I'm driving across Europe for the first time. It's a bit like a check-the-boxes trip, going through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Are there any border crossings that charge fees or anything else I should be aware of ?

There is no toll charge for driving in Europe. There is no toll charge for highways in Germany, and some countries require the purchase of highway tolls. Generally, gas stations have them.

These countries either have toll stations or do not charge tolls (Germany), unlike Austria and Sweden where you need to buy an annual (daily) pass. Also, pay attention to following traffic regulations, especially those related to road rights.

There are no obvious signs for the border crossing. You need to tell the carpool which countries you are going to, and they will add the border crossing fee. After that, there is no toll fee for highways throughout Germany, so you can drive as you like, but for the other three countries, if you drive on the highway, you need to confirm whether there is a toll fee.