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Marketplace Fee Calc Side-by-side comparison
Etsy vs eBay Fees
Etsy charges about 10.5% + $0.45 per order. eBay charges around 13.6% + $0.40 for most categories. On a like-for-like sale Etsy is usually cheaper — but eBay’s rate varies by category from roughly 2.5% to 15.3%, so the answer depends on what you sell.
Updated
- Updated September 2026
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Same item, both marketplaces (table)
The same $100 item, sold by a US seller on each marketplace, with no advertising and no buyer-paid shipping.
| Etsy | eBay | |
|---|---|---|
| Listing / insertion | $0.20 | $0.00 (within free monthly allowance) |
| Commission | 6.5% = $6.50 | 13.6% = $13.60 |
| Payment processing | 3% + $0.25 = $3.25 | Included in final value fee |
| Per-order fee | — | $0.40 |
| Total | $9.95 | $14.00 |
| You keep | $90.05 | $86.00 |
The structures differ in an important way. Etsy separates commission from payment processing, so you see two percentages. eBay folds processing into a single final value fee, which looks higher but is not being charged twice. Compare totals, not headline rates. eBay also caps the 13.6% at $7,500 per item, charging 2.35% above that — which matters only on high-value goods. Always confirm your category rate on eBay’s selling fees page.
Where each is cheaper
For most handmade and craft items at typical price points, Etsy is cheaper — roughly $4 less on a $100 sale in the comparison above — and its audience is already searching for that kind of product. eBay becomes cheaper in categories with reduced final value fees, which run as low as about 2.5%, and on high-value items where the 2.35% rate above $7,500 pulls the effective percentage down sharply.
Order size shifts the answer too. On very small orders Etsy’s $0.45 of flat fees and eBay’s $0.40 per-order fee both bite, but eBay’s free insertion allowance means unsold listings cost nothing, whereas Etsy charges $0.20 per listing every four months regardless of whether it sells. If you carry a large catalogue with slow turnover, those renewals accumulate into a real annual cost that never appears in a per-sale comparison.
Offsite Ads are the other asymmetry: above $10,000 in trailing sales they are mandatory on Etsy at 12%, which can make Etsy the more expensive option on ad-driven orders despite the lower base rate.
Beyond fees: audience and effort
Fees are rarely the deciding factor. Etsy concentrates buyers looking for handmade, vintage and craft supplies, so listings reach people with matching intent and less price-comparison pressure. eBay is broader and more competitive on price, with buyers who frequently compare identical items — which suits resale, used goods and commodity stock, and suits handmade work less well.
Effort differs as well. eBay rewards volume and fast listing; Etsy rewards photography, product presentation and SEO within its own search. Etsy shops also tend to build some brand recognition, while eBay transactions stay more anonymous.
The practical answer for most sellers is not one or the other. List where the product fits — handmade on Etsy, resale and used stock on eBay — and price each channel for its own fee structure rather than setting one price everywhere and absorbing the difference.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Etsy take from a $100 sale?
Etsy takes $9.95 from a $100 sale: $6.50 transaction (6.5%), $3.25 processing (3% + $0.25) and $0.20 listing. You keep $90.05. eBay on the same sale would take about $14.00, leaving $86.00. Shipping charged to the buyer raises Etsy’s 6.5% base.
Why are so many people leaving Etsy?
Rising fees, mandatory Offsite Ads above $10,000 in trailing sales, crowded categories and search visibility that shifts without warning. Sellers leaving usually move to their own storefront to control pricing and own the customer list — trading Etsy’s built-in traffic for independence, which only works if they can generate that traffic themselves.
How much does eBay take from a $10,000 sale?
About $1,079 on a single $10,000 item in a standard category. eBay charges 13.6% on the first $7,500 ($1,020), then 2.35% on the remaining $2,500 ($58.75), plus the $0.40 per-order fee — leaving roughly $8,921. The reduced rate above $7,500 is why eBay can be cheaper than Etsy on high-value goods despite the higher headline percentage.
Is it better to sell stuff on Etsy or eBay?
Match the marketplace to the product. Handmade, vintage and craft supplies belong on Etsy, where buyers arrive already looking for them and fees are lower on a like-for-like sale. Used goods, electronics and commodity resale do better on eBay, which has the broader audience and reduced fees in several categories. Many sellers run both and price each separately.
Sources
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Estimates only. Fees change; confirm on the marketplace’s own fee page. Not affiliated with Etsy, Inc. or eBay Inc.