Stripe Fees for Marketplaces

Stripe Connect fee structure for two-sided marketplaces — Standard vs. Express vs. Custom, application fees, cross-border surcharges, and the platform-vs-seller settlement breakdown.

At a glance

Standard Connect
Standard processing fee — no surcharge
Express Connect
+0.25% on processing
Custom Connect
+0.25% on processing
Cross-border
+0.25%
Application fee
Set by platform (% or fixed)

Marketplaces use Stripe Connect to split a single payment between the platform and the seller. Three Connect types — Standard, Express, Custom — have different fee structures. Express and Custom each add 0.25% to processing. Cross-border (platform and seller in different countries) adds another 0.25%. The platform also charges its own application fee on top, which Stripe collects and routes back to the platform.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use Standard vs Express vs Custom Connect?
Standard: cheapest, but the connected account has its own Stripe dashboard and pays Stripe directly. Best for marketplaces where sellers are sophisticated businesses that already have/want a Stripe relationship. Express: 0.25% extra, but Stripe handles connected-account onboarding and dashboard. Best for consumer marketplaces (Etsy/Substack-style). Custom: 0.25% extra, but full control — connected accounts may not even know Stripe is the underlying processor. Best for embedded financial products inside SaaS.
How does cross-border Connect work?
When the platform’s country and the connected account’s country differ, Stripe adds a 0.25% cross-border surcharge to processing. So a US platform with sellers in Europe pays an extra 0.25% on every transaction. Single-country marketplaces (US-only platform with US-only sellers) avoid this fee.
Who pays the Stripe processing fee in Connect — the platform or the seller?
It depends on how you set up the charge. With "destination charges" the platform pays the fee and passes it on; with "direct charges" the connected account pays. Most marketplaces use destination charges and add the fee back via the application fee — that way the platform’s economics don’t depend on which seller is making the sale.
How is the application fee collected?
The platform sets an application fee (percentage or flat amount) per charge. Stripe collects the full amount from the customer, deducts the processing fee, deducts the application fee, and routes the application fee to the platform’s Stripe balance and the rest to the connected account. The platform sees the application fee as revenue.

Related calculators & guides

Related Tools

receipt_long

Invoice Generator

Create professional invoices with logo, tax calculations, and PDF download — free, no signup.

credit_card

Credit Card Test Number Generator

Generate Luhn-valid test card numbers and browse provider-specific sandbox test cards for Stripe, PayPal, Adyen, Braintree, Square, and more.

account_balance_wallet

Paycheck Calculator

Calculate your take-home pay after federal, state & local taxes, 401k, and deductions. Supports US (all 50 states), UK, Canada, Australia, and India.

payments

Salary Calculator

Convert hourly wage to yearly salary or annual to hourly. Includes overtime and tax estimates.

trending_up

Compound Interest Calculator

Calculate how your savings grow with daily, monthly, or annual compounding. Includes growth chart, year-by-year schedule, and simple vs compound interest comparison.