Guide · 3 min read · 3 November 2026
Amazon vs Etsy vs eBay vs Shopify: What Online Sellers Really Keep in 2026
Every marketplace advertises low fees, but the money you keep depends on referral fees, payment processing, fulfillment, ads and returns. Here is how to work out real profit before you list a product.
Amazon FBA
Amazon charges a referral fee (15% for most categories) plus an FBA fulfillment fee based on size and weight, and monthly storage. A $29.99 product that costs $8 to make and ship in, with a $5.20 FBA fee and $3 of advertising per unit, keeps about $9 - roughly 30% margin. FBA fees change each year, so always copy the current fee for your item.
Etsy
For US shops Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping, and payment processing of about 3% + $0.25. Sales that come from Etsy's Offsite Ads add 15% (12% for larger shops). On a $35 item with $5 shipping, standard fees are about $4.25.
eBay
Most eBay categories charge a final value fee of 13.6% on the total the buyer pays - including shipping and sales tax - up to $7,500, plus $0.40 per order ($0.30 for orders of $10 or less). Top Rated Plus sellers get a discount; promoted listings add their own fee.
Your own Shopify store
A store of your own has no marketplace commission, but you pay a monthly plan, apps and card processing (about 2.5-2.9% + $0.30 for US online cards), and you must bring your own traffic - usually through ads. The number that matters is break-even ROAS: the revenue each ad dollar must bring in before you make money. With a 40% gross margin, you need at least 2.5× just to break even.
Payment fees on direct sales
Selling through invoices or social media? PayPal goods and services costs about 3.49% + $0.49 in the US, Stripe about 2.9% + $0.30 for US cards. On large B2B invoices, ACH bank transfers are usually far cheaper.
A quick profit checklist
- Landed cost per unit (product, packaging, freight, duties).
- Marketplace or payment fees at your real price.
- Fulfillment and shipping labels.
- Advertising cost per sale.
- Returns, refunds and damaged stock (2-10% depending on category).
- Your time - pay yourself before calling it profit.
Run every product through the numbers before you order inventory. A product that looks good at $24.99 can lose money once ads and returns are counted, while the same product at $29.99 may be healthy.
Re-check fees every January. Marketplaces usually announce changes for the new year, and a 1% fee change can wipe out thin margins.
Free tools for this
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