to compare marketplace fees.
How do marketplace fees work?
Every e-commerce platform charges a different combination of fees to sell on their site. While one platform might have no monthly cost, they take a larger cut of each sale. Another might have lower transaction fees but charge a flat monthly subscription. Understanding the true cost of selling is critical to pricing your products correctly and protecting your profit margin.
Most marketplace fees can be broken down into three main categories:
When you combine these, the “headline” fee is rarely what you actually pay. For example, selling a $50 item on Etsy incurs a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee, and a payment processing fee (usually 3% + $0.25). Before considering manufacturing or shipping costs, Etsy takes nearly $5.20 from that sale.
Etsy vs. Shopify vs. Amazon vs. eBay
Each platform has a distinct pricing model:
Etsy is perfect for handmade and niche goods because it brings buyers to you, but you pay for that traffic. In addition to standard transaction and listing fees, you may be subject to a 12% or 15% Offsite Ads fee if Etsy promotes your listing externally.
Shopify gives you complete control over your brand and the lowest transaction fees (typically just the 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing if using Shopify Payments). However, you pay a flat monthly subscription (starting at $39/month) and you are entirely responsible for driving your own traffic.
Amazon gives you access to the largest buyer base in the world. They charge a referral fee that varies by category (typically 8% to 15%). If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you pay additional picking, packing, and shipping fees based on the item’s size and weight.
eBay charges an insertion fee (though you get a set number free each month) and a final value fee, which takes a percentage of the total amount of the sale plus a flat $0.30 per order.
How to use this calculator
Enter your financials. Input your selling price, the cost to manufacture or acquire the item, the amount you charge the customer for shipping, and your actual shipping cost.
Toggle between platforms. Use the tabs at the top of the calculator to instantly switch between Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, and eBay. The calculator will automatically apply the standard fees for each platform.
Review your profit. The results clearly break down exactly how much goes to fees, how much it cost you to fulfill the order, and your final take-home net profit and profit margin.