Stripe Fees in New Zealand (2026): Why Australian Sales Cost More

By the Profitvana Editorial Team · Updated August 2026

New Zealand businesses sell across the Tasman constantly, and Stripe treats every one of those sales as international. At 3.5% + NZ$0.30 against a domestic 2.65%, the neighbouring market is the most expensive customer base most Kiwi sellers have — and almost none of them price for it. Here are the 2026 rates.

Domestic, international, and conversion

Stripe New Zealand charges 2.65% + NZ$0.30 on a card issued in New Zealand, and 3.5% + NZ$0.30 on any card issued abroad. If the currency also has to be converted, add 2%.

In-person payments through Stripe Terminal start at 2.6% + NZ$0.05 for domestic cards — the fixed component drops from 30 cents to 5, which is what makes counter sales cheap on small tickets.

Payment	Rate	Fee on NZ$100
NZ-issued card, online	2.65% + NZ$0.30	NZ$2.95
Foreign card, online	3.5% + NZ$0.30	NZ$3.80
Foreign card, converted	5.5% + NZ$0.30	NZ$5.80
NZ-issued card, in person	from 2.6% + NZ$0.05	NZ$2.65

Australia is 'international'

This is the line worth internalising. An Australian customer paying with an Australian card is charged at 3.5% + NZ$0.30, exactly like a customer in Germany or Japan. There is no trans-Tasman tier.

For a business doing 40% of its revenue in Australia, the blended rate is 3.0%, not 2.65% — and if those sales are priced and settled in Australian dollars, the 2% conversion takes it past 3.8%.

The fix is the same one that works everywhere: price in New Zealand dollars and let the Australian buyer's bank convert. That removes the 2% without touching the 3.5%, which is not negotiable.

New Zealand against Australia on the same platform

It is worth knowing that Stripe's Australian rates sit below New Zealand's, which occasionally prompts NZ businesses to consider an Australian entity. Rarely worth it: an Australian entity turns your New Zealand customers into the international tier instead, and adds a second set of compliance obligations to save fractions of a point.

For the Australian side of the comparison see Stripe fees in Australia. If Australian revenue is a large and growing share, the question worth asking is not which entity but how you are converting — compare the spread in the Wise fee calculator.

What a typical month costs

An NZ store doing NZ$25,000 a month across 250 orders, 70% domestic and 30% Australian, priced in NZD: about NZ$463 in domestic fees and NZ$278 on the Australian share — NZ$741, or 3.0% of revenue.

Priced in Australian dollars instead, the conversion adds roughly NZ$150 a month. That is NZ$1,800 a year for a convenience that Australian buyers, who are used to seeing NZD prices, generally do not require.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Stripe charge in New Zealand?

2.65% + NZ$0.30 for a New Zealand-issued card online, and 3.5% + NZ$0.30 for any card issued outside New Zealand. Currency conversion adds a further 2%. In person, domestic cards start at 2.6% + NZ$0.05.

Are Australian customers charged the international rate in New Zealand?

Yes. Stripe has no trans-Tasman tier, so an Australian card is charged 3.5% + NZ$0.30 exactly like a card from anywhere else outside New Zealand.

Should I price in NZD or AUD for Australian customers?

New Zealand dollars. AUD pricing triggers Stripe's 2% conversion fee on every Australian sale, while NZD pricing leaves the conversion to the buyer's bank at no cost to you.

Is it cheaper to take payments in person in New Zealand?

On small amounts, yes — in-person rates start at 2.6% + NZ$0.05 against 2.65% + NZ$0.30 online, so the saving comes almost entirely from the smaller fixed fee.

Stripe fees in other countries

Stripe prices every market differently — the same sale can cost twice as much depending on where your business is registered. We verify each of these against Stripe’s own published fee page for that country:

Sources

Stripe New Zealand pricing (official)