eBay vs Amazon Fees: How Do They Stack Up? [Guide]

Ecommerce sellers have a huge range of costs they need to keep up with - fees are just one of them.

But on goliath platforms like Amazon and eBay, fees can themselves take on a variety of forms, and it’s not always clear exactly what you’ve paid and why.

That is, if you aren’t well-versed in how they work, or using the best tech to track them (psst… like A2X!)

In this guide, we’ll be comparing the platform fees that third-party sellers are charged on eBay and on Amazon.

We’ll detail how much they are, where to find more specific information on them, and what apps you need to manage and minimize them.

In this comparison guide to eBay fees versus Amazon fees:

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Amazon vs eBay Selling Fees Overview

Amazon and eBay both charge third-party sellers to use their mammoth marketplaces.

And the costs aren’t just in the sign-up process or subscription plans either.

For access to millions of visitors every day, week, and month, you’ll be charged. And as an expense to your business, you’ll need to keep a disciplined account of what you’re charged, when and why.

This is the only way to spot mistakes, changes, and opportunities to reduce costs.

Both platforms have their own versions of the following fee types:

• Subscription fees (to use the site to sell).
• Listing fees (to sell each item).
• Transaction fees (to process payments between buyers and you).
• Commission fees (charged after a sale based on its total value, for bringing you the customer).

Then for the various services each platform offers (like fulfillment, advertising, promoted listings and more), additional fees will follow.

Selected product categories may also carry additional fees too.

Here, we’ll explore the key fees for eBay and for Amazon, with links to further guides for more specific information about each.

Subscription Fees

For eBay sellers, there are five different subscription tiers. Most of these vary in price depending on whether you opt for a monthly subscription or yearly.

For Amazon sellers, there are two subscription types. One is charged per item sold, the other is charged per month of membership. Both come with additional subscription fees that we’ll get into shortly.

The tables below demonstrate the basic subscription fees for eBay vs Amazon, correct at the time of writing.

eBay subscription fees

For a more detailed breakdown of each of these subscription types and their unique perks, check out our huge eBay Seller Fees guide over in the Ecommerce Accounting Hub.

Amazon subscription fees

To learn more about the differences between these two Amazon seller subscription types, head over to our handy How To Sell On Amazon guide for further information.

eBay listing fees

eBay listing fees, also known as “insertion fees”, are determined by a number of factors.

These include:

• Category
• Subscription type
• Listing type
• Item price
• Listing duration
• Promotional features

Insertion fees are non-refundable, even if the item doesn’t sell. Multiple items under a single listing are only subject to one listing fee charge.

Depending on your subscription level and how many items you’ve sold in the current month, certain listings may be exempt from listing fees thanks to eBay’s zero-insertion fees feature.

If an item is listed under two or more categories, it will be charged a separate listing fee for each category. Some categories have special rules regarding eBay listing fees.

For sellers without a store subscription, the standard insertion fee for most items is $0.35 per listing (at the time of writing).

This table breaks down the standard insertion fees for each of the subscription levels and listing types.

eBay listing fees

Additionally, eBay has a number of optional listing fees for both auction-style and fixed-price listings. These allow you to boost listings ahead of others in search results, add more/better media, list in a second category, and more. Check them out here.

If you still have any questions regarding eBay listing fees, check out our eBay Listing Fees guide to find out more.

Amazon listing fees

Amazon listing fees are far more simple than eBay’s, as they only apply to sellers with an Individual membership subscription.

For Professional-membership sellers, the listing fees are included in your monthly subscription cost.

Of course, there are additional fees (which we’ll get into in a moment) that can affect the total cost of your listings.

For listing fee costs, minus any additional fees, refer to the table below.

Amazon listing fees

Transaction Fees

If you’re already an eBay seller and worried about hidden transaction fees from third-party payment providers, such as Paypal, then you’re in luck.

eBay’s Managed Payments system means that additional transaction fees are now included in your final value fee (we’ll get into those in a moment). It’s now eBay’s default payment gateway.

Amazon Pay is the default gateway for - you guessed it - Amazon. Its fees are transaction-based, made up of processing and authorization elements. These fees vary based on how the customer buys, with web and mobile being a little cheaper than via Alexa-style devices.

Here’s an example for a $10 transaction on Amazon:

Source: Amazon Pay.

There’s an additional cross-border processing fee for buyers using non-US payment methods. eBay also charges international fees for similar transactions.

Here’s the difference it makes on Amazon to that $10 transaction:

Source: Amazon Pay.

