Marketplace Fees Compared: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Etsy

Fee Overview by Platform

Every marketplace charges fees differently, and comparing just the headline percentages is misleading because some platforms bundle payment processing into their selling fee while others charge it separately, some charge monthly subscriptions, and some add fulfillment costs that double the total expense. The only accurate comparison is total cost per sale: every dollar that leaves your revenue before it reaches your bank account.

Amazon charges a $39.99 monthly Professional seller fee plus referral fees of 8 to 45 percent by category (most categories are 15 percent). FBA adds fulfillment fees of $3.22 to $10+ per unit and storage fees of $0.87 to $2.40 per cubic foot per month. Payment processing is included in the referral fee. eBay charges no mandatory monthly fee (optional Store subscriptions from $7.95 to $349.95), a final value fee of 13.25 percent plus $0.30 per order in most categories, and payment processing is included. Walmart Marketplace charges no monthly fee, no listing fees, and referral fees of 6 to 20 percent by category with payment processing included. Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, a 6.5 percent transaction fee, and a separate 3 percent plus $0.25 payment processing fee, totaling roughly 10 to 12 percent before Offsite Ads.

Poshmark charges $2.95 flat on sales under $15 and 20 percent on sales of $15 or more, with shipping paid by the buyer at a flat $7.67. Mercari charges 10 percent plus payment processing of 2.9 percent plus $0.50 per transaction. Facebook Marketplace charges zero for local pickup and 5 percent for shipped orders. Bonanza charges 3.5 percent on items under $500 with no other fees at the basic level.

Real Dollar Comparison at $25 Sale Price

A $25 product sold on each platform demonstrates how fee structures translate to actual dollars. Amazon charges a 15 percent referral fee ($3.75) plus FBA fulfillment (approximately $5.50 for a standard one-pound item) plus a prorated share of the $39.99 monthly fee, bringing total Amazon cost to approximately $9.60 per sale or 38.4 percent. Without FBA (seller-fulfilled), Amazon costs approximately $4.10 per sale or 16.4 percent.

eBay charges 13.25 percent of $25 ($3.31) plus $0.30, totaling $3.61 or 14.4 percent. Walmart charges approximately 15 percent ($3.75) for most categories, totaling $3.75 or 15 percent. Etsy charges $0.20 listing fee plus 6.5 percent transaction fee ($1.63) plus 3 percent plus $0.25 processing ($1.00), totaling $2.83 or 11.3 percent before Offsite Ads. Poshmark charges 20 percent ($5.00), totaling $5.00 or 20 percent. Mercari charges 10 percent ($2.50) plus 2.9 percent plus $0.50 processing ($1.23), totaling $3.73 or 14.9 percent. Facebook Marketplace shipped charges 5 percent ($1.25), totaling $1.25 or 5 percent. Bonanza charges 3.5 percent ($0.88), totaling $0.88 or 3.5 percent.

At this price point, Bonanza is cheapest at $0.88, followed by Facebook at $1.25, Etsy at $2.83, eBay at $3.61, Mercari at $3.73, Walmart at $3.75, Amazon seller-fulfilled at $4.10, Poshmark at $5.00, and Amazon FBA at $9.60. The ranking shifts at different price points because of fixed per-transaction fees and because some platforms become proportionally cheaper at higher values.

Real Dollar Comparison at $75 Sale Price

At $75, the platform cost landscape shifts because fixed fees become proportionally smaller and percentage-based differences become more significant in absolute dollars. Amazon charges 15 percent ($11.25) plus FBA fulfillment (approximately $6.50 for a standard item), totaling approximately $18.10 or 24.1 percent with FBA, or $11.60 or 15.5 percent seller-fulfilled. eBay charges 13.25 percent ($9.94) plus $0.30, totaling $10.24 or 13.7 percent. Walmart charges approximately 15 percent ($11.25), totaling $11.25 or 15 percent.

Etsy charges $0.20 plus 6.5 percent ($4.88) plus 3 percent plus $0.25 ($2.50), totaling $7.58 or 10.1 percent. Poshmark charges 20 percent ($15.00). Mercari charges 10 percent ($7.50) plus 2.9 percent plus $0.50 ($2.68), totaling $10.18 or 13.6 percent. Facebook charges 5 percent ($3.75). Bonanza charges 3.5 percent ($2.63).

At $75, the savings from lower-fee platforms become substantial in dollar terms. Selling on Bonanza instead of Amazon FBA saves $15.47 per sale, though Bonanza's traffic is so much lower that you might make one Bonanza sale for every 20 Amazon sales. The practical comparison for most sellers is between the major platforms: eBay at $10.24, Walmart at $11.25, and Amazon seller-fulfilled at $11.60 are closely clustered, while Amazon FBA at $18.10 costs significantly more but delivers Prime-eligible conversion rates that often justify the premium.

