Etsy vs eBay fees
Computed with the same calculators as the tool pages · updated
Etsy vs eBay fees, on the same $100 sale: Etsy takes $9.95 and eBay takes $14.00, so Etsy is $4.05 cheaper. Etsy stays cheaper at every price in the table below — until an order comes through Offsite Ads, when it becomes the more expensive of the two by a wide margin.
Fees on the same sale
| Sale | Etsy | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.40 14.0% (lowest) | $1.66 16.6% |
| $25.00 | $2.83 11.3% (lowest) | $3.80 15.2% |
| $50.00 | $5.20 10.4% (lowest) | $7.20 14.4% |
| $100.00 | $9.95 9.9% (lowest) | $14.00 14.0% |
| $250.00 | $24.20 9.7% (lowest) | $34.40 13.8% |
| $500.00 | $47.95 9.6% (lowest) | $68.40 13.7% |
Green is the lowest fee at that price. Assumptions: Etsy: transaction, payment processing and one listing fee; not an Offsite Ads sale. eBay: most categories, no Store subscription, free shipping.
Why eBay usually takes more
eBay charges one final value fee of 13.6% in most categories plus a per-order fee, and it applies that percentage to the whole amount the buyer pays, shipping included. Etsy splits its cut into a 6.5% transaction fee, 3% plus 25¢ for payment processing, and a 20¢ listing fee. Added up, that is still several points below eBay on an ordinary sale.
Both marketplaces charge their percentage on shipping as well as the item, so charging the buyer more for postage does not escape either fee. Run your own numbers with shipping in the Etsy fee calculator and the eBay fee calculator.
When Etsy costs more than eBay
Offsite Ads. When Etsy's own advertising brings the buyer in, it adds 15% of the order total (12% once a shop passes $10,000 a year, when the ads also become compulsory). On a $100 order that lifts Etsy's cut to $24.95, against eBay's $14.00.
Listing fees are the other difference. Etsy charges 20¢ for every listing whether or not it sells, and again each time it renews; eBay gives most sellers a monthly allowance of free listings. A shop with hundreds of slow-moving listings pays for them on Etsy, and not on eBay.
What the fee table does not decide
Etsy only allows handmade goods, vintage items at least 20 years old and craft supplies, and its buyers arrive looking for exactly that. eBay takes almost anything and its buyers search by model number. A lower fee on the wrong marketplace still sells less. If you already know both, the eBay profit calculator and Etsy profit calculator take your costs into account as well as the fees.
Questions sellers ask
Is it cheaper to sell on Etsy than eBay?
On most sales, yes. At $50 Etsy takes $5.20 against eBay's $7.20; at $250 it is $24.20 against $34.40. The exception is an Offsite Ads order, where Etsy's extra 15% makes it the more expensive marketplace.
How much does Etsy take from a $100 sale?
$9.95 with free shipping: the 6.5% transaction fee, 3% plus 25¢ payment processing, and the 20¢ listing fee. That is a real rate of 9.9%. An Offsite Ads order adds 15% of the total on top.
How much does eBay take from a $100 sale?
$14.00 in most categories with free shipping and no eBay Store: the 13.6% final value fee plus the per-order fee, a real rate of 14.0%. Some categories are cheaper or dearer, and promoted listings are charged on top.
Do Etsy and eBay both charge fees on shipping?
Yes. Both apply their percentage fees to the total the buyer pays, so $10 of shipping charged costs you roughly $0.95 in fees on Etsy and $1.36 on eBay before you have paid for the label.