# Stripe Invoicing Fees Explained: What Each Invoice Costs

> Stripe Invoicing costs 0.4% per paid invoice on Starter or 0.5% on Plus, on top of card or ACH processing. See worked examples, Billing vs Invoicing, and what Stripe leaves to you.
- **Author**: Deepak Jangir
- **Published**: 2026-10-31
- **Category**: Billing, Pricing
- **URL**: https://dodopayments.com/blogs/en/stripe-invoicing-fees-explained

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Stripe Invoicing charges **0.4% per paid invoice on the Starter plan** and **0.5% per paid invoice on the Plus plan**, which adds quotes. That fee sits on top of normal payment processing, so a card-paid invoice still pays 2.9% + 30c and an ACH-paid invoice still pays the ACH Direct Debit fee.

This guide breaks down every layer of Stripe invoicing fees as of October 2026, runs the math on real invoice sizes, explains Invoicing vs Billing, and covers the work Stripe leaves to you, especially sales tax and VAT. For processing fees in general, see our [Stripe fees calculator](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/stripe-fees-calculator).

## Stripe invoicing fees at a glance

The table below shows every fee that can touch a single Stripe invoice. Invoicing and processing are separate line items, and both apply.

| Fee layer | Stripe price (October 2026) | When it applies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Invoicing Starter | 0.4% per paid invoice | One-off invoices you create and send |
| Invoicing Plus | 0.5% per paid invoice | Same, plus quotes |
| Custom Invoicing pricing | Custom pricing | High-volume businesses that negotiate |
| Post-payment invoice after Checkout | 0.4%, capped at $2.00 per invoice | Invoice generated after a one-time Checkout purchase |
| Card processing | 2.9% + 30c | Customer pays the invoice by domestic card |
| International card surcharge | +1.5% | Card issued outside your home market |
| Currency conversion | +1% | When conversion is required |
| ACH Direct Debit | 0.8%, capped at $5.00 | Customer pays by US bank debit |
| Stripe Billing (for comparison) | 0.7% of billing volume | Recurring subscription invoices, excludes one-off invoices |

Two things stand out. First, the Invoicing fee is charged only when an invoice is paid, so drafts, voided invoices, and unpaid invoices do not cost you the Invoicing percentage. Second, payment method choice matters far more than the Starter vs Plus decision. On a large B2B invoice, moving the customer from card to ACH can save more than the entire Invoicing fee.

## What you get for the Stripe invoice fee

Both Starter and Plus include the same core collection features. The extra 0.1% on Plus mainly buys you quotes, which matter if your sales process starts with a formal proposal that the customer accepts before the invoice is generated.

Included on both plans:

- **Hosted invoice page.** Each Stripe invoice gets a payment page where the customer can pay by card, bank debit, or other enabled methods without you building a checkout.
- **Automatic collection.** Stripe can charge a saved payment method automatically on the due date, then apply smart retries if the charge fails.
- **Reminders.** Stripe sends reminder emails before and after the due date, which handles basic dunning for one-off invoices.
- **Auto-reconciliation for ACH credit and wire.** When a customer pushes money by bank transfer, Stripe matches the incoming funds to the right open invoice.
For what a compliant invoice must contain, see [what is an invoice](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/what-is-an-invoice) and our guide to [invoice number formats](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/invoice-number).

