Stripe Connect: How to Add Your Own 2.9% Platform Fee Without Confusion

Want to “turn on” Stripe’s 2.9 percent fee? There is no switch to flip. Stripe already charges about 2.9 percent plus 0.30 per successful domestic card payment in the US, and many international cards add about 1.5 percent. That is Stripe’s processing cost, not a setting. With Stripe Connect, you can add your own platform fee, for example 2.9 percent, on top of Stripe’s fee using application fees.

This guide shows what that actually means, how to pick the right Connect account type, how to set your fee in your payment flow, how to do the math in cents, and how to avoid common mistakes. Details reflect Stripe Connect as of October 2025. The goal is a clean setup that you can test, ship, and explain to your users in plain language.

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What “Enable 2.9% Fee” Really Means in Stripe Connect

Stripe’s fee is Stripe’s fee. You do not enable it. With Connect, your platform can add a separate fee that you collect when a customer pays.

Two common goals:

• Cover Stripe costs by collecting 2.9 percent plus $0.30 as your platform fee.

• Earn a take rate of your choice, for example 10 percent, on each sale.

The flow is simple. The customer pays. Stripe takes its processing fee. Your platform may take an application fee. The rest goes to the connected account. The exact split depends on your charge type and account type, which we cover below.

Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 is automatic, not a setting

Stripe’s domestic card fee applies by default when a payment succeeds. In the US, this is often 2.9 percent plus $0.30 for most businesses. Many international cards add about 1.5 percent. You cannot switch this fee on or off. It is part of card processing.

Adding your own 2.9% platform fee

Connect lets you add a platform fee using application fees. You choose a percent-based fee, a fixed fee, or a mix. Many platforms set the platform fee to 2.9 percent plus $0.30 to recover Stripe’s typical domestic cost. Your fee is separate from Stripe’s processing fee.

When a 2.9% platform fee makes sense

• Marketplaces that want a small take rate on orders

• Apps that need to recover processing costs on each payment

• Low-margin sellers who cannot absorb processing costs

There are trade-offs. If buyers see a service fee at checkout, conversion may drop. If sellers pay the fee from their payout, make that clear in onboarding and invoices.

Choose the Right Connect Account Type and Charge Flow

Your account type controls what you can do at charge time. Your charge type controls how money moves and where fees are taken.

At a high level:

• Standard accounts are great for simple payouts, but you cannot add application fees at charge time.

• Express and Custom accounts allow application fees and more control.

• Destination charges and separate charges and transfers let the platform set fees.

• Direct charges put the seller as merchant of record, and platform fees require Express or Custom.

Standard vs Express vs Custom: who can collect fees

• Standard: no application fees at charge time. If you choose Standard, bill your platform fee outside the payment, for example by subscription or monthly invoice.

• Express and Custom: you can add application fees on payments created by the platform.

• The simple path: pick Express if you want fast onboarding, platform fees, and a lighter build.

Destination charges with an application fee

Use this when the customer pays and funds should land with the seller right away. The platform creates the charge, sets transfer_data[destination] to the connected account, and sets application_fee_amount. Stripe deducts its processing fee, your fee is taken, then the remainder transfers to the seller. This fits marketplaces that take a percent per order.

Separate charges and transfers to keep fees on-platform

Here, the platform charges the customer into its own balance. Then it creates a transfer to the seller for the net amount. You keep your fee by sending a smaller transfer. This gives you more control over timing, holds, and partial payouts.

Direct charges when you do not take a fee

In a direct charge, the seller is the merchant of record. The charge is created on the connected account. This is simple for payouts and statements, but it does not support platform fees at charge time for Standard. Use direct charges when you do not need to take a cut, or when you bill your fee separately.

How to Add a 2.9% Platform Fee Step by Step

You do not need a massive build to get this right. Follow a short checklist, test with real numbers, then go live.

Dashboard prep before code

• Create your Stripe account and enable Connect for your platform

• Choose Express or Custom if you plan to collect application fees

• Turn on test mode, then create at least one test connected account

• Store your test API keys and connected account IDs in a secure place

Fields you will use to collect the fee

When you create a payment and want to collect your fee at charge time:

• transfer_data[destination]: the connected account ID that should receive the funds

• application_fee_amount: your fee in the smallest currency unit, for example cents

If you charge on the platform and transfer later, compute your fee off-platform, then send a smaller transfer that keeps your fee in the platform balance.

Do the math: 2.9% + $0.30 in cents, with rounding

Work in cents. Round the percent first, then add the fixed part.

• percent_fee = round(amount_cents × 0.029)

• total_fee_cents = percent_fee + 30

Zero-decimal currencies, for example JPY, use whole units. There is no $0.30 piece in those cases.

Examples:

• $100.00: 10,000 cents × 0.029 = 290 cents, plus 30 = 320 cents, or $3.20

• $18.50: 1,850 cents × 0.029 = 53.65, round to 54, plus 30 = 84 cents, or $0.84

International cards often add about 1.5 percent to Stripe’s processing cost. Decide if your platform fee stays flat, or if you raise it on international cards to keep your margin steady.

Test mode checklist you can trust

• Create a test connected account using Express or Custom

• Run a test payment and set application_fee_amount to your computed fee

• In the Dashboard, inspect the Payment, Application fee, Transfer, and Payout timeline

• Process a refund, then review how fees and transfers adjust in test

• Move to live only after you can trace the full path from payment to payout

Pricing, Taxes, and Rules: Do It Right

Small choices here prevent big headaches later. Keep your pricing clear, your taxes correct, and your policies firm.

Pass the fee to the seller or the buyer?

You have three clean models:

• Seller pays: collect an application fee from the seller at charge time

• Buyer pays: raise the item price, or add a service line item, and check card brand rules for surcharging in your region

• Split the cost: lower take rate and slightly higher price together

Pricing that surprises people hurts trust. Make the math visible before payment, not after.

Sales tax or VAT on your platform fee

Your platform fee can be a taxable service. Check local tax rules. If you charge tax, use a tax tool or your billing layer to mark the platform fee as taxable where required. Keep invoices that show your platform fee as a separate line so bookkeeping stays clean.

Refunds, disputes, and who eats the fees

Refunds often return your application fee by default, and some parts of Stripe’s processing fee may not be returned in some regions. Read and set your policy. Decide who covers chargebacks, and keep a reserve for edge cases. Spell it out in your seller agreement so there are no surprises.

Real examples you can copy

• Marketplace example ($100 order)

  • Stripe cost: about $3.20 on a typical US domestic card

  • Platform fee set to $3.20, seller receives about $96.80 before any other fees

• International card example ($100)

  • Stripe adds about 1.5 percent for many international cards

  • You can keep your fee at $3.20 to stay simple, or raise it to protect margin

• Standard account case

  • You cannot add application fees at charge time

  • Consider a separate subscription or monthly invoice to collect your fee

Charge Types at a Glance

Charge Type Who creates the charge Can collect application fee at charge time Best for Destination charge Platform Yes, Express or Custom Marketplaces that take a fee per order Separate charges and transfers Platform Fee kept by sending a smaller transfer More control over timing and balance Direct charge Connected account Only with Express or Custom Simple payouts, no fee, or fee billed later

Conclusion

Stripe’s 2.9 percent plus $0.30 processing fee is automatic. With Connect, you add your own platform fee using application fees on Express or Custom accounts. Pick your account type, choose the charge flow, compute your fee in cents, test end to end, then go live with confidence.

Write down your pricing plan, run a $100 test order, and confirm the seller’s net. Keep invoices, tax flags, and refund rules tidy. Start in test mode today and put your platform fee to work without guesswork.