Review Results and Insights
View the Recipient Gets amount, Total Fee, and Effective Fee Rate. The insights panel shows card alternative costs or bank funding savings depending on your selections.
Example Calculation
A person sends $100 to a friend via PayPal Friends & Family, funded from a linked bank account (domestic transfer).
Send Amount ($)
$100
Funding Source
Bank Account / PayPal Balance
Transfer Type
Domestic (within US)
Results
Recipient Gets
$100.00
Total Fee
$0.00
Effective Fee Rate
0.00%
Tips
Always Use Bank/Balance for Domestic Transfers
Domestic F&F transfers from a bank account or PayPal balance are free. Using a credit card instead adds $3.20 in fees on $100 (2.9% + $0.30). Over 12 transfers/year, that's $38.40 in avoidable fees.
Know International Fee Caps
International F&F transfers from bank/balance are charged at 5% but capped at $4.99. For amounts over $99.80, the fee stays at $4.99 — so sending $500 internationally costs the same $4.99 as sending $100.
Never Use F&F for Purchases
Friends & Family offers zero buyer/seller protection. If you pay for goods via F&F and don't receive them, PayPal won't help. Always use Goods & Services (3.49% + $0.49) for commercial transactions to get purchase protection.
Understanding PayPal Friends & Family Transfer Fees
The PayPal Friends & Family Fee Calculator shows you the exact cost of sending money through PayPal's personal transfer option. Select your funding source and transfer type to see whether fees apply and how much your recipient will actually receive.
Domestic transfers from a bank account or PayPal balance are free — your recipient gets the full amount. But using a credit card or sending internationally changes the equation. This calculator covers all four scenarios so you know exactly what to expect before sending.
When F&F Transfers Are Free vs. Paid
PayPal Friends & Family is free only for domestic US transfers funded by a linked bank account or PayPal balance. Card-funded domestic transfers incur 2.9% + $0.30, and international transfers always have fees: 5% (capped at $4.99) from bank/balance, or 2.9% + $0.30 from a card.
Understanding these conditions prevents surprises. A $100 transfer can cost anywhere from $0 to $5.00 depending on how and where you send it.
Fee Logic by Scenario
The calculator applies conditional fee logic based on funding source and transfer type:
Domestic + Bank/Balance: Fee = $0.00
Domestic + Card: Fee = (Amount x 2.9%) + $0.30
International + Bank/Balance: Fee = Amount x 5% (capped at $4.99)
International + Card: Fee = (Amount x 2.9%) + $0.30
In all cases:
Recipient Gets = Send Amount - Fee
Effective Fee Rate = (Fee / Send Amount) x 100
Example: Sending $100 to a Friend
Scenario 1 — Domestic, bank-funded (free):
- Send Amount: $100
- Funding Source: Bank account
- Fee: $0.00
- Recipient gets: $100.00
Scenario 2 — Domestic, card-funded:
- Send Amount: $100
- Percentage Fee: $100 x 0.029 = $2.90
- Fixed Fee: $0.30
- Total Fee: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20
- Recipient gets: $96.80
Scenario 3 — International, bank-funded:
- Send Amount: $100
- Fee: $100 x 0.05 = $5.00, capped at $4.99
- Recipient gets: $95.01
F&F vs. Goods & Services: Know the Difference
Friends & Family is for personal transfers to people you trust — gifts, shared expenses, reimbursements. It's free domestically from bank/balance but offers zero purchase protection. Goods & Services (3.49% + $0.49 in 2026) is for commercial transactions and includes both buyer and seller protection.
Never use F&F to pay for products or services. If a seller asks you to send via F&F to "avoid fees," that's a red flag — you'd have no recourse if the item never arrives.
Best Practices for PayPal Personal Transfers
Always fund domestic F&F transfers from your bank account or PayPal balance to avoid the 2.9% + $0.30 card surcharge. For international transfers, sending larger amounts is more efficient since the 5% fee caps at $4.99 — sending $500 costs the same $4.99 as sending $100.
Keep records of F&F transfers for your own accounting. While PayPal tracks them, having independent documentation helps resolve any misunderstandings with recipients, since PayPal's dispute resolution system does not cover F&F payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are PayPal Friends & Family transfers always free?
Only domestic transfers funded by a bank account or PayPal balance are free. Using a credit or debit card for domestic F&F incurs a 2.9% + $0.30 fee — that's $3.20 on a $100 transfer. International F&F transfers always have fees regardless of funding source.
What is the fee for international PayPal Friends & Family transfers?
International F&F transfers from a bank/balance cost 5% of the amount, capped at $4.99. From a credit/debit card, the fee is 2.9% + $0.30. Currency conversion charges (0.5%-2% above mid-market rate) may also apply on top of these fees.
Why should I not use Friends & Family for business transactions?
F&F offers no buyer or seller protection. If you pay for goods and don't receive them, PayPal won't intervene. If you sell via F&F, you're not protected against chargebacks. The Goods & Services option (3.49% + $0.49) provides protection for both parties — it's worth the fee for any commercial exchange.
How does the $4.99 cap work on international transfers?
For bank/balance-funded international F&F transfers, the 5% fee is capped at $4.99. This means any transfer of $99.80 or more costs exactly $4.99 in fees. Sending $500 internationally costs the same $4.99 as sending $100 — so larger international transfers are more fee-efficient.