Lemon Squeezy fee calculator

How much does Lemon Squeezy take per sale?

Lemon Squeezy charges a platform fee of 5% + 50¢ per transaction, calculated on the total order value (including any tax it collects). Its fee docs add 1.5% for buyers outside the US, 1.5% for PayPal payments and 0.5% for subscription payments. There is no monthly fee for selling. On a $20 sale to a US buyer with no tax added, the fee is $1.50 and you keep $18.50.

Product price ($, before tax)Sales tax or VAT added at checkout (%)

Buyer outside the US (+1.5%)Paid with PayPal (+1.5%)Subscription payment (+0.5%)

Recovered by an abandoned cart email (+5%)Referred by an affiliate (+3%, before their commission)

Amount you want to receive per sale ($)

Order total the buyer pays	$20.00
Tax collected and paid by Lemon Squeezy	$0.00
Lemon Squeezy fee (5.0% of the total + $0.50)	$1.50
You receive (total - tax - fee)	$18.50
Fee as % of your price	7.5%
Price to receive $20.00	$21.58

Lemon Squeezy calculates the platform fee on the total order value, including tax. Marketing fees (abandoned cart, affiliate) are added the same way here; affiliate commissions you pay are extra. Excludes payout fees, custom pricing and the "edge case" fees Lemon Squeezy mentions. Runs in your browser.

Last verified October 26, 2026 against Lemon Squeezy pricing, Lemon Squeezy Docs: Fees. Fee change tracker · How we verify

Lemon Squeezy fees at a glance

Fee	Rate	When it applies
Platform fee	5% + 50¢	Every transaction, on the total order value
International	+1.5%	Buyer outside the US
PayPal	+1.5%	Buyer pays with PayPal
Subscriptions	+0.5%	Each subscription payment
Abandoned cart recovery	+5%	Payments recovered through abandoned cart emails
Affiliate referral	+3%	Sales referred by an affiliate (merchant side; affiliates pay +2% on their payouts)

Payout fees

Payout method	US account	Outside the US
Bank account (via Stripe)	Free	1% per payout
PayPal	$0.50 per payout	3% per payout, capped at $30

Lemon Squeezy's pricing FAQ says payouts are processed twice a month.

Worked examples

$20 download, US buyer, card, no tax: 5% of $20 is $1.00, plus $0.50 = $1.50. You keep $18.50. To keep a full $20, price it at $21.58.
$20 download, US buyer, 7% sales tax added: the total is $21.40, so the fee is 5% of $21.40 + $0.50 = $1.57. The $1.40 tax goes to the state, and you keep $18.43.
Lemon Squeezy's own example, buyer in France: $20 + 20% VAT = $24 total; fee = $0.50 + 5% + 1.5% of $24 = $2.06; you keep $17.94.
$20 sale, buyer outside the US paying with PayPal (no tax): 5% + 1.5% + 1.5% = 8% of $20, plus $0.50 = $2.10.
$10/month subscription, international buyer, no tax: 7% of $10 + $0.50 = $1.20 per payment. The fixed 50¢ is 5% of a $10 price, which is why Lemon Squeezy offers custom pricing for products under $10.

Things that catch people out

The fee is on the total, tax included. Because Lemon Squeezy is the merchant of record and adds tax at checkout, its percentage applies to the tax too.
Fees stack. A PayPal subscription payment from outside the US carries 5% + 1.5% + 1.5% + 0.5% = 8.5%, plus 50¢.
Payouts can cost extra. US bank payouts are free, but PayPal payouts cost $0.50 per payout for US accounts.
Edge cases: Lemon Squeezy notes that some payments may be subject to additional fees beyond those listed. Check your order breakdown in the dashboard.

Recording Lemon Squeezy sales

Record the sale at your price (not the tax), and the Lemon Squeezy fee as an expense. Tax that Lemon Squeezy collected and remitted as merchant of record is not your income. Match each twice-monthly payout to the orders inside it. Ask a tax professional how to report your income.

Questions

What are Lemon Squeezy's fees?

5% + 50¢ per transaction on the total order value, plus 1.5% for international buyers, 1.5% for PayPal and 0.5% for subscription payments. Abandoned cart recoveries add 5% and affiliate referrals add 3%.

Does Lemon Squeezy charge a monthly fee?

Not for selling. Lemon Squeezy's pricing page lists $0 per month for its ecommerce features. Its email marketing is free up to 500 subscribers, then priced by subscriber count.

Is the Lemon Squeezy fee charged on sales tax?

Yes. Lemon Squeezy's fee docs say the platform fee is calculated on the total order value, and its worked example includes the VAT in the total.

Is Lemon Squeezy cheaper than Gumroad?

On a $20 sale to a US buyer with no tax, Lemon Squeezy's fee is $1.50. A $20 direct Gumroad card sale costs $3.38 (10% + 50¢ plus 2.9% + 30¢ processing). Compare both with our Gumroad calculator.

How do Lemon Squeezy payouts work?

Lemon Squeezy pays out by bank transfer or PayPal twice a month. US bank payouts are free; PayPal payouts to US accounts cost $0.50 each.

General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rates change: check the linked official source before you rely on a number. Not yet reviewed by a CPA or EA.