eBay vs Etsy Fees in 2026: Which Platform Keeps More of Your Money?

The fee structures, side by side

Before comparing dollar amounts, you need to understand what each platform actually charges. eBay and Etsy have very different fee architectures, and that difference matters when you're pricing items.

eBay's fee structure in 2026

eBay uses a simple two-part fee for most sellers:

• Final value fee: 13.35% of the total amount the buyer pays (item price + shipping). Payment processing is bundled in — there's no separate charge.
• Per-order fee: $0.40 flat per completed transaction.
• Listing fee: Free for up to 250 fixed-price listings per month. $0.35 per listing after that.
• Promoted Listings: Optional. You set an ad rate (typically 2–15%) charged only when the sale comes from your promoted listing.

Use the eBay fee calculator to see the exact amount for your sale price, country, and optional promoted listings rate.

Etsy's fee structure in 2026

Etsy has more moving parts — four separate fees that stack on top of each other:

• Transaction fee: 6.5% of the item price including shipping charged to the buyer.
• Payment processing fee: 3% + $0.25 per order for US sellers. UK sellers pay 4% + £0.20; EU sellers pay 4% + €0.30.
• Listing fee: $0.20 per listing, renewed every four months or at each sale for quantity listings.
• Offsite ads fee: 15% of the order total if the sale comes from Etsy's external advertising (Google Shopping, Facebook, Pinterest). Drops to 12% once your shop earns $10,000 in the trailing 12 months. Sellers above $10k trailing sales can't opt out.

Use the Etsy fee calculator to see all four fees stacked for your exact sale price, currency, and offsite ads status.

Real dollar comparison at five price points

The table below shows what each platform takes on a typical sale at five common price points. eBay numbers use the standard US schedule (13.35% + $0.40). Etsy numbers include the 6.5% transaction fee + 3% + $0.25 processing + $0.20 listing fee, but no offsite ads (shown separately in the $500 row).

* Etsy offsite ads fee (15%) applied to the $500 row. eBay uses standard US schedule. All USD. Run your own numbers in the comparison calculator.

The offsite ads wildcard

The comparison above flips completely if an Etsy sale is attributed to offsite ads. A $100 item that triggers the 15% offsite ads fee costs an extra $15 on top of Etsy's standard $9.95 — pushing Etsy's total to $24.95, nearly double eBay's $13.75 on the same sale.

The key question is: how often do your sales come from offsite ads? Etsy doesn't show you this breakdown prominently. Check your Shop Manager → Marketing → Offsite Ads to see your attributed sales percentage. If more than 20–30% of your revenue is offsite-ads-attributed, eBay may actually be cheaper for your shop even at lower price points. For the full math on when offsite ads are worth it, see our dedicated breakdown.

When eBay beats Etsy

• High-value items with a store subscription: eBay store subscribers pay as little as 4.6% final value fee on qualifying categories — far below Etsy's ~9.95% floor.
• Heavy offsite ads attribution on Etsy: If 40%+ of your Etsy sales trigger the 15% offsite ads fee, eBay's flat 13.35% + $0.40 may be predictably cheaper.
• Used, non-handmade goods: eBay has no restrictions on what you sell. Etsy's handmade/vintage policy means some items simply don't belong there.
• International buyers: eBay's global shipping program gives you instant access to international buyers with fee schedules that can be favorable for high-ticket electronics and collectibles.

When Etsy beats eBay

• Handmade, craft, or vintage items under $200: Etsy's buyer base actively searches for these products, and the fee stack lands 3.5–4 points below eBay for most price points.
• No store subscription: Standard eBay sellers at 13.35% + $0.40 rarely beat Etsy's total at prices below $500.
• Digital products: Etsy is a natural home for printables, patterns, and digital downloads. eBay has no equivalent buyer intent for these.

Common mistakes when comparing these two platforms

• Comparing Etsy's advertised "6.5% transaction fee" to eBay's 13.35% and stopping there. Etsy's real total is closer to 9.75–11%+ once processing and listing fees stack on top — still cheaper than eBay in most ranges, but not by as much as the headline rate suggests.
• Ignoring offsite ads attribution when deciding. A shop that looks cheaper on Etsy in a spreadsheet can flip to more expensive than eBay in practice if a large share of sales are ad-attributed.
• Not accounting for eBay's free listing allowance. Sellers assume eBay charges per listing by default — most sellers list well under the 250 free fixed-price listings per month and never see this fee at all.
• Using US fee rates for international sales. Etsy's payment processing rate differs by country (UK: 4% + £0.20, EU: 4% + €0.30) — plug your actual currency into the calculator rather than assuming US rates.

How to calculate your actual platform cost

The comparison above uses a specific shipping amount and assumes no offsite ads for Etsy and no promoted listings for eBay. Your numbers will differ. The fastest way to get your real comparison:

1. Open the eBay fee calculator and enter your sale price and shipping.
2. Open the Etsy fee calculator with the same numbers, toggling offsite ads on and off.
3. Copy both fee totals into the profit calculator alongside your COGS and shipping cost to see true margin.
4. Or use the comparison tool to see both platforms — and Poshmark, Amazon, and Mercari — in a single table.

Bottom line

For the typical seller with items in the $20–$200 range, Etsy is cheaper than eBay by a consistent 3.5–4 percentage points — unless offsite ads attribution is high or you're running an eBay store subscription at volume. The safest approach is to calculate both before you list, not after.

Use the free calculators above. They update in real time, handle every fee line, and never ask you to sign up.