### The Stripe invoice lifecycle

Every Stripe invoice moves through the same states, and the fee is charged only at the paid step.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    A["Draft"] --> B["Finalized"]
    B --> C["Sent to customer"]
    C --> D["Paid (fee charged)"]
    C --> E["Payment failed"]
    E --> F["Smart retry and reminder"]
    F --> D
    E --> G["Void or uncollectible"]
```

Voided and uncollectible invoices never trigger the Invoicing fee.

## How much does Stripe charge for invoices? Worked examples

Percentages are easy to misread, so here are three realistic scenarios using the verified rates above. All examples assume a US business invoicing US customers in USD unless stated otherwise.

### Example 1: A $5,000 B2B invoice paid by card

A consulting firm or B2B SaaS vendor sends one $5,000 invoice on [net 30 payment terms](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/payment-terms-net-30), and the customer pays with a corporate card.

| Line item | Starter | Plus |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Card processing (2.9% + 30c) | $145.30 | $145.30 |
| Invoicing fee | $20.00 (0.4%) | $25.00 (0.5%) |
| Total Stripe cost | $165.30 | $170.30 |
| Effective rate | 3.31% | 3.41% |

The Invoicing fee is a small slice of the total. Card processing is what makes a large card-paid invoice expensive. If that same customer used a card issued outside the US, the international surcharge alone would add another $75.

### Example 2: The same $5,000 invoice paid by ACH

Now the customer pays the hosted invoice page with ACH Direct Debit instead of a card.

| Line item | Starter | Plus |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| ACH Direct Debit (0.8%, capped at $5) | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| Invoicing fee | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| Total Stripe cost | $25.00 | $30.00 |
| Effective rate | 0.50% | 0.60% |

Moving this one invoice from card to ACH saves $140.30. That is why most B2B teams push ACH for anything above a few hundred dollars. The trade-off is time: ACH debits take several business days to settle, and failed debits carry their own fee. Our [Stripe ACH fees](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/stripe-ach-fees) guide covers those edge cases, and [how long an ACH transfer takes](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/how-long-does-ach-transfer-take) explains the settlement window.

Notice what happens to the fee mix here. On ACH, the Invoicing fee becomes the largest single cost, four times the processing fee. For high-value invoices paid by bank debit, the Invoicing percentage is the line worth negotiating.

### Example 3: 200 invoices per month at $99 each

A small agency or tool vendor sends 200 one-off invoices of $99 every month, for $19,800 in invoiced volume.

| Scenario | Processing | Invoicing (Starter 0.4%) | Monthly total | Effective rate |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| All paid by card | $634.20 | $79.20 | $713.40 | 3.60% |
| All paid by ACH | $158.40 | $79.20 | $237.60 | 1.20% |

The card scenario breaks down as 2.9% of $19,800 ($574.20) plus 200 x 30c ($60). The fixed 30c matters more on small invoices, which is why the card effective rate here is higher than in Example 1. On the ACH side, each $99 debit costs 0.8%, or about 79c, because the $5 cap never kicks in at this size.

If these $99 invoices are actually monthly subscription charges, they should not be on Invoicing at all. They belong on Stripe Billing, which is the next section.

## Stripe Invoicing vs Stripe Billing

This is the most common source of confusion around **stripe invoicing**. Stripe sells two related products, and they price differently:

- **Stripe Invoicing** is for one-off invoices. You create an invoice, send it, and pay 0.4% or 0.5% when it is paid.
- **Stripe Billing** is for recurring subscriptions. It costs 0.7% of billing volume on pay-as-you-go pricing, and Stripe's own pricing states that this excludes one-off invoices.

Subscriptions generate invoices too, but those are covered by the Billing fee. The rule of thumb: one-off work goes through Invoicing, recurring plans go through Billing, and a business that does both pays each fee on its own volume.

Using Example 3 again, if those 200 $99 charges were subscriptions, Billing at 0.7% would cost $138.60 a month instead of $79.20 under Invoicing, on top of the same processing fees. That is a meaningful step up, and it is one reason teams look at [Stripe Billing alternatives](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/stripe-billing-alternatives) once recurring revenue grows.

