Compare Marketplace Selling Fees: eBay, Etsy & Walmart

A seller fee calculator is useful only when it compares the same sale and respects each marketplace's fee base. For a standard U.S. baseline, eBay most-category sellers without a Store pay 13.6% on the total amount of the sale up to $7,500, then 2.35% above that amount, plus a per-order charge. Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee, a country-specific payment-processing fee, and a listing fee. Walmart Marketplace charges a category-based referral fee and has no standard setup or monthly marketplace fee.

Those headlines are not interchangeable. eBay includes buyer-paid tax in its final-value-fee base. Etsy's transaction fee excludes U.S. sales tax, while Etsy Payments processing includes tax. Walmart's referral fee uses total sales price and varies by category. This guide and calculator use live official policies reviewed August 18, 2026 and make the exact baseline visible.

Which marketplace has the lowest seller fee?

There is no universal winner. On the calculator's baseline, Etsy often has the lowest standard percentage, but its listing and payment charges matter on small orders. eBay's most-category rate is higher and includes buyer tax in the base. Walmart's Everything Else rate is 15%, while eligible categories can be 6%, 8%, 10%, or 12%, and several categories use thresholds.

Profit, not the headline rate, is the decision metric. A platform with a higher fee can still produce more profit if its buyers support a higher sale price or if fulfillment costs are lower. Hold price and costs constant first, then test realistic platform-specific prices as a second scenario.

Compare identical item prices first
Keep buyer shipping and tax separate
Subtract inventory, postage, and packaging after platform fees
Verify the item's actual category before listing

How does the eBay fee baseline work?

For a U.S. seller without an eBay Store in most categories, the official schedule lists 13.6% on the total amount of the sale up to $7,500 per item and 2.35% on the portion above $7,500. The per-order fee is $0.30 when the order total is $10 or less and $0.40 above $10. The fee base includes item price, handling, buyer-paid shipping, sales tax, and other applicable amounts.

A $100 item with $10 buyer shipping and $8 tax has a $118 fee base. At 13.6%, the percentage portion is $16.05 after cent rounding, and the $0.40 order charge produces $16.45. Store subscriptions, special categories, promoted listings, international fees, performance surcharges, and insertion fees outside the free allowance are excluded.

How does the Etsy fee baseline work?

Etsy's official policy charges a 6.5% transaction fee on the displayed item price plus shipping and gift wrap. For a U.S. seller, Etsy Payments lists 3% plus $0.25 on the total sale amount, including tax and shipping. Creating or renewing a listing costs $0.20. The comparison models one listing fee for one sold quantity.

For the same $100 item, $10 shipping, and $8 tax, the transaction fee is $7.15. Payment processing is $3.79, and the listing fee is $0.20, producing $11.14 in modeled standard fees. Offsite Ads, Etsy Ads, setup fees, currency conversion, deposit charges, and location-specific regulatory fees are not included.

How does the Walmart Marketplace baseline work?

Walmart deducts a referral fee after a completed sale. Its official pricing page says the rate depends on product category and total sales price, with no standard setup or monthly Marketplace fee. The comparison uses Everything Else at 15% because it is an explicit official category, not an inferred blended average.

For a $100 item and $10 buyer shipping, the modeled referral base is $110 and the fee is $16.50. Buyer tax is excluded from this referral estimate. Many Walmart categories are lower than 15%, so sellers should use the dedicated Walmart calculator to select the actual category. WFS, storage, advertising, returns, and promotional savings are separate.

How do you compare payout, profit, margin, and ROI?

Marketplace fee is the amount charged under the modeled schedule. Net payout is seller revenue after that fee. Profit subtracts inventory, seller-paid shipping, packaging, and other direct costs from payout. Margin divides profit by seller revenue. ROI divides profit by the seller's invested costs. These measures answer different questions and should not be labeled interchangeably.

Suppose seller revenue is $110 and direct costs are $47. Using the examples above, eBay profit is $46.55, Etsy profit is $51.86, and Walmart profit is $46.50. That comparison does not prove Etsy is the best place to sell. It shows what the three stated fee baselines do to one controlled scenario.

What must you verify before choosing a marketplace?

Confirm the platform, country, seller plan, product category, sale price, buyer shipping, tax treatment, fulfillment method, advertising choice, and any account-specific surcharge or promotion. Then check the official policy again when the listing goes live. Fee schedules can change, and category classification can matter more than small differences in headline rates.

Also consider demand, return exposure, seller protections, payment timing, listing labor, inventory restrictions, and the price customers actually pay. The cheapest fee schedule can be a poor choice if the item sells slowly or only at a lower price.

Three practical comparison checks

First, run a low-price order because fixed fees have their greatest percentage impact there. Second, run the expected sale with realistic shipping and tax. Third, run a high-price or category-specific scenario in each dedicated calculator, especially where eBay's $7,500 tier or Walmart category thresholds apply.

Keep a dated note of the official sources used. If the account dashboard shows a different rate, use the account disclosure for that transaction and treat this public calculator as planning support.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What marketplace has the lowest selling fees?

It depends on category, country, plan, payment processing, fulfillment, and sale price. The calculator compares a clearly defined U.S. baseline rather than claiming one universal winner.

Does eBay charge fees on sales tax?

Yes. eBay says the total amount of the sale used for final value fees includes sales tax.

Does Etsy charge 6.5% total?

No. The 6.5% transaction fee is separate from listing fees, Etsy Payments processing, advertising, and other applicable charges.

Does Walmart Marketplace charge a monthly fee?

Walmart says there is no standard setup or monthly Marketplace fee. It deducts a category-based referral fee after a completed sale.

Are shipping costs included in marketplace fee bases?

Buyer-paid shipping is included in all three modeled baselines. Seller-paid postage is a separate business cost that reduces profit.