Real Dollar Comparison at $200 Sale Price

Higher-priced items amplify the dollar difference between platforms, making fee optimization critical for sellers in categories like electronics, designer fashion, and home furnishings. Amazon charges 15 percent ($30.00) plus FBA fulfillment (approximately $8.50 for a mid-size item), totaling approximately $38.85 or 19.4 percent with FBA. eBay charges 13.25 percent ($26.50) plus $0.30, totaling $26.80 or 13.4 percent. Walmart charges 15 percent ($30.00).

Etsy charges $0.20 plus 6.5 percent ($13.00) plus 3 percent plus $0.25 ($6.25), totaling $19.45 or 9.7 percent. Poshmark charges 20 percent ($40.00). Mercari charges 10 percent ($20.00) plus 2.9 percent plus $0.50 ($6.30), totaling $26.30 or 13.2 percent. Facebook charges 5 percent ($10.00). Bonanza charges 3.5 percent ($7.00).

At $200, Poshmark's flat 20 percent rate makes it the most expensive platform at $40 per sale, which is why many fashion resellers list higher-value items on eBay ($26.80 per sale) instead of or alongside Poshmark. The $13.20 per-sale savings on eBay versus Poshmark at this price point is significant for sellers moving multiple high-value items monthly. Etsy's combined fees remain competitive at $19.45, but the Offsite Ads surcharge (15 percent on advertising-generated sales for most sellers) would add up to $30 more if the sale came through Etsy's external ads, potentially bringing the total to $49.45 or 24.7 percent.

Hidden Costs Beyond Selling Fees

The per-sale fee comparisons above do not include costs that vary by seller decisions and circumstances. Advertising is the largest variable cost on most platforms. Amazon PPC typically costs $0.50 to $5.00 per click with an average advertising cost of sale (ACoS) of 15 to 30 percent, meaning advertising can add 15 to 30 percent to your total cost on top of referral and FBA fees. eBay Promoted Listings cost 2 to 10 percent of the sale price on promoted sales. Walmart Sponsored Products cost $0.30 to $1.50 per click. Etsy Ads cost $0.20 to $2.00 per click. For new sellers or competitive categories, advertising is not optional, it is the cost of visibility, and it should be included in any honest profitability calculation.

Returns are another cost that varies significantly by platform. Amazon's buyer-friendly return policy means return rates of 5 to 15 percent in many categories, with the seller absorbing return shipping costs and often receiving damaged or used returns. eBay's return rates are typically lower at 3 to 8 percent. Poshmark's no-return policy (except for items not as described) results in very low return rates under 3 percent. Each return costs you the original shipping, return shipping (on some platforms), restocking time, and often the inability to resell the item at full price.

Fulfillment costs for self-fulfilled sellers include packaging materials ($0.50 to $3.00 per order), shipping postage (varies by weight, distance, and carrier), and the labor time to pick, pack, and ship each order. Sellers who do not account for their own time as a cost frequently miscalculate their true profitability. If packing and shipping takes 10 minutes per order and you value your time at $30 per hour, each order has an implicit labor cost of $5 that should factor into platform comparisons. The shipping guide covers cost optimization strategies across carriers.

Which Platform Is Cheapest for Your Business

The cheapest platform depends on your specific situation. For sellers who handle their own fulfillment and sell products in the $20 to $100 range, Bonanza is cheapest at 3.5 percent but has minimal traffic, Facebook Marketplace shipped is next at 5 percent with moderate traffic, and Etsy is cheapest among major platforms at 10 to 12 percent if your products fit the handmade or vintage categories. For general products, eBay at 13.25 percent plus $0.30 is typically the cheapest major marketplace.

For sellers who need marketplace fulfillment, the comparison is between Amazon FBA and Walmart Fulfillment Services. WFS is generally cheaper than FBA for items in the one to three pound range, with lower storage fees and competitive fulfillment rates. Amazon FBA is more expensive but delivers higher conversion rates through Prime eligibility and Amazon's larger customer base. The right choice depends on whether the higher Amazon conversion rate generates enough additional profit to offset the higher fees.

For most multi-channel sellers, the answer is not choosing the cheapest platform but choosing the combination of platforms that maximizes total profit. Selling on Amazon FBA at higher fees but higher volume, supplemented by eBay at lower fees for products that perform well there, supplemented by Walmart for incremental reach, produces more total profit than selling exclusively on whichever platform has the lowest per-sale cost. The marketplace selection guide helps you build this multi-platform strategy.