Marketplace Fees Comparison
All 11 ecommerce platforms compared side-by-side — transaction fees, payment processing, subscriptions, fulfillment costs, and hidden charges that eat into your profits.
Why Marketplace Fees Matter for Profitability
For the average ecommerce seller, platform fees consume 15–30% of gross revenue. On a $50 item, you may keep anywhere from $37 to $49 depending on which platform you sell on. Over a year of selling, the difference between platforms can mean thousands of dollars in lost or saved profit.
The challenge is that each platform structures its fees differently. Amazon bundles payment processing into its referral fee. Shopify separates transaction fees from credit card processing. Etsy layers listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing on top of each other. This makes apples-to-apples comparison nearly impossible without a standardized breakdown.
This guide provides that breakdown. We compare all 11 ecommerce platforms supported by PrimeConnect across every fee category, model total costs at different revenue levels, and highlight the hidden fees that sellers commonly overlook.
Master Fee Comparison Table
Side-by-side comparison of all primary fee categories. Scroll horizontally on mobile to view all columns.
| Platform | Transaction / Commission Fee | Payment Processing Fee | Monthly Subscription | Fulfillment Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 8–15% referral fee | Included in referral fee | $39.99/mo (Pro) or $0.99/item | FBA: $3.22–$6.10+ per unit |
| Shopify | 0% (Shopify Payments) / 0.5–2% (3rd party) | 2.4–2.9% + $0.30 | $39–$399/mo | Self-fulfilled or 3PL |
| Etsy | 6.5% transaction fee + $0.20 listing | 3% + $0.25 | $0 (Standard) / $10/mo (Plus) | Self-fulfilled |
| eBay | 3–15% final value fee + $0.30 | Included in final value fee | $0 (up to 250 listings) / $7.95–$349.95/mo | Self-fulfilled |
| Stripe | N/A (payment processor only) | 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 | N/A |
| PayPal | N/A (payment processor only) | 2.99% + $0.49 (standard) / 2.59% + $0.49 (advanced) | $0 (standard) / $5–$30/mo (advanced) | N/A |
| Square | N/A (payment processor only) | 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person) / 2.9% + $0.30 (online) | $0 (Free) / $29–$79/mo (Plus/Premium) | N/A |
| Walmart | 6–20% referral fee | Included in referral fee | $0 | WFS: $3.45+ per unit or self-fulfilled |
| TikTok Shop | 5–8% referral fee | 1% (included in commission) | $0 | FBT or self-fulfilled |
| WooCommerce | 0% | Varies by gateway (e.g., Stripe 2.9% + $0.30) | $0 (plugin) + hosting $5–$50/mo | Self-fulfilled |
| Venmo | N/A (payment processor only) | 1.9% + $0.10 (business) / 3% (credit card QR) | $0 | N/A |
* Fees are based on publicly available pricing as of February 2026. Actual fees may vary by category, volume, and account type.
Fee Categories Explained
Transaction / Commission Fees
A percentage of each sale taken by the marketplace for providing access to their customer base. Ranges from 0% (Shopify with Shopify Payments) to 15% (Amazon and eBay in some categories). This is typically the largest fee for marketplace sellers.
Payment Processing Fees
The cost of processing credit card and debit card payments. Standard online rates are 2.9% + $0.30 for most processors. Some platforms (Amazon, eBay) bundle this into their commission, while others charge it separately.
Monthly Subscription
A fixed monthly charge for access to the platform. Ranges from $0 (Stripe, Walmart, TikTok Shop) to $399/month (Shopify Advanced). Higher tiers typically offer lower per-transaction rates, making them worthwhile at higher volumes.
Fulfillment Fees
Charged when the platform warehouses and ships your products. Amazon FBA starts at $3.22/unit, Walmart WFS at $3.45/unit, and TikTok FBT varies by weight. Self-fulfillment avoids these fees but requires your own logistics infrastructure.
Advertising Fees
Optional but often necessary for visibility. Amazon PPC averages $0.50–$2.00 per click. Etsy charges 15% on Offsite Ads sales (mandatory above $10K/yr). eBay Promoted Listings charge 2–20% of the sale price. These costs are not included in the tables above.
