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Invoice app card fee calculator

The free plan isn't free if it costs you $6 more on every card payment. Put in a typical invoice and see the difference.

Published November 4, 2026 · by Settle

How it works

Each row uses the US card rate the company lists on its own pricing or fee page for online invoice payments: a percentage plus any fixed fee per payment. Apps that add a platform fee on top of Stripe include it. Apps that don't publish a rate aren't shown. Everything runs in your browser.

App and planListed rateFeeA month

US cards, online invoice payments, rates as listed by each company and checked October 27 to November 4, 2026. Amex, international cards, instant payouts and in-person rates can differ. Wave Pro waives the 60¢ on the first ten payments a month; that isn't modeled.

What the table doesn't show

  • Who holds the money. Some apps process payments themselves and set their own payout timing and reviews. With Settle, the customer pays into a Stripe account in your name. See why invoice apps hold your money.
  • Bank payments. Several apps list cheaper bank transfers: Jobber, FreshBooks and QuickBooks list 1%, Wave 1% with a $1 minimum, PayPal 1% capped at $10.
  • Monthly plan prices. A lower card rate on a paid plan only helps if the fees you save cover the subscription.
  • Apps that don't publish a rate. Joist, Invoice Simple, Markate, SimplyWise and others don't list a card fee on their pricing pages, so they aren't in the table.
Which invoice app has the lowest card fee?

Of the published rates, 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe's standard rate, used by Settle, Jobber, Square's paid plans, FreshBooks and BookiPay) and Invoice2go Premium's 2.9% are the lowest for a typical invoice. Housecall Pro lists rates "as low as 2.59%" without a full schedule, so it isn't in the table.

Can I pass the card fee to the customer?

In most states, within card network rules and a cap, but some states ban surcharges. See can contractors charge a credit card fee.

Does Settle add a fee on top of Stripe?

No. Customers pay into your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rate and Settle takes nothing from the payment.

Sources

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