Stripe is one of the most widely used ways to accept payments in Australia, both online and in person. More than 500,000 Australian businesses now use it and have processed over AUD$200 billion through the platform.

You set a price, get the sale, and then notice the payout is lower than expected. There are plenty of costs you need to know about if you use Stripe for your business, as the rate you pay depends on how your customers pay, where their cards come from, and if Stripe needs to convert anything into Australian dollars. In this blog, we will help you understand Stripe fees Australia better, so you can price properly and can be aware of what to expect in your account.

Meta Title: Stripe Fees Australia: Complete Guide for Businesses

Meta Description: Learn how Stripe fees work in Australia, including card rates, international payments, GST, currency conversion, refunds, and ways to reduce costs.

Stripe fees Australia: what founders actually keep on every sale

TL;DR

• Stripe's standard domestic card fee in Australia is 1.7% + AUD $0.30, and international cards cost 3.5% + AUD $0.30.
  
• Currency conversion adds another 2%, so international sales can cost significantly more.
  
• Direct debit can be cheaper for larger invoices, with fees of 1% + AUD $0.30 and maximum fee of AUD $3.50.
  
• Stripe's standard fees for Australia already include GST, so the advertised card rate is what you actually pay, not a figure to add 10% to. This applies to Stripe's standard pricing; businesses on custom pricing should check their own fee schedule, as GST may be shown separately.
  
• From 1st Oct 2026, card surcharges will no longer be allowed on eftpos, Mastercard, and Visa payments.
  
• You can reduce costs by choosing the right payment method, limiting unnecessary conversions, and holding foreign currency when possible.
  

Stripe is one of the most widely used ways to accept payments in Australia, both online and in person. More than 500,000 Australian businesses now use it and have processed over AUD $200 billion through the platform.

You set a price, get the sale, and then notice the payout is lower than expected. There are plenty of costs you need to know about if you use Stripe for your business, as the rate you pay depends on how your customers pay, where their cards come from, and if Stripe needs to convert anything into Australian dollars. In this blog, we will help you understand Stripe fees Australia better, so you can price properly and can be aware of what to expect in your account.

How Stripe Australia fees are structured

Stripe works on pay-as-you-go pricing for payments, so there is no monthly account fee just to accept cards. Some add-on products are different, though: tools such as Stripe Billing and Radar offer monthly subscription plans alongside their pay-as-you-go options, so factor those in if you plan to use them.

• Standard: This includes per transaction pricing, and has no monthly fee
  
• Custom: Here it is volume based pricing that Stripe negotiates directly. The target audience for this type are high volume businesses
  

Now, after sorting out the tier, you need to understand what all you pay in the name of fees. Stripe Australia fees are not just one plain number, as every fee has 2 parts:

• A percentage of the sale: This type of fees update with the card type and the currency your customer is paying in, which impacts your final payment
  
• A fixed fee per transaction: This fee type stays the same whether your order is AUD $5 or AUD $500
  

Once you understand the split accurately, it becomes easier to calculate your final amount after deductions.

Full breakdown of Stripe payment fees in Australia

Here is a table of the Stripe payment fees Australia businesses meet most often, so you get a clearer picture of what you are being charged. All figures are the rates Stripe advertises for Australia, which already include GST.

[Table:1]

Domestic debit and credit card rates

Stripe charges 1.7% plus AUD $0.30 for payments on an Australian-issued debit card or credit card. Stripe has also announced another pricing change from 1st Oct 2026 as part of wider payment reforms, so the domestic rate is set to come down further.

International card rates

When an overseas credit card is used, the rate jumps to 3.5% plus AUD $0.30. This is almost double the domestic rate, so it helps to know exactly how many of your sales come from overseas cards. Once you can see that share, you can price your international orders to keep your margin healthy.

Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other wallets

Apple Pay and Google Pay do not carry a Stripe fee of their own. A wallet payment is charged on the card sitting behind it, so the cost follows the usual card rates:

• Domestic wallet payment: 1.7% + AUD $0.30, the same as a domestic card
  
• International wallet payment: 3.5% + AUD $0.30, when the card behind the wallet was issued overseas
  
• Currency conversion: an extra 2% applies if Stripe has to convert the payment into Australian dollars
  

So switching wallets on does not add a cost by itself. It simply gives your customers a faster way to pay with a card you would have accepted anyway, which can help your checkout conversion on mobile.

Direct debit and bank transfers

Direct debit is often cheaper for larger invoices. BECS Direct Debit and PayTo cost 1% + AUD $0.30, with a maximum fee of AUD $3.50. If you handle B2B invoices or recurring payments, encouraging customers to use direct debit can save you money at scale, because the AUD $3.50 cap holds the fee steady no matter how large the invoice gets.

Buy now, pay later options

Afterpay, Zip, and Klarna give your customers a buy now, pay later option, but they are more expensive than cards. Zip, for example, costs 5.49% + AUD $0.30, several times the cost of a standard card payment. So they can be worth it when they genuinely win a sale you would otherwise lose. It helps to weigh that extra cost against the lift they give your checkout before deciding to turn them on.

What all currency conversion adds for cross-border sellers

The conversion fee is what catches most of the global founders off guard. Apart from the international card rate, Stripe adds 2% whenever it converts money into Australian dollars. So, an overseas sale can carry the 3.5% international rate, fixed fee, and also a further 2% for currency conversion, which is almost more than 5.5%.

When Stripe’s currency conversion fee applies

• If you only hold an Australian dollar balance, every foreign payment is converted, with a 2% fee
  
• If a customer pays in their local currency, Stripe converts the payment to Australian dollars before paying you
  
• For recurring payments in a foreign currency, the conversion fee applies to every renewal
  

Stripe processing fees in Australia, and where GST fits

Stripe processing fees are the transaction fees you pay for accepting payments. In Australia, standard online card pricing is currently 1.7% + AUD $0.30 for domestic cards and 3.5% + AUD $0.30 for international cards. There is no standalone line called "processing", so when you read about Stripe processing fees in Australia, it means this blended cost of getting paid rather than an extra hidden fee.

Why processing is not a separate charge

Stripe includes its processing cost in the fee you already pay. This is simpler than older merchant accounts, which may charge separate fees for authorisation, statements, and terminals.

But a simple pricing structure does not always mean lower costs. International cards, currency conversion, and add-on tools can increase your total fees. What you actually pay depends on how your customers pay.

How GST works on your Stripe fees

For Australian businesses, Stripe's standard fees already include GST. The rates Stripe advertises for cards, wallets, direct debit, and buy now, pay later are the GST-inclusive figures, so you do not add another 10% on top.

• The advertised 1.7% + AUD $0.30 card rate already includes GST, so that is the full amount you pay
  
• Stripe itemises the GST portion separately on your monthly tax invoice, so you can see exactly what you have paid
  
• If you are registered for GST, you can usually claim that GST back as an input tax credit, which lowers the real cost
  

Stripe merchant fees Australia versus local providers

If you take payments in person, it will be helpful to know how Stripe merchant fees Australia compare with local card terminals. Since Stripe is built first for online businesses, local specialists such as Square, Tyro, and Zeller often charge a lower in-person rate, so the Stripe merchant fees Australia work out differently for a shopfront than for a website.

How Stripe compares with Square, Tyro, and Zeller

Stripe’s in-person card rate of 1.7% + AUD $0.10 is higher than some Australian payment providers:

• Square: around 1.6% for in-person card payments
  
• Tyro and Zeller: around 1.4%
  
• Stripe: 1.7% + AUD $0.10 per in-person payment
  

For shops with lots of small, in-person payments, Square, Tyro, or Zeller may be cheaper. Stripe makes more sense if you need online payments, invoicing, subscriptions, and in-person payments in one system.

The 1st Oct 2026 surcharge ban and what it changes

From 1st Oct 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia is banning card surcharges for eftpos, Mastercard, and Visa.

