Lemon Squeezy Fees (2026): Every Fee, and What You Keep From Each Sale
5% + 50¢ is only the headline. International buyers, PayPal, subscriptions, abandoned-cart recovery and payouts each add their own cut. Here is the full math.
On a $20 sale to a US card, Lemon Squeezy takes $1.50 and you keep $18.50. Card processing and sales tax handling are included. Buyers abroad or paying by PayPal cost 1.5% more each, so the same sale can leave you $17.90.
Every Lemon Squeezy fee
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 5% + $0.50 | Every sale; includes card processing, tax handling and fraud protection |
| International | +1.5% | Buyer outside the US |
| PayPal | +1.5% | Buyer pays with PayPal |
| Subscriptions | +0.5% | Each recurring subscription payment |
| Abandoned-cart recovery | +5% | Sales recovered by Lemon Squeezy’s abandoned-cart emails |
| Affiliate referrals | +3% | Sales that come through your Lemon Squeezy affiliate program |
| Monthly fee | None | — |
| Payout to US bank | Free | Via Stripe |
| Payout to non-US bank | 1% per payout | Via Stripe |
| Payout to PayPal | $0.50 (US) / 3% capped at $30 (outside the US) | Per payout |
What you keep, by price and buyer
| Price | US card | Non-US card | US PayPal | Non-US PayPal | Effective fee (US card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $4.25 | $4.18 | $4.18 | $4.10 | 15% |
| $10 | $9.00 | $8.85 | $8.85 | $8.70 | 10% |
| $20 | $18.50 | $18.20 | $18.20 | $17.90 | 7.5% |
| $50 | $47.00 | $46.25 | $46.25 | $45.50 | 6% |
The fixed $0.50 is why cheap products lose the most: on a $5 product, 15% of the price is gone. If most of your catalogue is under $10, compare fees on low-price products before choosing.
A real month: 100 sales of $20
| Buyer mix | Fees for the month | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| All US card buyers | $150 | $1,850 |
| Half US card, half international card | $165 | $1,835 |
| Half US card, half international PayPal | $180 | $1,820 |
Add payout fees if you are outside the US: a $1,820 payout to a non-US bank costs about $18.20 more.
Lemon Squeezy vs the alternatives on a $20 sale
| Platform | Monthly fee | You keep (US card) | Tax handled? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip Pro | $99 | $19.12 | EU/UK VAT |
| Lemon Squeezy | $0 | $18.50 | Yes, worldwide |
| Payhip Free | $0 | $18.12 | EU/UK VAT |
| Etsy | $0 | $17.65 | Check Etsy |
| Gumroad (direct) | $0 | $16.62 | Yes, worldwide |
Lemon Squeezy is the cheapest no-monthly-fee option per sale. Payhip Pro overtakes it once your volume covers $99 a month: about 160 sales of $20. Full comparison: Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip and Gumroad vs Lemon Squeezy.
The 2026 change to watch
Lemon Squeezy has announced a move toward Stripe Managed Payments. Its pricing page still lists 5% + 50¢, and no new fee or date has been published. If you start on Lemon Squeezy now, keep a copy of your products and customer list so you can move if the terms change. See Lemon Squeezy alternatives.
How to pay less on Lemon Squeezy
- Raise very low prices or bundle them. The $0.50 per sale hurts most under $10.
- Nudge buyers to card checkout. PayPal adds 1.5% on every PayPal sale.
- Watch abandoned-cart recovery. Recovered sales cost 10% + $0.50 in total; still worth it if the buyer would not have returned.
- Outside the US, compare payout routes. A 1% bank payout fee and PayPal’s 3% cap add up on large payouts.
Compare with a free Payhip store →
FAQ
What are Lemon Squeezy’s fees?
5% + $0.50 per sale, with card processing included. Add 1.5% for buyers outside the US, 1.5% for PayPal, and 0.5% on subscription payments.
How much do I keep from a $20 sale on Lemon Squeezy?
$18.50 from a US card sale, $18.20 from an international card or US PayPal sale, and $17.90 from an international PayPal sale.
Does Lemon Squeezy charge a monthly fee?
No. There is no monthly fee or plan; you pay only per sale.
Does Lemon Squeezy charge for payouts?
Payouts to US bank accounts are free. Non-US bank payouts cost 1%, and PayPal payouts cost $0.50 in the US or 3% capped at $30 elsewhere.
Is Lemon Squeezy cheaper than Gumroad and Payhip?
Cheaper than Gumroad at every price, and slightly cheaper than Payhip Free per sale. Above roughly $3,200 a month in $20 sales, Payhip Pro’s flat $99 plan costs less.
Not sure which platform fits your numbers? Put in your price and monthly sales and see what you keep on every platform at once. If you are just starting, a Payhip store costs $0 until you sell, so you can set it up first and decide later.
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