Total Cost Scenarios: Selling a $50 Item
How much you actually keep after selling a single $50 item on each platform. Assumes standard-tier plans and standard-size products for fulfillment.
| Platform | Commission | Processing | Subscription* | Fulfillment | Total Fees | You Keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $7.50 | $0.00 | $1.33 | $3.22 | $12.05 | $37.95 |
| Shopify | $0.00 | $1.75 | $1.30 | $0.00 | $3.05 | $46.95 |
| Etsy | $3.45 | $1.75 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $5.20 | $44.80 |
| eBay | $6.93 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $6.93 | $43.07 |
| Stripe | $0.00 | $1.75 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 |
| PayPal | $0.00 | $1.99 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.99 | $48.01 |
| Square | $0.00 | $1.75 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 |
| Walmart | $6.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3.45 | $9.45 | $40.55 |
| TikTok Shop | $2.50 | $0.50 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3.00 | $47.00 |
| WooCommerce | $0.00 | $1.75 | $0.42 | $0.00 | $2.17 | $47.83 |
| Venmo | $0.00 | $1.05 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.05 | $48.95 |
* Subscription costs are prorated per item assuming 30 sales/month. Actual per-item cost decreases with higher volume.
Annual Cost Projections
Estimated total platform fees at three annual revenue levels. Includes all commissions, processing fees, subscriptions, and estimated fulfillment costs (where applicable).
| Platform | $10K Revenue | $50K Revenue | $100K Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $2,410 | $12,050 | $24,100 |
| Shopify | $1,078 | $3,450 | $6,420 |
| Etsy | $1,170 | $5,450 | $10,700 |
| eBay | $1,386 | $6,930 | $13,860 |
| Stripe | $350 | $1,750 | $3,500 |
| PayPal | $398 | $1,990 | $3,980 |
| Square | $350 | $1,750 | $3,500 |
| Walmart | $1,890 | $9,450 | $18,900 |
| TikTok Shop | $600 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| WooCommerce | $450 | $2,050 | $4,000 |
| Venmo | $210 | $1,050 | $2,100 |
Key Insight
At $100K annual revenue, fees range from $2,100 (Venmo) to $24,100 (Amazon with FBA) — a difference of $22,000. For multi-channel sellers, understanding which products to sell on which platform can save thousands annually. Payment-only processors (Stripe, Square, Venmo) are cheapest but require you to drive your own traffic.
Hidden Fees Sellers Often Overlook
Beyond the published rate cards, every platform has additional fees that can significantly impact your margins. Here are the most commonly overlooked costs.
Amazon
- Long-term storage ($6.90/cu ft after 365 days)
- Removal/disposal fees ($0.25–$0.60/unit)
- Inventory placement fee ($0.30/unit)
- Refund administration fee (up to $5)
- Unplanned prep service ($1.00+/unit)
Shopify
- App subscription costs ($10–$200/mo each)
- Theme purchase ($150–$400 one-time)
- Shopify Payments chargeback fee ($15)
- Currency conversion fee (1.5%)
- Shopify Email beyond 10K emails
Etsy
- Offsite Ads (15% on attributed sales — mandatory above $10K)
- Listing renewal ($0.20 every 4 months)
- Multi-quantity listing fee ($0.20 per quantity sold)
- Pattern custom domain ($1/mo)
- Regulatory operating fee (varies by region)
eBay
- Promoted listings (2–20% ad fee)
- International fee (1.65% additional)
- Below standard seller fee (5% surcharge)
- Insertion fees beyond free tier ($0.35/listing)
- Managed payments dispute fee ($20)
Stripe
- Radar fraud protection ($0.05–$0.07/transaction)
- Dispute/chargeback fee ($15)
- Instant payout fee (1%)
- Billing recurring fee (0.5–0.8%)
- Connect platform fee (0.25%+ per payout)
PayPal
- International transaction fee (4.4% + fixed)
- Currency conversion spread (3–4%)
- Chargeback fee ($20)
- Micropayment pricing eliminated
- Inactive account fee ($10/year)
Square
- Chargeback protection ($0.32/transaction)
- Instant transfer fee (1.5%)
- Custom invoice late fee
- Premium features in paid tiers
- Hardware costs ($49–$799)
Walmart
- Return shipping costs (seller responsibility)
- WFS storage fees ($0.75/cu ft/mo)
- WFS prep & label fees
- Walmart Fulfillment Services minimum volume
- Price parity enforcement penalties
TikTok Shop
- Shipping subsidies may decrease over time
- Promotional rate expiration (5% → 8%)
- Late shipment penalties
- Quality score-based fee adjustments
- Return shipping responsibility
WooCommerce
- Hosting costs ($5–$300/mo)
- SSL certificate ($0–$100/yr)
- Premium extensions ($49–$299/yr each)
- Developer maintenance costs
- Security plugin subscriptions
Venmo
- Credit card QR code rate (3%)
- Instant transfer fee (1.75%, min $0.25)
- Limited business tools compared to PayPal
- No buyer protection for goods
- ACH return fee
Which Platform is Cheapest?
