What Is a Stripe Fee?
Stripe charges a commission on every payment. Standard rates — 1.5% + €0.25 for EEA cards, 2.5% + €0.25 for non-EEA cards. US rates are typically 2.9% + $0.30.
What matters for accounting: Stripe doesn't transfer the full amount — only net (after fee). Customer pays €100 — Stripe transfers €97.85 to your bank, keeping €2.15 as fee.
Core principle
Revenue is recorded at the gross amount (what the customer paid), and the Stripe fee as a separate expense. Don't record just the net — it distorts turnover and VAT.
Example: €100 Payment
Customer pays €100 for services (including 21% VAT). Stripe fee €2.15. Bank receives €97.85.
Correct Journal Entry (gross method)
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Bank — Stripe settlement | 97.85 | |
| Payment processing fees (expense) | 2.15 | |
| Revenue | 82.64 | |
| VAT payable (21%) | 17.36 |
If your business is VAT-exempt, revenue is €100 flat and the VAT line doesn't exist.
Gross vs Net Method
Gross Method (recommended)
Record full gross revenue, and Stripe fee separately as expense. Benefits:
- Reflects real turnover
- Lets you track true Stripe cost
- Complies with VAT (VAT is computed on gross)
- Meets GAAP / IFRS / local standards
Net Method (avoid)
Record only net (€97.85) as revenue. Not recommended because:
- Hides true fees
- VAT calculation becomes wrong
- Impossible to track Stripe cost as % of revenue
Which Expense Account?
Common chart-of-accounts placements for Stripe fees:
- Bank charges / Merchant fees — most common
- Selling expenses — payment processing — for retail-oriented businesses
- Financial expenses — some jurisdictions
In Lithuania (BAS) — typically account 6119 (Bank service fees). In US charts — often "Merchant Fees" or "Processing Fees". Be consistent across all clients for reporting clarity.
VAT Treatment
Stripe's service (payment processing) is classified as a financial service, VAT-exempt in most EU jurisdictions (Article 135(1)(d) of the EU VAT Directive).
Implications:
- Stripe doesn't issue a VAT invoice for fees
- You don't calculate VAT on the €2.15 fee
- You issue VAT invoice to the customer for the full €100
- Stripe fee behaves like a bank charge — no VAT
Audit explanation
If an auditor asks "why did the bank receive €97.85 when the invoice was €100" — the answer is the €2.15 bank/merchant fee account. Both entries must appear in your books.
Refunds and Disputes
Refund
When you refund a customer, Stripe reverses the revenue but keeps the original fee (€2.15). Accounting-wise:
- Revenue reversal (−€100)
- VAT reversal (−€17.36)
- Additional cost: Stripe fee stays (€2.15 as sunk cost)
Chargeback
Stripe adds a €15 chargeback fee. This is an additional processing expense.
How to Automate Stripe Bookkeeping
Stripe exports balance transactions as CSV, but accounting software wants camt.053 XML. Manually entering 200+ transactions a month — hours of work.
ProBankConvert converts Stripe CSV → camt.053 XML. Each transaction includes:
- Gross amount (Amt)
- Separate fee field (Chrgs)
- Net amount for balancing
- Customer info (in description)
Your accounting software reads gross and fees separately — you just map them to the right accounts.
Automate Stripe bookkeeping
Convert Stripe CSV to camt.053 XML in 30 seconds. 1 free conversion per month.
Convert Stripe CSV →