How to use the marketplace fee comparison
- 1Enter the sale price of the item and the shipping the buyer pays.
- 2Enter what the item cost you and what you pay for a shipping label.
- 3Read the table. Marketplaces are ranked by the profit you keep, with the fees and payout for each.
- 4Open any marketplace’s own calculator from the table to add categories, ads, sales tax or other options.
How each marketplace charges sellers
Every marketplace takes its fee differently, which is why a simple percentage comparison can mislead. eBay charges 13.6% of the whole sale, including shipping and sales tax, plus $0.40 per order. Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee and 3% + $0.25 for payment processing. Mercari takes 10% of the item price and shipping.
Poshmark takes 20% of the item price, or $2.95 under $15, but the buyer pays for the shipping label separately. Depop charges US sellers no selling fee, only 3.3% + $0.45 for payment processing. TikTok Shop charges a referral fee, published at 6% for most US categories.
eBay 13.6% × (item + shipping + tax) + $0.40 Etsy $0.20 + 6.5% × (item + shipping) + 3% × total + $0.25 Poshmark 20% × item ($2.95 under $15) Mercari 10% × (item + shipping) Depop 3.3% × (item + shipping + tax) + $0.45 TikTok Shop 6% × (item + shipping)
Why the lowest fee is not always the best choice
Fees are only one part of where to sell. A marketplace with more buyers for your kind of item may sell it faster or for a higher price, which can outweigh a few dollars of fees. Vintage clothing often sells well on Depop, handmade goods on Etsy, collectibles and electronics on eBay.
Extra costs also change the picture. Promoted Listings on eBay, Offsite Ads on Etsy, boosting on Depop and creator commissions on TikTok Shop each take a further share of any sale that comes through them, often more than the standard fees themselves. Run your usual sale through each marketplace’s own calculator with those options switched on.
Shipping changes the comparison
On most marketplaces, the shipping the buyer pays passes through you, the fee is charged on it, and you pay for the label. Poshmark works differently: the buyer pays Poshmark for a prepaid label, so shipping is neither part of your payout nor a cost to you. The table accounts for that.
If you offer free shipping, enter 0 for the shipping the buyer pays and keep your label cost. The fees fall, but so does what you receive, so build postage into your price.
What this comparison includes
The table uses each marketplace’s standard US seller fees as checked in November 2026: eBay’s rate for most categories without a Store, and no ads, promotions or sales tax. It works in US dollars because several fees are fixed dollar amounts. Fees change, so check each marketplace’s fee page before relying on a figure, and use the individual calculators to change any rate.
Worked example
A seller has a $40 jacket that cost $12. Buyers pay $8 shipping and the label costs the seller $7.50.
| Depop: fees $2.03 | $26.47 profit |
| TikTok Shop: fees $2.88 | $25.62 profit |
| Mercari: fees $4.80 | $23.70 profit |
| Etsy: fees $5.01 | $23.49 profit |
| eBay: fees $6.93 | $21.57 profit |
| Poshmark: fees $8.00 (buyer pays the label) | $20.00 profit |
On standard fees, the same jacket earns between $20.00 and $26.47 depending on where it sells: a $6.47 difference, or about a third more profit on Depop than on Poshmark.