PayPal
- In-person rate
- Online only
- Online rate
- 2.9% + 30c
- Monthly fee
- Free
- Terminal cost
- Online focus
- Contract length
- No lock-in
- Settlement time
- Standard payouts
- Est. monthly cost
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PayPal
Global online payments brand with strong consumer recognition and built-in BNPL.
- In-person rate
- Online only
- Online rate
- 2.9% + 30c
- Monthly fee
- Free
- Contract
- No lock-in
Best for
Online stores that need a recognisable consumer-facing checkout brand alongside other payment methods.
Pricing breakdown
All prices in AUDLast verified 9 June 2026Every fee we track, grouped by where it applies.
In-person payments
EFTPOS terminal and tap-to-pay transactions.
- Transaction rate
- Online only
PayPal Zettle in-person hardware is not available in Australia; PayPal AU is online only.
- Monthly fee
- Free
Website Payments Pro hosted solution is $25/mo.
- Terminal cost
- Online focus
- Setup fee
- Free
Online payments
Online checkout and keyed-in card transactions.
- Transaction rate
- 2.9% + 30c
Standard commercial rate. Advanced Card Payments 1.5% + 30c. QR 1.2%.
- Monthly fee
- Free
Website Payments Pro hosted solution is $25/mo.
- Setup fee
- Free
Other fees
- Chargeback fee
- $15
Verified from AU merchant fees page.
- AMEX rate
- 2.9% + 30c
Same as domestic Visa/Mastercard standard rate.
- International card surcharge
- +2.1%
International rate adds 2.1%; currency conversion 3 to 4% on top.
- Early termination fee
- None
No lock-in contracts.
- Instant payout fee
- Limited in AU
- Refund fee
- Free
Original transaction fee not returned (industry standard).
- PCI compliance fee
- Free
PCI bundled with PayPal Hosted Checkout.
Contract terms
- Contract length
- No lock-in
- Settlement time
- Standard payouts
- Least-cost routing
- No
- Recurring billing
- Yes
Via PayPal Subscriptions.
Accepted payment methods
Cards, wallets, and other methods supported by PayPal for Australian merchants.
Cards
- Visa
- Mastercard
- AMEX
Digital wallets
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Other
- PayID
Strengths and trade-offs
Pros
- Universal consumer recognition
- Built-in chargeback and buyer protection
- Pay in 4 BNPL included at no extra cost
- Plug-and-play integration with major e-commerce platforms
Cons
- Standard 2.9% rate higher than dedicated card processors
- Focused on online; in-person offering is limited in Australia
About PayPal
PayPal offers Australian merchants online checkout, Pay in 4 buy-now-pay-later, and a virtual terminal. Standard commercial rate is 2.9% + 30c for domestic transactions; lower rates apply to Advanced Card Payments and QR-code transactions.
PayPal was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Jose, USA.
How PayPal compares
Side-by-side with the closest alternatives by estimated cost.
Assumes $15,000/mo volume, $50 average transaction, 70% in-person and 30% online.
Westpac
$214/mo est.
- In-person rate
- 1.2%
- Online rate
- 1.4%
- Monthly fee
- $24.75/mo
- Terminal cost
- $24.75/mo rental
- Contract length
- No lock-in
- Settlement time
- Instant
- Est. monthly cost
- $214/mo
Bendigo Bank
$229/mo est.
- In-person rate
- 1.4%
- Online rate
- 1.4%
- Monthly fee
- From $19/mo
- Terminal cost
- From $19/mo rental
- Contract length
- No lock-in
- Settlement time
- Next business day
- Est. monthly cost
- $229/mo
NAB
$231/mo est.
- In-person rate
- 1.15%
- Online rate
- 1.4% + $0.25
- Monthly fee
- $25/mo
- Terminal cost
- $25/mo rental
- Contract length
- No lock-in (60 days notice)
- Settlement time
- Next business day
- Est. monthly cost
- $231/mo
Common questions about PayPal
The same questions Australian merchants ask before signing up.
PayPal charges 2.9% + 30c for standard domestic Goods and Services transactions in Australia. This is a flat rate regardless of card type.
PayPal's in-person offering in Australia is limited. The brand is primarily focused on online checkout, and its tap-to-pay or card reader options are not as widely available or integrated as dedicated EFTPOS providers.
Yes. PayPal applies an additional surcharge of +2.1% when the buyer is based outside Australia, on top of the standard domestic transaction rate.
Yes. PayPal's Pay in 4 buy-now-pay-later product is included in the PayPal checkout flow at no additional merchant fee. This can increase conversion for merchants whose customers prefer deferred payment options.
A chargeback or dispute through PayPal incurs a $15 fee per case. PayPal also operates its own buyer protection program, which means some disputes are handled internally rather than through the card network chargeback process.
PayPal charges no monthly fee for its standard online checkout product. You only pay per transaction.
PayPal is best suited to online stores that want a recognisable consumer-facing checkout option alongside other payment methods. Its universal brand recognition can increase checkout conversion, particularly with buyers who prefer not to enter card details on unfamiliar sites. It is not the most cost-effective option for high-volume merchants.
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