• You cannot pass the fee on: Surcharges will no longer be allowed on debit, prepaid, or credit cards on these networks
  
• You pay the cost: Card processing fees will come out of your own margin instead of being passed to customers
  
• There is some relief: Lower interchange caps should bring acceptance costs down slightly
  

Stripe transaction fees Australia: optional and hidden fees

• Refunds: Stripe does not charge a fee to issue a refund on card payments, but it does not return the original transaction fee either, so a refunded card sale still costs you what you paid to process it. Some bank-based methods work differently, for example a PayTo refund carries a AUD $0.50 fee
  
• Disputes and chargebacks: a card dispute carries a AUD $25 received fee that Stripe keeps whether you win or lose, but the amount is not the same across payment methods. A disputed Australia BECS Direct Debit payment costs AUD $2.50, a lost Zip dispute costs AUD $4.00, and a lost Klarna dispute costs AUD $25
  
• Add-on tools: some Stripe products cost extra on top of your payment fees, so it helps to match them to how you sell. Radar advanced fraud screening starts at AUD $0.08 per screened transaction, Connect for marketplaces starts at 0.25% per transaction, and Billing for subscriptions starts at 0.7% of billing volume
  

How to cut your Stripe costs without losing sales

You can reduce Stripe costs by choosing the right payment method for each type of transaction.

Match the payment method to the transaction

• Use direct debit for large invoices: The AUD $3.50 maximum fee can be cheaper than card payments once invoices get larger
  
• Keep Apple Pay and Google Pay on: They cost the same as domestic cards and can make checkout easier on mobile
  
• Avoid unnecessary split payments: Each transaction adds another fixed fee
  
• Check where your fees are coming from
  

Look at one month of Stripe data and check:

• Card origin: How much are you paying on international cards and currency conversion?
  
• Order size: Are small payments making the fixed fee a bigger part of each transaction?
  
• Payment method: Are customers using methods that cost more than alternatives?
  

Once you know where the costs are coming from, you can adjust your payment options, pricing, or order value to protect your margins.

Managing Stripe fees Australia with an Aspire multi-currency account

Stripe fees are only part of the cost. If you accept payments in multiple currencies, currency conversion can also eat into your margins.

Hold foreign currency instead of converting

A multi-currency account lets you hold funds in the currency your customers paid in. You can convert when you need to, or use those funds to pay overseas suppliers and other expenses in the same currency. This can help reduce unnecessary conversions and FX costs.

How Aspire fits in

Aspire lets you manage multi-currency accounts, corporate cards, and international transfers in one place. Stripe handles the checkout, while Aspire helps you manage the money after it’s paid out.

If you are growing across markets, this is where Aspire earns its place. Because your Aspire account holds each currency your customers pay in, you are not forced to convert every payout into Australian dollars, which is the step that triggers the 2% conversion fee. You convert with Aspire only when you actually need the funds in another currency, so you decide when a conversion is worth it instead of paying on every single payout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Stripe fees higher in Australia than in other markets?

Australia’s 1.7% domestic card rate is lower than the US but higher than the UK, and GST also applies to Stripe fees.

Can I still pass Stripe fees on to customers after the 2026 surcharge ban?

No, from 1st Oct 2026, you can’t add card surcharges for eftpos, Mastercard, or Visa payments.

Do I pay Stripe fees on refunded payments?

Stripe keeps the original transaction fee when you refund a payment, even though there’s no separate refund fee.

Is Stripe cheaper than a traditional merchant account?

It depends on your business, as Stripe can suit online and global businesses while traditional accounts may be cheaper at high domestic volumes.

Does Stripe charge GST on its fees in Australia?

Yes, 10% GST applies to Stripe fees, and GST-registered businesses can generally claim it as an input tax credit.

What’s the cheapest way to accept international payments through Stripe?

Using local payment methods and holding foreign currency instead of converting every payment to Australian dollars can help reduce costs.