How eBay Fees Work: Every Seller Fee Explained
Selling on eBay looks cheap to start: most listings are free to create. The cost arrives when an item sells. This guide explains every standard eBay seller fee on eBay.com, shows how much eBay takes at common prices, and walks through a full order so you know your real payout. For your own numbers, use our free eBay fee calculator.
Quick answer: how much does eBay take? For most categories, eBay keeps 13.6% of the total sale (item + shipping + sales tax) up to $7,500, plus $0.40 per order ($0.30 if the order is $10 or less). Your first 250 listings each month are free to list. Some categories (books, jewelry, sneakers, guitars) have different rates. Check yours with our eBay fee calculator.
eBay fees at a glance
| Fee | What it costs (most categories) | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Insertion (listing) fee | First 250 listings a month free, then $0.35 per listing | When you list |
| Final value fee | 13.6% of the total sale up to $7,500, 2.35% on the part above | When the item sells |
| Per order fee | $0.30 if the order is $10 or less, $0.40 above $10 | When the item sells |
| Payment processing | No separate fee: it is included in the final value fee | — |
| Optional costs | Promoted listings, eBay Store subscription: see eBay’s fee page | Only if you choose them |
How much eBay takes on common sale prices
The table assumes a most-categories item, no shipping charge, no sales tax and no promoted listings. Fee = 13.6% of the sale + the per order fee.
| Sale total | 13.6% final value fee | Per order fee | Total eBay fees | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $1.36 | $0.30 | $1.66 | $8.34 |
| $25 | $3.40 | $0.40 | $3.80 | $21.20 |
| $50 | $6.80 | $0.40 | $7.20 | $42.80 |
| $100 | $13.60 | $0.40 | $14.00 | $86.00 |
| $250 | $34.00 | $0.40 | $34.40 | $215.60 |
| $1,000 | $136.00 | $0.40 | $136.40 | $863.60 |
Shipping changes the answer. A $50 item with $8 shipping is a $58 total: 13.6% of $58 = $7.89, plus $0.40 = $8.29 in fees. That is before sales tax, and sales tax is also part of eBay’s fee base, so the real fee is a little higher when the buyer pays tax.
1. Insertion (listing) fee
In most categories you get 250 zero insertion fee listings every month. After that, each new listing costs $0.35. The insertion fee is charged per listing and per category, and eBay Store subscribers get extra free listings (see eBay for the current store allowances). Most small sellers never pay an insertion fee.
2. Final value fee (and why shipping and tax count)
The final value fee is a percentage of the total amount of the sale. eBay defines that as the item price plus handling, the shipping the buyer pays, sales tax and any other fees charged to the buyer. For most categories the rate is 13.6% on the first $7,500 per item and 2.35% on any part above $7,500.
Two things surprise new sellers. First, you pay the fee on shipping, so free shipping and charged shipping cost the same in fees for the same total. Second, you pay it on sales tax even though eBay collects and sends that tax for you. There is no separate payment processing fee on top: since managed payments, processing is built into the final value fee. eBay announced a fee adjustment of up to 0.35% that took effect on 14 February 2025, which is reflected in the current rates.
3. Per order fee ($0.30 vs $0.40)
On top of the percentage, every order carries a fixed fee: $0.30 if the total amount of the sale is $10.00 or less, and $0.40 if it is over $10.00. An “order” is all the items one buyer pays for at checkout with the same shipping method, so a buyer who combines three items pays one per order fee, not three. On cheap items this fixed fee is a big share: on a $5 sale it alone is 6% of the price.
4. Category exceptions
Some categories do not use the standard 13.6%. These are the main exceptions from eBay’s table (always check eBay’s full fee table for your exact category):
| Category | Final value fee |
|---|---|
| Books, Movies & Music (not vinyl records) | 15.3% |
| Select collectibles, trading cards and most coins | 13.25% |
| Jewelry & Watches | 15% up to $5,000, then 9% |
| Watch parts | Tiered: 15% / 6.5% / 3% |
| Women’s Bags & Handbags | 15% up to $2,000, then 9% |
| Guitars & Basses | 6.7% |
| Athletic sneakers | 8% at $150 or more with no per order fee; 13.6% under $150 |
| Heavy equipment | 3% up to $15,000, then 0.5% |
| NFTs | 5% |
5. Optional costs
Promoted listings are eBay ads. You choose an ad rate, and with the general (cost per sale) option you only pay when a buyer clicks your ad and buys within eBay’s attribution window. The rate is yours to set, so it is not a fixed fee; add it to your fee estimate if you use it. eBay Store subscriptions are optional monthly plans that add free listings and can change some final value fees. Prices and allowances change, so check eBay Seller Center before you subscribe. Sales to buyers outside the US and accounts below eBay’s seller performance standards can also carry extra fees; eBay lists these on its fee page.