Beginners / Low Volume
TikTok Shop or Etsy
TikTok Shop's 5% promotional rate and zero subscription make it ideal for testing products. Etsy's free standard plan works well for handmade/vintage sellers with built-in buyer traffic.
Growing Brands ($10K–$50K/mo)
Shopify
Zero transaction fees with Shopify Payments, strong branding control, and lower per-item costs as volume grows. The $39–$105/mo subscription pays for itself quickly at this volume.
Maximum Reach / Scale
Amazon + Own Store
Despite higher fees, Amazon's audience drives volume. Pair with Shopify or WooCommerce for direct sales to maximize profit on repeat customers. Multi-channel is the winning strategy at scale.
Lowest Processing Fees
Venmo or Square
Venmo Business at 1.9% + $0.10 offers the lowest online processing rate. Square's 2.6% + $0.10 is cheapest for in-person sales. Both have no monthly fees on their free tiers.
Developer / Custom Stores
WooCommerce + Stripe
Zero commission fees — you only pay Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 and hosting ($5–$50/mo). Full customization control. Best for businesses with technical resources who want maximum margin.
Multi-Channel Sellers
Diversify Strategically
Sell high-margin items on Amazon for visibility. Move repeat customers to Shopify. Use Walmart for incremental volume. Track all fees with PrimeConnect's free analytics dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ecommerce platform has the lowest fees?
WooCommerce has the lowest overall fees since it is self-hosted and charges no transaction or commission fees — you only pay for hosting and your payment gateway. For hosted marketplace platforms, TikTok Shop currently offers the lowest commission rates at 5%, though this may increase after promotional periods end. Shopify is the most cost-effective full-service platform when using Shopify Payments.
How much does Amazon charge to sell?
Amazon charges a referral fee of 8–15% depending on the product category, a $39.99/month Professional seller subscription (or $0.99 per item on the Individual plan), and FBA fulfillment fees starting at $3.22 per standard-size unit. Payment processing is included in the referral fee. For a $50 item, expect to pay roughly $12 in total fees with FBA.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
Shopify charges 0.5–2% transaction fees only when you use a third-party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments. With Shopify Payments, you pay zero transaction fees and only the credit card processing rate (2.4–2.9% + $0.30 depending on your plan). This makes Shopify Payments significantly cheaper than using external processors.
What are the hidden fees on Etsy?
Etsy's most overlooked fee is the Offsite Ads fee — 15% on any sale attributed to Etsy's off-platform advertising, and sellers with over $10K in annual revenue cannot opt out. Other hidden costs include the $0.20 listing renewal every 4 months, the $0.20 per-quantity fee when selling multiple items, and the regulatory operating fee that varies by region.
Is PayPal or Stripe cheaper for online payments?
For standard domestic transactions, Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 while PayPal charges 2.99% + $0.49, making Stripe slightly cheaper per transaction. Stripe also offers volume discounts starting at $80K/month. However, PayPal's brand recognition can increase checkout conversion rates, which may offset the higher fees for some businesses.
How much does eBay charge per sale?
eBay charges a final value fee of 3–15% depending on the category (most categories are 13.25%), plus a $0.30 per-order fee. Payment processing via managed payments is included in the final value fee. The first 250 listings per month are free, after which there is a $0.35 insertion fee per listing.
What does TikTok Shop charge sellers?
TikTok Shop charges a referral fee of 5% for most categories during its promotional period, which may increase to 8% afterward. Payment processing is approximately 1% and is typically included in the commission. There are no monthly subscription fees, making it one of the most affordable platforms for new sellers to try.
How do I track marketplace fees for tax purposes?
Marketplace fees are tax-deductible business expenses that reduce your taxable income. You should track them separately for each platform. PrimeConnect's free converter tools can export transactions from all 11 platforms into QuickBooks, automatically categorizing fees for easy tax reporting. Use the Ecommerce Analytics Dashboard to compare fee impact across platforms.
Track Your Marketplace Fees Automatically
Stop guessing and start tracking. PrimeConnect's free Ecommerce Analytics Dashboard lets you compare fee impact across all 11 platforms in one place — and export everything to QuickBooks.
Open Ecommerce Analytics