### Post-payment invoices after Checkout

There is a third case. If a customer buys something through a one-time Stripe Checkout session and you want Stripe to generate an invoice after the payment, for bookkeeping or because B2B buyers need one for expense reports, Stripe charges 0.4% per invoice, **capped at $2.00**.

That cap makes the fee predictable:

- A $300 purchase pays $1.20 for its post-payment invoice.
- A $500 purchase hits the cap at $2.00.
- A $2,000 purchase still pays only $2.00.

For high-ticket one-time sales where you only need a receipt-style invoice, this route is cheaper than sending a standalone invoice for the same amount. The difference between a receipt and a formal invoice also matters for your customer's accounting; see [invoice vs receipt](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/invoice-vs-receipt) for when each is required.

## What Stripe Invoicing does not do for you

Stripe Invoicing automates the mechanics of getting paid. It does not change who the seller is. When you invoice through Stripe, **you are the merchant**, which means several obligations stay with you regardless of the plan you choose.

### Sales tax and VAT on invoices

Stripe Invoicing does not calculate, collect, file, or remit sales tax or VAT by default. If you sell into US states where you have nexus, or to consumers in the EU or UK, the tax lines on your invoices are your responsibility. You can add Stripe Tax to calculate tax on invoices, but it is a separate product with its own fee. As our [Stripe Tax explained](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/stripe-tax-explained) guide shows, Tax Basic only calculates and collects, filings come only on the Tax Complete subscription in fixed quantities, and you remain the seller liable for the tax either way.

### Chargebacks and disputes

Because you are the merchant, card disputes on paid invoices land on your account. Stripe charges a $15 dispute fee, plus another $15 if you respond manually, which is refunded if you win. A contested dispute you lose therefore costs $30 on top of the reversed invoice amount.

### Revenue recognition and reconciliation

Stripe matches incoming ACH credits and wires to open invoices, but ledger mapping and deferred revenue reporting remain finance-team work. Our guide to [automated invoices for SaaS](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/automated-invoices-saas) covers how teams wire invoices into accounting systems.

## Stripe invoicing vs Dodo Payments

Dodo Payments takes a different approach. It is a [Merchant of Record](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/merchant-of-record-for-saas), so it is the legal seller on each transaction. Invoicing is not a separate product with a separate percentage. Automated invoice generation and tax management in 190+ countries are both included in the transaction fee.

| | Stripe Invoicing | Dodo Payments |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Invoice fee | 0.4% (Starter) or 0.5% (Plus) per paid invoice | Included |
| Card processing | 2.9% + 30c domestic, +1.5% international | 4% + 40c domestic US, +1.5% international |
| ACH bank debit | 0.8%, capped at $5 | 1.5%, capped at $15 (one-time payments only) |
| Sales tax and VAT | Your responsibility, or add Stripe Tax | Calculated, filed, and remitted by Dodo |
| Chargeback handling | Yours, $15 to $30 per dispute | Handled by Dodo, $30 per dispute |
| Monthly fee | None on pay-as-you-go | None |

Run Example 1 on Dodo: a $5,000 domestic card payment costs 4% + 40c, or $200.40, with the invoice, tax calculation, and tax remittance included. On Stripe, the same invoice costs $165.30 before any tax tooling or compliance work. For a single US company invoicing US customers with a simple tax footprint, Stripe is cheaper on raw fees, and that is worth saying plainly.

The picture changes when the invoice crosses a border. A $5,000 sale to a customer in Germany on Stripe becomes $220.30 in processing (2.9% + 1.5% international + 30c, assuming no currency conversion) plus $20 in Invoicing, before you work out VAT treatment yourself. On Dodo, the same sale is $275.40, and VAT is handled by the Merchant of Record. Whether that difference is worth it depends on how much you value not registering for, filing, and remitting tax in every market you invoice.

On ACH, Stripe's $5 cap is hard to beat for large US invoices. Dodo's bank debit fee is 1.5% capped at $15, and it applies to one-time payments only, not subscriptions. For a business that bills a handful of large US customers by ACH every month, Stripe Invoicing is likely the cheaper tool.

### Sending a one-off charge with Dodo

A simple way to bill a one-off charge on Dodo is to create a payment link, send it to your customer, and let Dodo's automated invoicing handle the invoice once they pay. Using the `dodopayments` TypeScript SDK:

