Every marketplace advertises its headline fee, but what you actually pay depends on how each one charges shipping, payment processing, fixed per-order fees and monthly plans. Below we run the same order through each platform, using the published US fee rates for 2026.
Quick answer
- Lowest per-order fees: your own Shopify store (about 3.8%), but you pay a monthly plan and find your own customers.
- Cheapest marketplace: Etsy at about 10.8% before ads, if your products are handmade, vintage or craft supplies.
- eBay costs about 14.7% in most categories but has no monthly fee without a Store.
- Amazon FBA takes about 27% on this order, but that includes picking, packing and Prime delivery.
The test order
A buyer in the US orders a $30 item and pays $5 shipping, $35 in total. No ads, no sales tax and a domestic payment. For Amazon we list it at $35 with free Prime shipping, as a 12 oz large standard FBA item.
| Platform | Fees on a $35 order | % of order | Monthly cost | What the fee covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | $3.78 | 10.8% | $0 (Etsy Plus optional) | Listing ($0.20), 6.5% transaction, 3% + $0.25 processing |
| eBay | $5.16 | 14.7% | $0 without a Store | 13.6% final value fee + $0.40 per order |
| Shopify (Basic, Shopify Payments) | $1.32 | 3.8% | Monthly Shopify plan | 2.9% + 30¢ card processing |
| Amazon FBA | $9.60 | 27.4% | $39.99 Professional plan | 15% referral + $4.35 FBA fulfillment (incl. delivery to buyer) |
| PayPal on your own site | $1.71 | 4.9% | $0 | 3.49% + $0.49 checkout fee |
The percentages look very different, but they are not like-for-like. Amazon's figure includes delivering the parcel, which costs Etsy, eBay and Shopify sellers about $5 out of their own pocket on this order. Shopify and PayPal are cheap per order, but they bring no buyers. You pay for traffic with ads, and on many stores ads cost more per order than any marketplace fee.
Etsy fees explained
Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee on item price plus shipping, and payment processing of 3% + $0.25 in the US. If the sale came from an Offsite Ad, Etsy also takes 12% or 15% of the order, capped at $100. That can push a single order's fees above 25%. Etsy is the cheapest marketplace for handmade goods, but always price with Offsite Ads in mind. Calculate your Etsy fees →
eBay fees explained
eBay's final value fee is 13.6% in most categories and is charged on the full order, including shipping and sales tax. Add a $0.40 per-order fee on orders over $10. Some categories are cheaper: guitars are 6.7%, and sneakers over $150 are 8% with no per-order fee. Books, media and luxury categories are more expensive. With 250 free listings a month and no subscription needed, eBay is the easiest place to start selling used or branded goods. Calculate your eBay fees →
Shopify fees explained
Shopify doesn't take a commission when you use Shopify Payments. You pay card processing (2.9% + 30¢ on Basic) and a monthly plan. The real cost is customer acquisition. If you spend $12 on ads to win a $35 order, your "fee" is effectively over 38%. Shopify wins once you have repeat customers, an email list or organic traffic. Calculate your Shopify profit →
Amazon FBA fees explained
Amazon charges a referral fee (15% in most categories) and an FBA fulfillment fee based on size and weight. 2026 fees start at $3.32 plus a 3.5% fuel surcharge. Storage, inbound placement and the $39.99 monthly plan come on top. It is the most expensive option per order, but it gives you Prime eligibility and Amazon's huge buyer traffic. Estimate your FBA fees →
Which platform should you choose?
- Handmade, personalised or vintage: start on Etsy, then add your own Shopify store once you have repeat buyers.
- Used, collectible or one-off items: eBay. Auction-style listings and a collector audience help you find buyers.
- Branded products you make in volume: Amazon FBA for reach, plus Shopify for higher-margin direct sales.
- Services and digital work: invoice through PayPal or your own site, and gross up your price with the PayPal fee calculator.
Fee rates reviewed October 2026 from each platform's published US fee pages. Fees vary by country, category and account type. Run your own numbers in the calculators linked above.
Frequently asked questions
Which selling platform has the lowest fees?
Per order, your own Shopify store with Shopify Payments has the lowest fees: about 3.8% on a $35 order. Next come Etsy (about 10.8%), eBay (about 14.7%) and Amazon FBA (about 27%, including fulfillment).
Shopify has a monthly plan and you must bring your own traffic, so the cheapest option depends on your product and how you find customers.
Is Etsy cheaper than eBay?
Usually, yes. On a typical US order, Etsy's fees are around 10–11%, against about 14–15% on eBay in most categories.
However, Etsy's Offsite Ads can add 12–15% on some orders. eBay is also cheaper in a few categories, such as guitars (6.7%) and sneakers over $150 (8%).