In the event of a refund on Amazon, you receive back only the processing fee component. For eBay, refunds of final value fees depend on a few other factors. Find out more about those specifically here.

Final Value Fees, Referral Fees, And Closing Fees

For both eBay and Amazon sellers, there are more fees applicable each time you sell.

In the world of eBay, these are referred to as final value fees. On Amazon, you might encounter both referral fees and closing fees.

Let’s take a look at how they all work.

eBay final value fees

eBay final value fees are charged based on a percentage of the price a listing sells for and the selected shipping and handling options your buyer decides to go with.

As we mentioned above, third-party payment fees are now included in your final value fee.

Additionally, your final value fees may change depending on the country you’re selling from and which eBay marketplace your items are listed in, as demonstrated by the table below.

Source: eBay export.

The percentage of a listing’s total price that is charged as a final value fee includes any shipping costs the buyer has selected.

The below table shows how the final value fee works (for ebay.com sellers) for different categories. For sellers with a store subscription, the percentage will be lower.

eBay final value fees

You can find more information on how final value fees are calculated in our eBay Final Value Fees guide.

Amazon referral and closing fees

Amazon referral fees are charged when an item has sold. They’re calculated based on either a percentage of the sale or a minimum fixed price - whichever amount is greater.

They’re Amazon’s commission for bringing you a buyer.

Closing fees are a secondary fee of $1.80 per media item sold. These are deducted from the sold price after the referral fee has been taken.

Media items are products listed in any of the following categories, all of which are subject to a closing fee:

• Books
• Computer games
• Computer software
• DVD & Blu Ray
• Music
• Video
• Video Games
• Video Game Consoles

Referral fees vary based on category.

The tables below reflect the referral fees for different categories. In the first table, the closing fee has been added to the total price.

Amazon referral fees for media products

Amazon referral fees for non-media products

Source.

You can find a complete breakdown of referral fees and closing fees in our Amazon Referral Fees guide.

Shipping And Fulfillment Fees

Of all the fees for Amazon and eBay sellers, shipping and fulfillment fees are probably the least predictable.

In both cases, you’ve got multiple options to consider. From handling everything yourself to using a third-party business to dropshipping products - your fees will be subject to your choices.

When it comes to eBay shipping and fulfillment fees, we recommend referring to our complete eBay shipping guide.

For Amazon sellers, self-managed shipping and logistics fees will depend on how you approach it. You can find all you need to know about different Amazon shipping options in our Amazon shipping guide.

Both Amazon and eBay sellers also have the option of using FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) - Amazon’s own fulfillment network. Your fees will be laid out separately by the platform, and if you also sell on Amazon, they’ll be a little cheaper than if you sell on eBay.

You’ll find a complete breakdown of Amazon FBA fulfillment fees here, along with all the other fees one can expect when using FBA.

Then There Are All The Other Fees…

Yep, apologies. These are just the beginning.

Aside from the standard fee structure above which is fairly predictable, other fees will appear on your settlement statements from time to time, depending on how much extra you use the platforms for.

Many fees are circumstantial, charged if you don’t package your FBA products correctly for example, or if your seller rating is below par on eBay.

The bottom line is that your decision to sell on either platform probably shouldn’t be based on its fees, because both have plenty.

Think more about your customers, your products, and what each platform can offer your business specifically.

To delve deeper into the fee categories of eBay and Amazon, refer check out our dedicated guides:

• eBay Seller Fees Guide
• Amazon Seller Fees Guide

Warning: Your fees may not be laid out for you in your settlement statements. Keep reading to find out how you can figure out exactly how much you paid in fees, collected in taxes, spent on fulfillment and more, quickly and accurately every time.

Make Reconciling Fees (And Everything Else) A Breeze

Your payouts from eBay and Amazon arrive to your bank account as one single figure.

That might seem organized, but for ecommerce sellers who need to know what transactions went into and came out of that figure, it’s a nightmare. And statements won’t always give you the detail you need either.

Fees are just one expense you’ll need to keep track of and, as you can see, there are a number of them - regardless of the platform you choose.

But there’s also sales taxes, returns and refunds, shipping costs, packaging costs, and all the other expenses to your business that you need to stay on top of too.

A2X was created by Amazon sellers trying to solve exactly this problem. Today, it’s touted as the gold standard in ecommerce accounting, trusted by sellers and by accountants across the globe.

Try it for free for Amazon or eBay ( or both) today!

Also on the Blog:

• The A2X Ecommerce Accounting Hub
• Profit First for Ecommerce Sellers: Better Managing Your Money
• The Clear Winner: Cash vs. Accrual Accounting