A full worked example
You sell a vintage lamp (most categories) for $40 and charge $6 shipping. The buyer’s state charges 8% sales tax, which is $3.68 on $46.
- Total amount of the sale: $40 + $6 + $3.68 = $49.68.
- Final value fee: 13.6% × $49.68 = $6.76.
- Per order fee: the order is over $10, so $0.40.
- Insertion fee: $0 (within your 250 free listings).
- Total eBay fees: $6.76 + $0.40 = $7.16.
- Payout: eBay sends the $3.68 tax to the state, so you receive $46 − $7.16 = $38.84, before your item cost and the real postage you pay.
If the label costs $5.20, you have $33.64 left to cover the lamp and your time. Try your own prices in the Shopify & eBay fee calculator.
eBay vs Etsy fees (short)
| eBay (most categories) | Etsy (US shop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | 250 free a month, then $0.35 | $0.20 per listing |
| Sale fee | 13.6% of total + $0.30/$0.40 per order | 6.5% transaction fee |
| Payment processing | Included | 3% + $0.25 |
| Ads | Promoted listings (optional) | Etsy Ads (optional), Offsite Ads (may apply) |
For the full Etsy picture read how Etsy fees work, and to compare a store of your own see Shopify vs Etsy fees.
Ways to keep more of each sale
- Price for fees. Work backwards from the profit you want with the profit margin calculator or the product pricing calculator.
- Remember shipping is in the fee base. Charge realistic shipping, and size boxes well with the shipping package size helper.
- Watch the $10 line. Below $10 the fixed per order fee is a large share; bundle cheap items into one order.
- Use your free listings. Stay within 250 new listings a month unless the extra listings pay for themselves.
Sources (checked 6 November 2026): eBay Help: selling fees, eBay Help: Store selling fees, eBay Seller Center: seller fees, eBay seller update: final value fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does eBay take from a sale?
For most categories, eBay takes 13.6% of the total amount of the sale (item price, shipping and sales tax) up to $7,500, plus a $0.40 per order fee ($0.30 if the order is $10 or less). Some categories have different rates.
Does eBay charge fees on shipping?
Yes. eBay calculates the final value fee on the total amount of the sale, which includes the shipping and handling the buyer pays, so shipping is part of the fee base.
Does eBay charge fees on sales tax?
Yes. Sales tax is included in the total amount of the sale that eBay uses for the final value fee, even though eBay collects and remits the tax for you.
What is eBay's per order fee?
eBay adds a fixed per order fee of $0.30 when the total amount of the sale is $10.00 or less, and $0.40 when it is over $10.00. One order is all items a buyer pays for at checkout with the same shipping method.
Is listing on eBay free?
In most categories, your first 250 listings each month have no insertion fee. After that, each listing costs $0.35. You still pay the final value fee and per order fee when an item sells.
How much does eBay take from a $100 sale?
Assuming a most-categories item with no shipping charge, no sales tax and no promoted listings: 13.6% of $100 is $13.60, plus the $0.40 per order fee, so eBay takes $14.00 and you keep $86.00 before your own costs. Shipping or tax paid by the buyer would raise the fee.
Does eBay take 20%?
Not as a single universal rule. On eBay’s US Basic selling-fee table (Help id=4822, checked 6 November 2026), most categories use a final value fee of 13.6% of the total amount of the sale up to $7,500 per item, plus a per-order fee of $0.40 when the order is over $10 ($0.30 if $10 or less). That base package is not “20%.” Other categories use different percentages (for example 15.3% for many Books / Movies / Music rows, 15% for some handbags and jewelry bands). Store subscribers use separate tables (often a different % and threshold — see Help id=4809). Optional costs such as Promoted Listings, listing upgrades or international fees sit on top of the base final value fee, so the total money that leaves a sale can be higher than the base percentage alone — sometimes past 20% of the order — without the base final value fee itself being 20% for everyone. Always check the current eBay selling fees and Store selling fees for your category and plan.
How much are eBay fees on a $1000 sale?
Under one clear US Basic “most categories” example (checked against eBay Help id=4822 on 6 November 2026): if the total amount of the sale is $1,000, with no Store, no ads, and no extra shipping or tax in the fee base beyond that $1,000, eBay’s final value fee is 13.6% × $1,000 = $136, plus a $0.40 per-order fee, so $136.40 total (about 13.64% of that $1,000). Change the category, add a Store plan, add buyer-paid shipping or tax to the fee base, or add Promoted Listings, and the number changes — use the fee tables or a calculator rather than scaling a rumor percentage.
This guide is general information for sellers and is not financial, tax or legal advice. Marketplace rules and fees change, so always confirm in your own seller account. DailyToolLab is not affiliated with Etsy Inc., Shopify Inc. or eBay Inc.