THE MONTH-END FIELD GUIDE
PayPal fees report: how to see total fees for a month
Use a transaction-level Activity Download to separate gross payments, fees and net activity. A bank withdrawal is a transfer, not another sale.
Try four sample files, inspect the source rows and download a summary. No signup required.
Try the free reconciliation tool →1. Download activity as CSV
In PayPal, open Reports and Activity Download. Choose your month and CSV format. Include Date, Type, Status, Currency, Gross, Fee, Net and Transaction ID. Request the report and download it when it is ready. Account menus can vary by country.
2. Read the fee column
Keep amounts in their original currency. PayoutLens treats fees as signed amounts and checks gross plus fee against net on each row. Pending rows stay separate from completed activity. Memo rows are excluded to avoid counting non-balance-impacting events twice.
3. Reconcile withdrawals separately
Import your bank CSV alongside PayPal activity. The gross payments in the month need not equal the withdrawals in the month: funds can remain in PayPal or settle later. Inspect the monthly summary and trace any amount to source rows.
4. Keep the evidence
Export the summary CSV on the Free plan. Review adjustments, refunds and disputes independently; do not assume that every negative line is a fee. Keep your PayPal export with the reconciliation for your accountant.
Export reference: PayPal: Activity Download report. Checked October 31, 2026. Provider menus may change.
Not accounting or tax advice. Your accountant decides how transactions should be recorded.
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