Methodology & data sources
Transparency is the core of our E-E-A-T. This page documents exactly where each fee comes from, when it was captured, and the formulas behind every derived figure.
The dated-snapshot method
Marketplaces publish their seller fees on their own fee pages, but they change them and often render them with JavaScript. We therefore use a dated snapshot: a human gathers the current published fees from each marketplace's official fee page, structures them into a committed dataset, and stamps every page with the capture date (snapshot June 2026, i.e. as of June 2026). The site never fetches fees at build time — it reads only the committed snapshot — so what you see is exactly what was verified on the capture date.
We do not fabricate figures. Where a marketplace does not publish a single public fee schedule (Temu), we show the reported range with a caveat and the field is rendered as "varies", never a guessed number. Marketplaces change fees frequently — verify on the linked official fee page before relying on them.
What we cover
15 online marketplaces where individuals and businesses sell to consumers, plus all 38 Amazon referral-fee categories and the 2026 FBA fulfillment-fee table. We focus on what the marketplace takes from the seller: selling/referral/final-value fees, per-order fixed fees, payment processing and (for Amazon) fulfillment. Shopify is included as an "own store" benchmark — it is not a marketplace and takes no commission, only payment processing.
The effective-fee model (how the calculator and rankings work)
To compare marketplaces on the same basis, we compute an effective fee on a $50 sale:
- Selling fee = headline selling/referral percentage × sale price, with the per-item minimum applied where one exists (Amazon $0.30).
- + per-order fixed fee (e.g. eBay $0.30-$0.40, Mercari $0.50).
- + payment processing where charged separately (e.g. Etsy 3% + $0.25, Depop 3.3% + $0.45).
The profit calculator applies the same model to your inputs and then subtracts your item cost and shipping to show net profit and margin. For Amazon it uses your chosen category referral rate. It runs entirely in your browser; we don't store inputs.
Effective fee on a $50 sale (all marketplaces)
| Marketplace | Seller fee | Effective fee ($50) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 8% to 45% by category (most categories 15%) | ~15.0% | Amazon Seller Central referral fee schedule |
| eBay | 12.7% to 15.3% by category | ~14.4% | eBay Selling fees |
| Etsy | 6.5% transaction fee (all categories) | ~10.0% | Etsy Fees & Payments Policy |
| Walmart Marketplace | 6% to 15% by category (most categories 15%) | ~15.0% | Walmart Marketplace referral fee schedule |
| Shopify | 0% marketplace commission; payment processing 2.4%-2.9% + $0.30 | ~3.5% | Shopify pricing |
| Poshmark | $2.95 flat under $15; 20% on sales $15 and over | ~20.0% | Poshmark seller fees |
| Mercari | 0% selling fee; 2.9% + $0.50 payment processing | ~4.9% | Mercari selling fees |
| Depop | 0% selling fee (US/UK); 3.3% + $0.45 payment processing | ~5.1% | Depop selling fees |
| Vinted | 0% seller fee; buyers pay a Buyer Protection fee instead | ~0.0% | Vinted Help Centre (fees) |
| TikTok Shop | 6% referral on most categories (5% select jewelry); new sellers 3% promo | ~6.0% | TikTok Shop US seller fees |
| Facebook Marketplace | 0% local pickup; ~5-10% selling fee on shipped orders | ~10.0% | Facebook/Meta Commerce fees |
| Reverb | 5% selling fee (min $0.50, capped at $500) | ~9.2% | Reverb selling fees |
| StockX | 8%-9.5% transaction fee by seller level + 3% processing | ~12.0% | StockX seller fees |
| Bonanza | ~3.5% base Final Offer Value fee (rises with advertising tier) | ~4.5% | Bonanza selling fees |
| Temu Marketplace | ~2-5% consignment (built into supply price) or ~8-15% semi-managed referral | varies | Temu seller program |
Data sources (summary)
| Source | Refresh cadence | License / nature |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon — Sell on Amazon fee schedule (referral fees) | none | Marketplace published fee schedule |
| Amazon — 2026 US FBA fulfillment fee changes | none | Marketplace published fee schedule |
| eBay — Selling fees | none | Marketplace published fee schedule |
| Etsy — Fees & Payments Policy | none | Marketplace published fee schedule |
| Walmart Marketplace — Referral fee schedule | none | Marketplace published fee schedule |
| Shopify — Pricing | none | Vendor published pricing |
| TikTok Shop, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Vinted, Reverb, StockX, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Bonanza, Temu — official seller fee pages | none | Marketplace published fee schedules |
What's excluded
The headline comparisons and calculator focus on the core seller fee. They do not include Amazon FBA fulfillment and storage, optional advertising/promoted listings (eBay, Etsy Offsite Ads, TikTok Shop affiliate commissions), monthly Store/subscription fees, currency conversion, chargebacks, or sales tax — all of which can materially change your real net. Some marketplaces also charge the percentage on shipping and tax, which raises the effective rate above the headline number.
Limitations & accuracy
Figures are estimates for general information and may lag the underlying source or contain errors. This is an informational comparison, not a quote or business advice. Always verify against the marketplace's official fee page before relying on it. See our disclaimer. The long tail (more marketplaces and Amazon sub-categories) expands in later waves as search demand warrants.
Last updated: 2026-06-29