```ts
import DodoPayments from 'dodopayments';

const client = new DodoPayments({
  bearerToken: process.env['DODO_PAYMENTS_API_KEY'],
});

// One-off charge for a consulting engagement, sent as a checkout link
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'pdt_consulting_package', quantity: 1 }],
  customer: { email: 'ap@customer-company.com', name: 'Customer Company AP' },
  billing_address: {
    city: 'San Francisco',
    country: 'US',
    state: 'CA',
    street: '1 Market St',
    zipcode: '94105',
  },
  return_url: 'https://yourapp.com/invoice/paid',
});

// Email session.checkout_url to the customer's accounts payable team
// (single-use, expires after 24 hours)
console.log(session.checkout_url);
```

Listen for the `payment.succeeded` webhook to mark the job as paid in your own system. The [webhooks guide](https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/webhooks) lists every event, the [SDK reference](https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/dodo-payments-sdks) covers other languages, and the [integration guide](https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/integration-guide) walks through product setup. For recurring plans, see [subscriptions](https://docs.dodopayments.com/features/subscription).

## How to keep Stripe invoice fees down

If you stay on Stripe Invoicing, a few habits keep the total cost close to the minimum:

- **Default large invoices to ACH.** The 0.8% fee is cheaper than 2.9% + 30c at every invoice size, and once the $5 cap kicks in at $625 the gap widens with every dollar.
- **Stay on Starter unless you use quotes.** Plus costs 25% more per invoice (0.5% vs 0.4%). If your sales team does not send formal quotes through Stripe, it is pure overhead.
- **Use post-payment invoices for high-ticket Checkout sales.** The $2.00 cap beats a standalone 0.4% invoice once the amount passes $500.
- **Move recurring work to Billing deliberately.** Know which revenue is recurring and which is one-off, because the two products price differently.
- **Negotiate at volume.** Stripe offers custom Invoicing pricing for larger businesses.

## FAQ

### How much does Stripe charge for invoices?

Stripe Invoicing costs 0.4% per paid invoice on Starter and 0.5% on Plus, as of October 2026. Payment processing is charged separately on top, so a card-paid invoice also pays 2.9% + 30c and an ACH-paid invoice pays 0.8% capped at $5.

### Is there a fee if a Stripe invoice is not paid?

No. The Invoicing fee is charged per paid invoice, so drafts, voided invoices, and invoices marked uncollectible do not incur it. Processing fees also apply only to successful payments, although a failed ACH debit can carry its own failure fee.

### What is the difference between Stripe Invoicing and Stripe Billing fees?

Stripe Invoicing charges 0.4% or 0.5% per paid one-off invoice. Stripe Billing charges 0.7% of recurring billing volume and explicitly excludes one-off invoices, so subscription invoices fall under Billing while standalone invoices fall under Invoicing.

### Does Stripe Invoicing handle sales tax?

Not by itself. Stripe Invoicing lets you add tax lines, but calculating, collecting, filing, and remitting sales tax or VAT is your responsibility. Stripe Tax can calculate it for an extra fee, but you remain the seller liable for it. A Merchant of Record such as Dodo Payments handles tax as part of its fee.

### Is Stripe Invoicing free for small businesses?

There is no monthly fee on the pay-as-you-go Starter plan, but it is not free. Every paid invoice costs 0.4% plus processing, so a $1,000 card-paid invoice costs $4 in Invoicing fees and $29.30 in processing.

## Final take

The Stripe invoice fee itself is modest: 0.4% on Starter, 0.5% on Plus, and a $2.00 cap on post-payment invoices. What drives the real cost is the payment method underneath it and the compliance work around it. A $5,000 invoice costs $25 on ACH and $165.30 on a card, and neither figure includes sales tax filing.

If you invoice a small number of US customers by bank debit, Stripe Invoicing is efficient and hard to beat on price. If your invoices go to customers in many countries and tax compliance is the part that keeps you up at night, compare the all-in cost with [Dodo Payments pricing](https://dodopayments.com/pricing), where invoicing and tax are included. You can explore the platform at [dodopayments.com](https://dodopayments.com) or read the [docs introduction](https://docs.dodopayments.com/introduction).
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