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Marketplace Seller Profit Calculator

Product details

What you paid to buy or produce this item

Enter 0 if free shipping or included in price

For Amazon FBA, leave 0 (FBA fee covers fulfilment)

Amazon FBA settings

eBay settings

Shopify settings

Enter a sale price and product cost above to compare profitability across platforms.

Before listing a product on any marketplace, know which platform actually leaves you the most money per sale. Enter your sale price and the cost of your product, and this calculator shows the exact fee breakdown for Amazon FBA, Etsy, eBay, and Shopify side-by-side - including referral fees, fulfillment fees, payment processing, and your shipping cost. The most profitable platform is highlighted automatically.

No signupRuns in your browserFormula explained belowGeneral information only
Fee schedules are approximate and based on published 2024-2025 rates. Marketplace fees change regularly. Always verify current rates on each platform's official fee pages before making pricing or listing decisions.

How to use this tool

  1. 1Enter the sale price you plan to charge buyers on each platform. If pricing will differ by platform, enter the price you have in mind.
  2. 2Enter your product cost - what you paid to buy or manufacture the item, per unit.
  3. 3Enter the shipping amount you charge buyers (0 for free shipping). Enter your actual cost to ship or fulfil each order.
  4. 4Configure Amazon FBA: select the product category (for the referral fee percentage) and the size tier (for the FBA fulfillment fee). Optionally add a monthly storage fee per unit.
  5. 5Configure eBay by selecting your product category (for the correct final value fee percentage), and Shopify by selecting your plan - the transaction fee is 0% with Shopify Payments and 0.5-2% without.
  6. 6Compare the four result cards. The most profitable platform is marked. Each card shows the net profit, margin, ROI, and full fee breakdown.

Formula used

Amazon FBA: Net profit = sale price minus product cost minus referral fee (% of sale price + shipping charged) minus FBA fulfillment fee minus storage fee. Etsy: Net profit = sale price minus product cost minus $0.20 listing fee minus 6.5% transaction fee minus 3% + $0.25 payment processing minus your shipping cost. eBay: Net profit = sale price minus product cost minus final value fee (% varies by category, capped at $750) minus your shipping cost. Shopify: Net profit = sale price minus product cost minus transaction fee (% by plan) minus credit card processing (2.9-2.4% + $0.30) minus your shipping cost.

Example

Home & kitchen product at $34.99

Sale price: $34.99. Product cost: $9.00. Free shipping (buyer). Your fulfillment cost: $0 (FBA). Amazon FBA (Home & Kitchen, standard 8oz): referral $5.25 (15%) + FBA $4.20 = $9.45 total fees. Net profit: $16.54 (47.3%). Etsy: $0.20 + $2.27 + $1.30 = $3.77 fees + $4.50 shipping = $8.27. Net profit: $17.72 (50.6%). eBay: $4.64 fees + $4.50 shipping = $9.14. Net profit: $16.85 (48.2%). Etsy wins at this price point and category.

Electronics accessory at $19.99

Sale price: $19.99. Product cost: $4.50. Amazon FBA (Electronics, standard 4-8oz): referral $1.60 (8%) + FBA $3.72 = $5.32. Net profit: $10.17 (50.9%). Etsy: $0.20 + $1.30 + $0.85 = $2.35 + $3.50 shipping = $5.85. Net profit: $9.64 (48.2%). eBay: $2.65 + $3.50 shipping = $6.15. Net profit: $9.34 (46.7%). Amazon wins at this price due to the low 8% electronics referral rate and no shipping cost.

Common use cases

  • New sellers choosing their first marketplace based on the margins for their specific product category
  • Existing Amazon sellers evaluating whether Etsy or eBay would yield better returns for handmade or vintage items
  • Product businesses deciding whether to sell through their own Shopify store versus Amazon FBA
  • E-commerce entrepreneurs calculating the minimum viable sale price to achieve a target profit margin on each platform
  • Sellers already active on multiple platforms optimising their pricing strategy per platform based on actual fee differences

Common mistakes

  • Using the same price across all platforms - optimal pricing varies by platform because fee structures differ; a price that gives 40% margin on Etsy may give only 30% on Amazon due to higher referral fees in some categories
  • Forgetting to include your own shipping cost for Etsy and eBay - unlike FBA which bundles fulfilment, self-fulfilled orders require you to subtract your actual postage cost
  • Not accounting for the Etsy listing fee of $0.20 per item - small but adds up if you list many items or renew listings frequently
  • Ignoring Shopify's monthly subscription fee in the comparison - Shopify charges $39-$399/month regardless of volume; at low sales volumes this significantly increases the true per-unit cost
  • Using an out-of-date referral fee category - Amazon changes fees periodically and some categories have tiered rates above a price threshold; verify on Amazon Seller Central before pricing a new product

Frequently asked questions

Which marketplace is usually the most profitable for sellers?

It depends heavily on the product category and price point. Amazon FBA tends to offer the most distribution reach, but the referral fee (8-20% by category) plus the FBA fulfillment fee can be significant. Etsy is better for handmade, vintage, and craft products where buyers expect to pay a premium and fees are often lower. eBay suits used goods and niche categories. Shopify is most profitable at high volume because there is no per-item commission - only the subscription and payment processing cost. Run the calculator with your specific numbers for an accurate comparison.

What is an Amazon FBA referral fee?

Amazon's referral fee is a percentage of the total sale price (including shipping charged to the buyer) that Amazon deducts from your payout as their commission for providing the marketplace. Rates vary by category: electronics pay 8%, clothing pays 17%, jewelry pays 20%, and most other categories pay 15%. This is separate from the FBA fulfillment fee, which covers picking, packing, and shipping the order from an Amazon warehouse.

What does Etsy charge sellers?

Etsy charges three main fees: a $0.20 listing fee per item listed, a 6.5% transaction fee on the total sale amount including shipping charged to the buyer, and a payment processing fee of 3% plus $0.25 per transaction. Some sellers also pay Etsy Ads, offsite ads (12-15%), and a monthly Etsy Plus subscription ($10/month) - but those are not included in this core calculation.

Does this include Shopify's monthly subscription in the comparison?

No. The Shopify monthly subscription ($39-$399/month) is a fixed cost not reflected in per-unit calculations because it amortises differently depending on your sales volume. The calculator shows per-sale fees only. At low volumes, you should factor in the subscription cost manually - at 10 sales per month on the Basic plan, the subscription adds $3.90 per sale.

How often do marketplace fees change?

Amazon typically updates FBA fees annually and occasionally adjusts referral fee rates. Etsy and eBay have been relatively stable but have raised fees over time. Shopify adjusts plans periodically. This tool is based on 2024-2025 published rates. Always verify on each platform's official fee schedule before making final pricing decisions.

Are these fees accurate for my country?

These fee schedules are based on US marketplace rates. Fees vary by country - for example, eBay UK, Etsy EU, and Amazon UK/EU have different percentage rates, VAT obligations, and payment processing rates. If you are selling in a market outside the US, check the local fee schedule for each platform.

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